Module 1.

Understanding the Nature of

Hazards and Disasters
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module, the learners will be able to:

1. explain the concept of hazards;

2. differentiate natural from human-made hazards;
3. identify the different natural and human-made hazards;
4. explain how and when an event becomes a disaster; and
5. identify and explain the 4 components of disaster management.

Topic Outline
● Learning Motivation
● Hazards and Disasters
● The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework

Learning Resources
● Learning Activity 1 Understanding the Nature of Hazards and Disasters
● PHIVOLCS presentation slides

Learning Process/Discussion

Learning Motivation

This session is an introduction to the basic definition of disaster concepts. It is intended to

provide a common understanding of terminologies that are used not just locally but
worldwide. In class, you may implement Learning Activity 1 as a starting point. In closing
the activity, you may ask your students whether hazards and disasters can be prevented.
These kinds of discussions can serve as a good motivation for students to obtain information
on the nature of hazards and disasters.

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Hazards and Disasters

A hazard is an event that brings danger, may cause damage to properties, and can hurt
humans. There are two types of hazards: natural and human-made. Natural hazards can be
further subdivided into groups such as (1) hydrometeorological (such as typhoons, floods,
flash floods, landslides); (2) geological (such as earthquakes, tsunami, volcanic eruptions,
landslides); and (3) health-related hazards (such as epidemic or pandemic, for example, a
cholera outbreak, avian flu, SARS, COVID-19, etc.). Some examples of human-made
hazards are chemical/oil spills, industrial toxic pollution, fire, armed conflict, and landmines.

Any of the events or phenomena mentioned above becomes a disaster when it causes a
severe impact that results in injuries, loss of lives, and damages to properties of the affected
communities. Disaster happens when the community could not cope with the socio-economic
disruption caused by the occurrence of a hazard. As illustrated in Figure 1.1, natural hazards
(typhoons, floods, earthquakes, etc.), when combined with elements at-risk (people and
infrastructures), lead to a disaster (human casualties, damages to properties and
infrastructure, displaced population, and economic losses due to disrupted business).

Figure 1.1. Disaster occurs when elements at risk such as people and properties
are exposed to hazards.

Natural hazards are naturally occurring phenomena. They cannot be prevented from happening, but
their occurrence can be “anticipated” or the severity of their possible impacts can be “predicted,”
based on past experiences with similar events. If people are aware of the impacts of past events, are
conscious that these could happen again in the future, and are practicing preparedness with these in
mind, the adverse impacts of hazards can be “avoided”, “prevented”, “mitigated”, or in other words
lessened. The severity of the disaster can be reduced by increasing the awareness of people about
the hazards that can affect their community and teaching them what actions can be undertaken to
minimize the impacts.

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The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) of the Philippines was
created on May 27, 2010, by virtue of Republic Act No. 10121 or “an act strengthening the Philippine
disaster risk reduction and management system, providing for the national disaster risk reduction and
management plan.” The NDRRMC is a coordinating body at the national level and is composed of
various national government agencies involved in disasters. As the agency mandated to monitor and
study occurrences of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (PHIVOLCS) is a member of our country’s governing council on disasters.

Figure 1.2 NDRRMC Comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework

Our country has adopted a Comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework
that recognizes four important components of disaster management: prevention and mitigation,
preparedness, response, and recovery and rehabilitation (Figure 1.2). Simply put, prevention and
mitigation are measures taken in advance of a disaster aimed at eliminating or reducing its impacts
on the society and the environment. Activities under prevention and mitigation can either be structural
or non-structural. Preparedness includes measures taken to prepare people to react appropriately
during and following such events (e.g., activities on planning, information, education, and
communication). Response covers measures taken immediately following an emergency. Under this
are activities that deal with the immediate damages caused by the disaster. Response activities
include search and rescue operations. Recovery and rehabilitation include measures taken to
restore and improve the affected communities’ pre-disaster conditions. This component is guided by
the “Build Forward Better” principle which means that the community’s restored state must be
better than their pre-disaster state so that they are better prepared for future hazards.

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Evaluation
Answer the following questions and fill out the two tables as a basis for evaluating the
learnings from this module.

1. Differentiate hazard from disaster.

2. Explain: When does a hazard become a disaster?
3. In your school environment, list down the hazards that are present based on your
experience. Make two tables similar to the example below:

a. List of hazards experienced in the school

Natural Hazards Date/Year Human-made Date/Year

Hazards

b. List of hazards you have not experienced but you think could happen in your school

Hazard Natural or Human- Why do you think that this

made? hazard could happen in your
school?

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References

DOST-PHIVOLCS. About PHIVOLCS. https://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php/about-

us/about-phivolcs

DRRNet Philippines (n.d.). Primer on the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM)
Act of 2010.
http://downloads.caraga.dilg.gov.ph/Disaster%20Preparedness/DRRM%20Act%20Primer.pdf

Republic of the Philippines (2010). Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act
of 2010. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2010/05may/20100527-RA-10121-
GMA.pdf

Save the Children (2007). Child-led Disaster Risk Reduction: A Practical Guide.
https://www.preventionweb.net/publications/view/7612

Save the Children (2010). Training Manual: Child-led Disaster Risk reduction in Schools and
Communities. https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/library/training-manual-child-led-
disaster-risk-reduction-schools-and-communities

United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) (2004). Living with
Risk: A global review of disaster reduction initiatives, 2004 version. Volume II Annexes, 126
pages. https://www.undrr.org/publication/living-risk-global-review-disaster-reduction-initiatives

Related Resources

Save the Children Philippines. Training Manual on RA 10821 and the Minimum Standards for
Child Protection in Humanitarian Action.
https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/cpms_ra10821_training_manual_final_n
cpwg.pdf

United Nations Children's Fund. Convention on the Rights of a Child.

https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention