Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction- Senior High Alternative Delivery Mode

Quarter 3 - Module 3: Concepts of Vulnerability First Edition, 2020

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What This Module is About

In this module, the learner will be able to explain the meaning of
vulnerability; and will also be able to apply the different applications and real-life
situations. Knowing the meaning of the word itself will let the learners use their
knowledge to handle situations when vulnerability became the primary
considerations of the community when it comes to exposure, prevention,
mitigation, and recovery from a particular hazard.
This module also contains varied activities that can help you as a Senior High
School become a resilient amidst hazards and disasters. Your journey on this module
will develop your critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
The following are the lessons contained in this module.
1. Vulnerability
2. Elements Exposed to a particular Hazards
3. Vulnerabilities of Exposed Elements
4. Relationship of hazard, exposure and vulnerability to disaster risk.

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 What I Need to Know 7. It refers to the community’s ability to reduce vulnerability through prevention,
mitigation, response, and recovery.
At the end of this module, you should be able to: A. Disaster B. hazard C. resiliency D. risk
1. Explain the meaning of vulnerability. (DRR11/12-Ic-8) 8. It is a set of existing conditions, which badly affect the community’s ability
2. Explain why certain sectors of society are more vulnerable to disasters than to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, and respond to hazardous events.
A. disaster B. disaster risk C. hazard D. vulnerability
others. (DRR11/12-Ic-9)
9. What does the statement “Vulnerability is situation specific” means?
3. Recognize vulnerabilities of different elements exposed to specific hazards.
A. Vulnerability cannot be determined easily
(DRR11/12-Id-12) B. Not all communities are vulnerable to earthquake
4. Differentiate among hazards, exposure, and vulnerabilities and give examples C. It means that vulnerability depends in every individual
from actual situations (DRR11/12-Id-13) D. Vulnerability of a certain community depends on the level of preparedness
10. The following are ways on how to develop resiliency EXCEPT________.
A. ability to identify the hazards
What I Know B. ability to escape a specific event
C. ability to respond immediately after the disaster
Multiple Choice. Select the letter of the best answer from among the D. ability to prepare all the time for the possible outcome
given choices 11. Complete the sentence. High vulnerability level and high hazard status are
associated with ___.
1. What are the three phases of disaster management planning for vulnerable A. low disaster risk C. medium disaster risk
community to make it less susceptible? B. high disaster risk D. all of the above
A. planning, evacuating, & recovery C. evacuating, rebuilding, & recovery
B. preparation, response, & recovery D. preparation, planning, & perception 12. Which of the following groups of people are more vulnerable to disasters?
A. men, women, boys C. women, children, old people
2. Risk is a situation where in a community is being exposed to danger. What are B. men, boys, old people D. none of the above
the two factors that affect the risk level of a community? 13. The following factors can help lessen the vulnerability of a community
A. alert and alarm C. hazard and vulnerability EXCEPT ____.
B. hazards and threats D. vulnerability and susceptibility A. preparedness of the community
3. The following are involved in National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management B. presence of Disaster Risk Reduction Management Team
planning EXCEPT C. availability of health services and facilities in times of calamity
A. media C. national government D. provisions of housing on areas that have fault lines in the vicinity
B. Catholic church D. Local Government Units (LGU) 14. Which statement best describes vulnerability?
A. Vulnerability can cause the loss of life or injury, property damage.
4. Which is NOT a tool provided by the government to protect vulnerable B. Vulnerability is a potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon, or
communities? human activity.
A. Government using research to predict storms and floods. C. Vulnerability can generate social and economic disruption or
B. Government utilizing computer systems to determine risk levels. environmental degradation.
C. Government relocating natural disaster victims to more stable areas. D. Vulnerability is the susceptibility of an individual or a group of people
D. Government funding Army corps of Engineers projects to build bridges on the impact of natural hazard.
5. Which of the following can be frequently prevented and anticipated? 15. Why do you think the total number of deaths attributable to natural hazards
A. disasters C. human-made hazard has risen overall? It is because ……..
B. natural hazards D. socio-economical hazards A. less people lived in less vulnerable areas
6. Which group belongs to the most vulnerable? B. events are better documented today than in the past
A. professionals C. government officials C. the magnitudes of natural hazard events are increasing
B. indigenous people D. small entrepreneurs D. human population are increasing in areas that are vulnerable

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 Lesson 1 Explaining Vulnerability

The effects of a disaster depend on how vulnerable the community to a

particular hazard, or its inability to withstand it or respond to it. This module is written to
help you understand one of the determinants of risk which is vulnerability.
Vulnerability can determine the ability of an person or a group to predict, cope
with, resist and recover from the effects of a natural or human-induced threat. As C D
vulnerability increases, it means that the population is at greater risk of suffering from a
severe natural danger.

What’s In AFFECTED SECTOR/ REASON WHY THEY ARE

INDIVIDUAL AFFECTED
Every year, there are millions of people who are affected by natural disasters,
and maybe you know how calamitous it is, am I right? From the destruction of A
buildings, the spread of many diseases and even death. It can even devastate entire B
country overnight. Earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons and storm surge do not just wreak
havoc on land; they also disrupt people's lives, destroy ones’ properties and posse C
living in remote regions. To elucidate the concept of disaster risk, it is imperative to D
define one of the determinants of risk which is vulnerability.

What’s New
Direction: Analyze the picture shown below and identify what particular sector or
individual who will most likely have suffered the most in that kind of
situation and give the reasons why they are affected
A B
What is it
Vulnerability is a state of being at risk. According to Republic Act 10121 also
known as ‘Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010’, vulnerability
is defined as the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or resource that
make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard. It may arise from various physical,
social, economic, and environmental factors such as poor design and construction of
buildings, inadequate protection of assets, lack of public information and awareness, limited
official recognition of risk and preparedness measures, and disregard for wise
environmental management (RA 10121). It is often viewed in another way as the inability to
resist hazard or to respond when a disaster has occurred. For instance, people who are
living on plains are more vulnerable to floods than people who live higher up. With all the
identified hazard at home, there is a possibility that some family members might be
susceptible or prone to the accident due to the presence of hazard.

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 Vulnerability is also situation specific. This means that if a specific province is
prone to earthquake, it does not mean that all localities on that province is vulnerable to
it. The vulnerability of different towns or cities or even provinces differ in the way they
prepare for the hazard and the amount and type of resources they have in order prevent
and manage it. To lessen vulnerability means to make the community prepared and ready
for the possible damaging effect of the hazard. This further means that to make the
community less vulnerable, it must be resilient. So, to develop resiliency at home, you
should first identify the hazards and be prepared all the time for the possible outcome
and respond immediately.
Moreover, it is also hazard specific. A community that is vulnerable to earthquake
hazard does not necessarily mean that it is also vulnerable to typhoons. Hazards have
different traits that can influence the disasters possible to happen.
In actual fact, vulnerability depends on several factors, such as people’s age and
state of health, local environmental and sanitary conditions, as well as on the quality and
state of local buildings and their location with respect to any hazards. There are several
situations that can increase our vulnerability to disasters. One example is when people cut
down too many trees at a faster rate than nature can replace them this is what we all call
deforestation. It increases the vulnerability of many communities to rain which, when they
fall on unprotected soil, cause mudslides, landslides, floods and avalanches.
Building homes in high-risk places makes us more vulnerable. For instance, it
someone live too close to a river and people have been throwing garbage into it so that
water cannot flow on through, such location will be more vulnerable to floods. A well-
What ’s More
Informed and well-organize community, that meets to talk about what they are going to do
about the natural hazards, is less vulnerable than a community that is unaware of them.
Direction: Recognize the vulnerabilities of different elements exposed to a specific type
of hazards. Fill up the table by supplying the vulnerabilities of a certain situation.

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 What I Have Learned

Direction: Read And understand the following situations. Write the letter of your answer
on the answer sheet.
1 . People who are living in low-lying areas and near river banks are more susceptible
to: A. earthquake B. fire C. flooding D. tsunami

2. Which among the sectors is the least vulnerable to typhoons and floods?
A. elderly B. rich people C. indigenous people D. urban poor

3. It is the inventory of elements in an area in which hazard events may occur

A. disaster B. exposure C. risk D. vulnerability

4. What particular sector suffered high exposure and vulnerability to flood as seen in the
pictures below?
A. children B. business C. education D. indigenous people

5. Which is the best reason why the elderly is more vulnerable to hazards?
A. They are forgetful, weak and irritable.
B. They cannot act fast due to old age.
C. They are delicate so they need extra care and attention.
D. They are prone to illnesses that can worsen in the advent of hazards.

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 What ’s New
Lesson 2 Elements Exposed to WORD GRID
Particular Hazards Direction: Encircle 10 words which relate to the determinants of risk. The words can be
read in horizontal or vertically.

The vulnerability to a natural hazard often asks the question on how large an effect
does a hazard of certain severity have on a particular element at risk. This module is written
to help you understand the four main types of elements that can be exposed to hazards.

What I Know
Direction: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet
of paper.
1. Which among the following elements that can be expose to hazards refers to the
population density, remoteness of a settlement, site/location, design and materials.?
A. Physical B. Economic C. Environmental D. Social
2. Which among the following elements that can be expose to hazards refers to the
communities that cannot afford to live in a safer place?
A. Physical B. Economic C. Environmental D. Social
3. What makes Philippines a vicinity of different kinds of calamities every year?
A. Philippines is an archipelago. C. Philippines is a developing country.
B. Philippines is a small country. D. Philippines is facing the Atlantic Ocean.
4. An event becomes a disaster when it leaves ______________________.
A. no casualties C. less casualties
B. many casualties D. neither none nor more casualties
5. A sudden event, such as an accident or natural catastrophe that causes great damage
or loss of life is called _________.
A. capacity B. disaster C. disaster risk D. vulnerability
What is it

What’s In There are four (4) main types or elements that can be exposed to hazards:

An integral factor in understanding the true extent of the risk is vulnerability to natural
hazards. Although there is no single vulnerability definition, it generally refers to the impact
that a hazard has on people, infrastructure and the economy. That is, it asks how big an effect
a hazard of some severity has on a particular element at risk. Vulnerability can be broken
down into four main elements that may be expose to specific hazards.
1. Physical: Population density, remoteness of a settlement, the site/location, design and
materials for critical infrastructure and for housing determine exposure. Physical element
is design by describing the likely severity of damage or economic loss for a particular
type of infrastructure when it is exposed to a certain level of hazard.
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2. Social: This refers to “The Vulnerable and Marginalized Groups” which include
individuals or groups of people that face higher exposure to disaster risk and poverty
including ,but not limited to, women, especially pregnant women, youth, children
especially orphans and unaccompanied children, elderly, differently-abled people,
indigenous people, the disadvantaged families and individuals living in high risk areas,
and danger zones, and those living in the road right-of-ways, and highly congested areas
are vulnerable to industrial, environmental, health hazards and road accidents. Included
in the exposure are the marginalized farmers and fisher folks (RA 10121)

The Elderly

3. Economic: Exposure is highly dependent upon the economic status of individuals,

communities and nations. The poor are usually more exposed to disasters because
they lack the resources to build sturdy structures and put other engineering measures
in place to protect themselves from being negatively impacted by disasters.

Example: Poorer families may live in squatter settlements in highly congested and
hazard–prone areas because they cannot afford to live in safer
places. They are those who opted to stay in unsafe areas due to the
proximity or nearness

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 What’s More
Direction: Write the elements that are exposed to a particular
hazard in each box below.

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 infrastructure and the economy. That is, it ask how big an effect a hazard of
Lesson 3 Vulnerabilities of some severity has on a particular element at risk. Vulnerability can be broken
down into four main elements that may be expose to specific hazards.
Exposed Elements
What is it
Hazards are potentially damaging events,
phenomena (earthquakes, landslides, storms, etc.) or human activities
What I Know (illegal mining, logging) that cause loss of life, injury, property damage,
social and economic disruption or environmental degradation (Makoka&
Direction: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a Kaplan, 2005). Exposure is the totality of people, property, systems or
separate sheet of paper. other elements present in hazard zones that are subject to potential
losses. Vulnerability is the concept that explains why a community is
1. The following are mitigations to reduce exposure and vulnerability to hazard in more or less at risk to a given hazard. It is the coming together of
schools EXCEPT?
A. Classroom with entrance & exit doors hazard, vulnerability, and exposure that disaster risk occurs
B. Conduct of drills on fire, earthquake, flood .
C. Faulty electrical wirings are still unchecked
D. Integration of disaster readiness and Risk reduction in lesson
2. What happens when hazard, vulnerability and exposure come together?
A. Calamities C. Disaster risk
B. Damage to properties D. loss of lives
3. The following are reasons that makes a community more vulnerable to
Hazard EXCEPT
A. People build houses in “No Build Zones
B. Houses are built from light materials or su-standard materials.

C. Strict implementation and compliance of the building code.

D. Indifference or lack of awareness about disaster risk.
4. Which activity will Not reduce or decrease exposure and vulnerability hazard?
A. Relocate residents of hazards-prone areas to safer places.
B. Installation of early warning systems.
C. Conduct of fire, earthquake and flood drills in communities and
schools.
D. Allowing informal settlers to live in any vacant government
5. A sudden event, such as an accident or natural catastrophe that causes Geography, location and place, settlement patterns, and structures of
great damage or loss of life is called _________. houses and infrastructures determine physical vulnerability. Poor
A. capacity B. disaster C. disaster risk D. vulnerability standard of housing and infrastructure as well as risk areas or hazard prone
would mean high vulnerability areas”.

What’s In
An integral factor in understanding the true extent of the risk is
vulnerability to natural hazards. Although there is no single vulnerability
definition, it generally refers to the impact that a hazard has on people,
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In Cagayan de Oro, for example, island bars, old river channels/creeks
and former oxbow lakes such as Isla de Oro and Isla Delta, and Isla Bugnaw,
portions of Consolacion, Tibasak, Cala-cala, Biasong and river bank in Upper
Balulang were identified by the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) as high flood risks
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areas. Isla de Oro was an island community between Maharlika Bridge and
Ysalina Bridge formed through the accumulation of sand and silt resulting to a
sand bar. The islet was inhabited by informal settlers of about 500 families or
roughly 7000 people who built houses made of light materials. During the
onslaught of Typhoon Sendong most of the residents in the islet lost their lives.

About 250 homes in this 4.8 hectare in Cala-cala, Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro City area
were swipe away by the flash flood during Typhoon Sendong last December 17, 2011
Isla de Oro in Barangay Consolacion, Cagayan de Oro City before and after Typhoon
Sendong (Photo retrieved on August 20, 2015 and taken Naderev Yeb Sano, on Dec, 21,2011

A dawn fire razed the makeshift houses/shanties at Zone 8, Upper Dagong, Carmen, Cagayan
Houses built from wood and light materials in Isla Delta, Barangay Consolacion, Cagayan de de Oro City on June 19, 2015. The fire started in a shanty wherein the family had no access
Oro City were destroyed and lives were lost in the raging flood during Typhoon Sendong to electricity and just made use of lamps and candles. (Source: Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro).
on December 17, 2011. (Photo retrieved on August 20, 2015 from SCJPhil.com)

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 The figure below shows that when vulnerability of exposed elements is
reduced and exposure people, property, etc) are kept away from hazard, then
the area of disaster risk becomes smaller. This means the damaging effects of
hazards are lessened.

Landslide occurrence in Zone 7, Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City on August 23, 2008
destroyed one house. Approximately 30 thirty families living in this steep slope were
adviced to relocate to a safer place. ( Photo source: Mines and Geosciences Bureau 10)

Some prevention and mitigation measures spearheaded by the

National and City Government, the Cagayan de Oro City Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) and the Barangay Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management Committees (BDRRMCs):

Landslide occurrence at Bolonsori, Barangay Camaman-an, Cagayan de Oro City

on January 18, 2014. Two houses at the edge slope reportedly were ordered force
evacuation by the Barangay. (Photo source: DENR X-Mines & Geoscience Bureau)

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 1 . Risk Assessment Profile with the use of Hazard Maps

3. Installation of Early Warning System (EWS

Inundation is the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto

normally dry land. It is the total water level that occurs on normally dry ground
as a result of the storm tide, flooding, and is expressed in terms of height of
water, in feet, above ground level.
Flood inundation maps show where flooding may occur over a range of
water levels in the communities’ streams and rivers. These maps illustrate the
extent and depth of flooding expected spatially over a given area for a projected
span of time (number or years), allowing the government and people to see how
flood levels could affect their property; and in turn, helping them make informed
decisions in terms of flood response planning, infrastructure design and
environmental purposes. Through these maps, communities can visualize
potential flooding scenarios, identify areas and resources that may be at risk,
and enhance their local response effort during a flooding event.

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 3. Construction of Flood Control Dikes in Cagayan de Oro River What I Can Do
Direction: Consider two kinds of hazards (one natural and one
man-made) that you like to evaluate. Make an analysis of your chosen type of
hazard by considering the vulnerable members of your family. Fill in the table
below with the needed data. Ask help from your parents or any knowledgeable
adults in your family.

HAZARD Vulnerable Reasons/s of Proposed plan

(specify) member vulnerability/ies to minimize
the
vulnerability

4. Construction of landslide barriers/slope protection

References:
GOVPH. “Executive Order No. 335, s. 1941: GOVPH.” April 1, 1941. Accessed
May20,2020. http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1941/04/01/executiveorder-no-335-
s-1941/.
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRM). 2011. The National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP). Philippines: NDRRMP,
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Accessed May 20, 2020.
Republic Act No. 10121. Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.
Manila, Philippines: Congress of the Philippines. Accessed
May 20, 2020. http://www.mdrrmc.gov.ph/attachments/
article/45/Republic_Act_10121.pdf

Prepared by:

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