EXPOSURE

AND VULNERABILITY

Third Quarter - Lesson 2

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

 Lesson Objectives

1 Enumerate elements exposed to hazards

2 Explain the meaning of vulnerability

Explain why certain sectors of society are more

3 vulnerable to disaster than others

Analyze why certain structures are more

4 vulnerable to specific hazards than others

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

VULNERABILIT
Y
DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT
Vulnerability

It is a condition determined by physical, social, economic and

environmental factors or processes which increase the
susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazards.

It is the extent to which a community, structure, service, or

geographic area is likely to be damaged or disrupted by the impact
of a particular hazard, on account of its nature, construction, and
proximity to hazardous terrain or a disaster-prone area.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

ELEMENTS AT RISK TO
HAZARDS
DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT
 Element at Risk
Elements at risk include persons, buildings, crops, and
other components exposed to known disaster hazards
and which are likely to be adversely affected by the
impact of these hazards.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES
DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT
DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

1 Physical and Environmental

Vulnerability
Refers to the "human-made environment" of buildings and
infrastructures, and the natural environment of agriculture,
forestry, and aquaculture. The factors that determine the
magnitude of physical vulnerability are the following:

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

1 Physical and Environmental

Vulnerability
a. Geographic pattern of the severity of hazards
b. Exposure of the elements to hazards
c. Geological and environmental characteristics of the community
d. Effects of local conditions

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

2 Social vulnerability
Refers to the susceptibility of the population the social
institutions or organizations that ensure the sustenance of
families, communities, and society, The factors affecting
social vulnerability are the following:

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

2 Social vulnerability
a. Special categories of vulnerable groups of people such as
women and children, people with disability, the elderly,
chronically-ill persons, indigenous people, the lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) sector, among
others.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

2 Social vulnerability
a. Educational attainment
b. Knowledge and awareness
c. Location and type of housing
d. Population density
e. Perception of risk
f. Values and traditions
g. Absence of local institution
DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT
DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

3 Economic Vulnerability
Pertains to the assets and resources of the community that are
susceptible to disasters, including the production, distribution,
and utilization of goods and services that ensure the well-being
of the people. The factors affecting economic vulnerability are
the following:

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

3 Economic Vulnerability
a. Sources of livelihood
b. Community resources
c. Household income and savings
d. Markets and access to goods and services

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

 Capacity
It is the combination of a community's strengths.
characteristics, and resources that can be utilized to
achieve certain goals. There are capacities which can be
mobilized to aid recovery from disasters

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

SPECIFIC VULNERABILITIES
AND CAPACITIES
DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT
 A table comparing specific
vulnerabilities and capacities

VULNERABILIT
TYPES ELEMENTS CAPACITY
Y
Substandard
construction and design Hazard-proof
Physical Infrastructure
of buildings. roads, and construction and design
bridges

Forest covered with

Environmental Deforested areas that
Forest Lands sustainable ecological
can cause erosion
system

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

 A table comparing specific
vulnerabilities and capacities

VULNERABILIT
TYPES ELEMENTS CAPACITY
Y

Adequate
Knowledge and Lack of education and
understanding of and
awareness awareness
training on DRRM

Social
A community in Community members
conflict because of united and organized
Organizations
race, religion, or into DRRM teams and
politics volunteer groups

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

 A table comparing specific
vulnerabilities and capacities

VULNERABILIT
TYPES ELEMENTS CAPACITY
Y

Family income Low-income families Non-poor with savings

Economic Source of livelihood

that is highly Source of livelihood
susceptible to hazards with low susceptibility
Livelihood
such as fishing, which to environmental
is disrupted when there changes and hazards
is a storm

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

 THE PHILIPPINES AND ITS
VULNERABILITY TO HAZARDS
DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT
 THE PHILIPPINES AND ITS
VULNERABILITY TO HAZARDS

The location of the Philippines in the Pacific

makes it very vulnerable to meteorological
disturbances such as typhoons.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and

Astronomical Services Administration
(PAGASA) states that around 19 to 20 typhoons
enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility
(PAR) every year.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

 THE PHILIPPINES AND ITS
VULNERABILITY TO HAZARDS

When the tracks of the

typhoons from 1948 to
2010 are traced on the map,
one can see that the
Philippines is always on the
path.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

 THE PHILIPPINES AND ITS
VULNERABILITY TO HAZARDS

The Philippines is also located in the

western ring of the Pacific Ocean
where many active faults, trenches,
and volcanoes can trigger
earthquakes. The Central Luzon
earthquake in 1990, the Negros
Oriental earthquake in 2011, and the
Bohol earthquake in 2013 are some of
the strongest experienced in the
country.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

 POVERTY AND
VULNERABILITY
DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT
 POVERTY AND
VULNERABILITY

The poor usually have lesser access to better homes, public

facilities, and livelihood opportunities, which makes them
vulnerable to disasters.

There are conditions at the local and global levels that place people
and communities at greater risks. These risks are also driven by
poverty.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

 POVERTY AND
VULNERABILITY

As disasters impact the vulnerable sectors, these cause damage to

their economic and social life, thus pushing them to worse
conditions (ISDR 2009).

The unequal allocation and distribution of resources also contribute

to their situation.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

 DISASTER AS A
SOCIAL
PHENOMENON
DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT
DISASTER AS A SOCIAL
PHENOMENON

While disaster is mainly caused by natural hazards and has

physical effects, it is also a social phenomenon because natural
events have social consequences only as a result of the actions of
human beings and societies" (Dynes, 1992: 15)

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

1 Harmful practices worsen

vulnerability to disasters.

In the production of
goods and services,
people often ignore the
disaster risks involved.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

Population growth and shortage of land have further pushed low-

2 income families to worse living conditions, which make them
more vulnerable to disasters.

They usually live in

marginal lands such as
ravines, steep slopes, or
even riverbeds and banks
(OUNDRC, 1977, 14).

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

The poor, the elderly, people with disabilities or special needs, indigenous
3 people, women, children, and communities marginalized by the exploitation
of natural resources usually end up as victims of disasters as they are the
most vulnerable groups.

Human-made disasters also

place people in greater
misery. The displaced
communities caught in
armed conflicts are
forcefully placed in hamlets.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VULNERABILITIES

The aftermath of a disaster paves the way for disaster

4 prevention efforts.

Disasters encourage people to

collaborate in addressing the
roots of disaster risks,
engaging in volunteerism,
and building the resilience of
communities.

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

End of the Lesson
Presented by: Mr. Jervin Cedrick V. Ingaran, LPT

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT