DISASTER READINESS

AND RISK REDUCTION

Exposure and Vulnerability

WEEK 3
MODULE

Most Essential Learning Competency:

1. Explain the meaning of Vulnerability DRR11/12-Ic-8
2. Explain why certain sectors of society are more vulnerable to disaster than others.
DRR11/12-Ic-9
Learning Competency

Explain the meaning of Vulnerability DRR11/12-Ic-8

Objectives

 Define vulnerability.
 Determine whether a community is vulnerable or not.

Learning Experience

Concept of Vulnerability
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or IFRC
defines vulnerability as the diminished capacity of an individual or group to anticipate,
cope with, resist, and recover from the impact of a natural or man-made hazard.”
Meanwhile, according to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction,
vulnerability is the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system, or asset that
make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard.”
Vulnerability is situation specific. If earthquakes are frequent in a particular region,
it does not mean that all the provinces in that region are vulnerable. The vulnerability of
the provinces differs in the way they prepare for the hazard and the amount and type of
resources they have to prevent and manage it.
Vulnerability is also hazard specific. This means that a community that is
vulnerable to earthquakes does not necessarily mean that it is also vulnerable to typhoons.
Again, hazards have different characteristics that are likely to generate.

Activity 1: Spot the hazard

`
Figure A Figure B
 1. Mark the hazard that you were able to spot.
2. What are the possible scenarios that will possibly happen due to the presence
of hazard?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Explanation

Vulnerability is a state of being at risk. According to RA 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 asset
that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard. With all the identified
hazard at home, there is a possibility that some family members might be susceptible
or prone to the accident that might happen due to the presence of hazard.

Vulnerability on the other hand is situation specific. This means that if a

particular 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 differs in the way they prepare for the hazard and the amount and type of
resources they have to 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.

Vulnerability 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 that are possible to happen.
Activity 2: Take a trip

1. Tour around your house including the backyard.

2. List all the hazards that you observed. As much as possible, make a list.
3. Using all the hazards that you listed, determine what could be the possible
events that will happen.

Hazards Possible events

Activity 3: Explain

If you are going to consider all the hazards that you identified in the activity do you
think your place is safe or not? Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

1. With all the hazards that you identified, who do you think among your family
members will be most affected? Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. As a family, do you think all members have same level of vulnerability in the
hazards present in your house?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
 3. Based on what you learned from the tour that you made, how will you define
vulnerability?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Learning Competency

Explain why certain sectors of society are more vulnerable to disaster than others.
DRR11/12-Ic-9

Objectives

 Explain why some sectors are more vulnerable to disaster than others.
 Explain how different sectors find ways on how to lessen vulnerability of the
community.

Procedure / Learning Experience

Exposures and Vulnerability
There are various factors that must be considered to assess the level of vulnerability
of an area or community. These factors can affect one another or can lead to other factors.
 Proximity to hazard event. An area frequented by a certain hazard
predisposes it to high vulnerability. An earthquake, as an example of a
hazard, is more likely to happen in the Philippines than in Brazil because
Philippines is situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire where frequent seismic
activities occur. Hence, this fact already puts the Philippines in a vulnerable
situation for seismic-related events. In the same manner, houses, buildings,
and other structures become vulnerable to flooding if they are built on
floodplains.
 Population density near a hazard event. Population differs from population
density. Population refers to the number of individuals inhabiting a
particular space at the same time. If people are distributed evenly in an area,
the impact of a disaster may be reduced to a minimum. On the other hand,
population density refers to the numbers of individuals living in an area in
relation to the size of that area. If all individuals crowd in one portion of a
place, there is little space and time to escape from a hazard. For example,
when fire (hazard) breaks out in a congested slum area, it spreads quickly
 and easily because of the lack of spacing in between the houses. Thus,
crowded communities have high vulnerability to hazards.
 Capacity and Efficiency to reduce Disaster Risk. The capacity of a
community to reduce disaster risk includes the accessibility and availability
of services and facilities that help in preparing for or during disasters. The
availability of these resources would result in the ability of a community to
anticipate, adapt, and respond to the changes in socio-ecological and
economic impacts that are usually experienced after disaster.
Fortunately, in the Philippines, super typhoons may now be accurately
predicted by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical
Services Administration (PAGASA) through the use of modern equipment
and technology. In recent years, many provinces have already set up suitable
evacuation centers to house families prior to the arrival of super typhoons.
Some even have rescue boats to help transport people during flooding. The
dissemination of information and availability of rescue equipment provide
immediate response during disasters, making a community less vulnerable.
 Building codes and disaster policies. Buildings and other structures may
increase disaster risk. When they fall or collapse due to hazard such as an
earthquake, they can cause injury and even loss of lives. Thus, in the design
and construction of buildings, possible hazards should be considered.
Hazard-resistant structures can lower the vulnerability of a
community, especially if the features or designs of the structures are hazard-
specific. These ideal features or designs, however, could be very costly
since the type of building materials, engineering, and technology to be used
are not ordinary

Activity 1: Compare the Pictures

Picture 1 Picture 2

1. Which picture do you think shows high vulnerability?

___________________________

2. List possible reason/s why the picture depicted higher level of vulnerability.
 ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

3. Which picture shows higher level of vulnerability?

_________________________________________________________

4. List possible reasons why the picture depicted higher level of vulnerability.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

Explanation

Level of vulnerability of an area or community can be assessed base on

different factors. These factors can affect one another or can lead to other factors.

1. Population density near a hazard event. Population differs from population density.
Population refers to the number of individuals inhabiting in a particular space at
the same time. If people are well distributed, there is lesser effect of disaster.
While population density refers to the number of individuals living in an area in
relation to the size of an area. If population density is high, it means that the
number of individuals is high but the space is very small. In that case, if fire broke
in that area, there is little space for the population to escape quickly and easily.
So, crowded communities have higher vulnerability to hazards.

2. Capacity and efficiency to reduce disaster risk. Community that is less vulnerable
has the capacity to reduce disaster risk. This community can provide accessibility
and availability of services and facilities that can help in preparing for disasters.
This community has the ability to anticipate, adapt and respond to possible
disaster. Is it appropriate to say that Philippines is less vulnerable to typhoon?
Nowadays, our country has advanced technology to predict super typhoon and
several municipalities already provided evacuation centers to provide temporary
housing for victims when disaster occur.
Activity 2: Explore

Observe the exits and entrances of your house. Answer the following questions:
1. Where are the exits allotted for emergency escape plan?
2. Are those exits passable and void of blocking hazards?
3. Are the gates/doors working and can be easily opened in case of emergency?
4. Do you practice emergency escape thru drills?

Activity 3

1. What are the possible problems that you were able to identify about emergency
escape plan in your recent activity 2?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

2. Give possible solutions to the problem.

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Reflection
How can you relate this picture to vulnerability?
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