Benguet State University

NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Module content
4
1. Overview of Risk Reduction
2. Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Concepts
3. Geographic Hazards and Disaster Risk profiles of the Philippines
4. Vulnerability of the Urban Environment

ʘʘ Objectives

At the end of this Module, you should be able to:

 Update knowledge on disaster Risk reduction and management.
 Acquire skills in responding on disaster incidence with their capacity
 Appreciate the impact of disaster by building sustainable and resilient
communities.
Overview of Risk Reduction

Understanding Disasters

Disasters are emergencies that cannot be handled by those affected without

outside assistance. They are caused by natural or manmade events wherein
communities experience severe danger and incur loss of lives and properties causing
disruption to their social structure and to all or some of the affected communities’
essential functions. Disasters are inevitable. They are caused by unsustainable
development that has not taken account of possible hazard impacts in that location. They
can be less damaging if the population has better understanding of locally-experienced
hazards and implements preventive or mitigating measures against them.

Overview of Disaster Risk Management

In disaster risk management a whole range of elements need attention depending

on the nature of the hazards in that location. These include:

Risk Reduction.
Vulnerability and hazards are not dangerous if taken separately. They become
risk and disaster factors when they unite. Risks can be reduced or managed, and
measures can be employed to ensure that hazards will not result in disasters if people
reduce the weaknesses and vulnerabilities to existing hazards in
the location.
Risk management
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Is needed for disaster prevention to ensure sustainable development so that
people can lead a good, healthy, and happy life without creating damage to the
environment.

Risk management includes identifying health and safety hazards, determining

probability of their occurrences, estimating their potential impacts to the schools and the
communities at risk, enumerating and implementing the following risk reduction
measures: hazard mapping; vulnerability analysis; potential losses estimation; and
strategic disaster prevention / mitigation development.

Essential Components in Determining Risk

The following are essential components in the determination of risk, each of which
should be separately quantified:

Hazard occurrence probability

The likelihood of experiencing a natural or technological hazard at a given location
or region. Quantifying hazard probability involves assessing not only the probability
of occurrence but the probability of magnitude.

Elements at risk.
Identifying and making an inventory of people or other elements which would be
affected by the hazard if it occurs, and when required, estimating their economic value.

Vulnerability of the elements at risk.

Vulnerability is the relationship between the severity of hazard impact and the
degree of damaged caused. Each element is affected differently by hazards of different
severity.

Loss Management

These are the pre and post disaster actions designed to keep the losses at the
minimum in human, structural and economic aspects.

 Pre-disaster loss management are activities focusing on reducing the community

vulnerability to hazards. Actions include improving the resistance of physical
structures such as school buildings, developing improved safety plans for the
occupants, and increasing / diversifying the network of social support mechanism
available to communities in threatened areas.

 Post-disaster loss management focuses on improving the emergency response

and broadening the range of support given to victims that includes facilitation of
relief delivery and stimulating a rapid recovery.

Control of Events

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This is the most critical element of disaster risk management. Control is
maintained through the following measures:
 Anticipation of disaster and the causeeffect relationship generated by each type of
event;
 Mitigation or reduction of the risk of disaster;
 Disaster preparedness;
 Accurate information collection and assessment;
 Balanced response;
 Timely actions;
 Effective leadership; and
 Discipline among those handling the relief and disaster management.

Equity of Assistance

Disaster assistance should be provided in an equitable and fair manner. Fairness

should be the basis of relief and reconstruction policies in order to ensure that disaster
victims receive equal treatment and are able to obtain adequate access to resources
available. The special needs of women, children, and the elderly are catered for.

Resource Management

In order to meet all competing needs and demands of a post disaster

environment, resource management becomes essential. The use of available resources
should be maximized to the greatest advantage. Affordable locally available resources
are preferred.

Impact Reduction

Disasters can have impact far beyond the immediate human, physical or
economic losses. Disasters represent a loss of opportunity not only to individuals but
also to the entire education community. They can also be a setback to the development
program of the country which in effect can erode whatever gains the education sector
envisions to achieve. Hence, disaster preparedness must be undertaken to reduce their
impact to the minimum and to accomplish recovery quickly so that efforts contribute to
the overall development of the country and its citizens.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

Prevention and mitigation are actions taken to make sure that the impact of a
hazard is lessened. We cannot stop natural hazards from happening but we can reduce
the damages if we institute prevention and mitigation measures. Taking measures in
order to avoid an event turning into a disaster is prevention, which includes planting trees
in order to prevent erosion, landslides and drought. On the other hand, measures that
reduce vulnerability to certain hazards is mitigation which includes for instance improved
building practices and standard designs to ensure that school buildings are constructed
in risk free school sites, houses and hospitals can withstand earthquake or a typhoon.

Prevention and mitigation in schools begins with:

 Knowing which hazards and risks the school is exposed to (hazard mapping);
 Meeting with all stakeholders in education and making plans to reduce those
hazards and risks; and
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 Implementing plans to reduce vulnerabilities.

Hazard is an event or occurrence that has the potential to cause harm to life and
damage property and the environment.

Risk is the probability of harmful consequences, or expected loss of lives, people

injured, livelihoods, disruption of economic activities and damages to the environment as
a result of interactions between natural or human induced hazards and vulnerable /
capable conditions.
Vulnerability comprises conditions determined by physical, social, economic, and
environmental factors or processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community,
school, or certain area in a locality to the impact of hazards.
Capacities are those positive resources and abilities which are helpful to individuals,
families and community in mitigating, preparing for, responding to and recovering from
the hazard impact. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
(UNISDR) puts these definitions into an equation:

Overview of Policies and Principles of Disaster Risk Reduction

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Legal Basis

Executive Order No. 159,series of 1968,mandates that all heads of departments,

bureaus, offices, agencies, instrumentalities and political sub-divisions of the
government, including all corporations owned and controlled by the government, the
armed forces, government hospitals and public educational institutions to establish their
respective disaster control organizations.

Presidential Decree No. 1566of June 1978, “Strengthening the Philippine Disaster
Control, Capability and Establishing the National Program on Community Disaster
Preparedness” stresses on the hardships endured by our people due to a hostile
environment and has continually sought survival against hazards, both natural and
human-made. Furthermore, the Decree stated the urgency of the need to direct, control
and coordinate the manpower, material, monetary, and spiritual resources of the entire
Filipino nation to reduce the impact of hazards.

Rule 1040 of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards(as amended) which
states that EACH AGENCY provide for the organization of disaster control groups/health
safety committees in every place of employment and the conduct of periodic drills and
exercises in work places.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 10121

• AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE PHILIPPINE DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, PROVIDING FOR THE NATIONAL DISASTER
RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK AND
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE NATIONAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND
MANAGEMENT PLAN, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES.
• This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Act of 2010".

Knowing the Risks and Taking Actions

Identifies, assesses and monitors disaster risks and enhances early warning.
This principle believes that early warning saves lives. Early warning is to relay to
individuals, groups or populations messages which provide them with information about:
the existence of danger; and what can be done to prevent, avoid or minimize the danger.
Warnings issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA), Philippine Institute of Volcanology and seismology
(PHIVOLCS), Operations Center, National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) are
being communicated to the general public followed by actions like the suspension of
classes during inclement weather and emergency situations.

The Secretary of the Department of National Defense, as Chairman of the

National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) is also given the authority to suspend

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classes in coordination with the Local Government Units (LGUs), Dep ED and the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as the need arises.

Building Understanding and Awareness

Uses knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and

resilience at all levels. The principle is based on the premise that local knowledge is
critical for disaster reduction.

Information dissemination campaigns on basic concepts for all hazards, their

causes, preventative measures, and consequences shall be used as one of the
strategies in providing awareness and knowledge to the public.

Other strategies include the following:

 Providing relevant information on disaster risks and means of protection,

especially in hazard prone areas;
 Strengthening networks and promoting dialogue and cooperation among disaster
experts, technical and scientific specialists, planners and other stakeholders;
 Conducting capability training for teachers, non-teaching personnel, community
members, parents, and children;
 Developing or strengthening community-based disaster risk management
programs; and
 Working with the media in disaster risk reduction awareness activities.

Reducing Risk means to reduce the underlying risk factors.

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Natural Hazards

The Philippine Islands are prone to all kinds of natural hazards because of their
geographical location and physical environment. The country is strategically located in
the path of turbulent and destructive cyclones in the Pacific, and the “Ring of Fire”. This
situation has adverse effects, not only on the lives and properties of the Filipino people,
but also on the economy of the nation, as hazard impacts may result in widespread
environmental and property damages. Natural hazards may cause danger to people,
structures or economic assets, and may lead to a disaster if they are not mitigated
against and prepared for.

Phenomena that are atmospheric, hydro-meteorological or oceanographic and

geographical in nature may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and
economic disruption and/or environmental degradation. Hydro-meteorological and

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geographical hazards can be single, sequential or a combination in origin and effects.
The common hazards associated with these are heavy rains, strong winds, storm surge,
floods and landslides/ mud slide /mudflow.

Geological hazards are normal and their processes occur as irregular events with
direct interaction with the environment. They are capable of causing significant negative
impact on human well-being. Their non-rhythmic occurrence makes their predictability
difficult. An important characteristic of many geological hazards is their prime land
preference – the characteristic of preferentially occupying areas targeted by man for his
use. Almost all types of geological hazards occur in the Philippines except hazards
associated with glaciers and seasonal snowfall. Hazards arising from volcanic eruptions,
earthquakes and other related geo tectonic phenomena such as landslide, tsunami and
faulting are the most mitigated ones due to the frequency of their occurrence.

Types of Natural Hazards

Hydro-Meteorological Phenomena and Hazard

Cyclone

A cyclone is an intense low pressure system which is

characterized by strong spiral winds towards the center, called the
“Eye” in a counter-clockwise flow in the northern hemisphere. Hazards
due to tropical cyclones are strong winds with heavy rainfall that can
cause widespread flooding/flash floods, storm surges, landslides and
mudflows.

Typhoon
A typhoon is a large, powerful and violent tropical cyclone. It is a low
pressure area rotating counter clockwise and containing rising warm air
that forms over warm water in the Western Pacific Ocean. Less powerful
tropical cyclones are called Tropical Depressions and Tropical Storms.
A typhoon is called a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean, a cyclone in the
Indian Ocean and wily-wily in Australia. Typhoons can inflict terrible
damage due to thunderstorms, violent 40 km from the center of a small
hurricane and as far as 240 km in a large hurricane. Tropical storm-force
winds can extend as far as 480 km from the center of a large hurricane. These are very dangerous
storms.

Tornado
A tornado is described as a violently rotating column of air extending
from a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes come in many sizes but are
typically in the form of a visible condensation funnel whose narrow end
touches the earth and is often encircled by a cloud of debris. It can have a
wide range of colors depending on the environment. Typically, tornadoes
may appear nearly transparent and invisible until dust and debris are
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picked up. Tornadoes develop from severe thunderstorms in warm, unstable air along and ahead
of cold fronts. It starts from a change in direction, an increase in wind speed with increasing
height and a rise from within the thunderstorm which triggers the rotation of wind from horizontal
to vertical. Tornadoes have been observed on every continent of the world but these destructive
forces are found most frequently in the United States particularly to the east of the Rocky
Mountains during spring and summer months. Occurrence of tornadoes in Asian countries is
seldom. There were reported occurrences of “buhawi”, local term for tornado, in the Philippines,
one occurred in San Miguel, Bulacan and damaged at least 30 houses in 2008.

Thunderstorms

A thunderstorm is a weather condition that produces lightning and

thunder, heavy rainfall from cumulonimbus clouds and possibly a
tornado. It is a violent local atmospheric disturbance accompanied by
lightning, thunder, and heavy rain, and often by strong gusts of wind, and
sometimes by hail. The typical thunderstorm caused by convection
occurs when the sun’s warmth has heated a large body of moist air near
the ground. This air rises and is cooled by expansion. The cooling
condenses the water vapor present in the air, forming a cumulus cloud. If
the process continues, the summit often attains a height of 4 miles (6.5km) above the base, and the
top spreads out in the shape of an anvil becoming cumulo-nimbus clouds. The turbulent air
current within the cloud causes a continual breaking up and reuniting of the rain drops, which may
form hail, and builds up strong electrical charges that result in lightning. As the thunderstorm
approaches an area, the gentle flow of warm air feeding the cloud gives way to a strong, chilly
gust of wind from the opposite direction, blowing from the base of the cloud. Intense rain begins,
then gradually diminishes as the thunderstorm passes. Night thunderstorms are caused by the
cooling of the upper layers of air by radiation; others are caused by approaching cold air masses
that advance as a wedge near the ground, forcing the warmer air in its path to rise. Thunderstorms
occur most frequently in the equatorial zone (some localities have as many as 200 a year) and
seldom in the Polar Regions.

Lightning Safety Position

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Lightning safety experts have invented a “lightning safety position” that is very important
to know if you are caught in a thunderstorm and you can’t find a shelter. This position looks
hard, but it could save your life. There are several reasons for doing it: It makes you a smaller
target. With your heels together, if lightning hits the ground, it goes through the closest foot, up to
your heel and then transfers to the other foot and goes back to the ground again. If you don’t put
your feet together, lightning could go through your heart and kill you. You put your hands over
your ears to protect them from thunder

Flood
Flood is the inundation of land areas which are not normally
covered by water. A flood is usually caused by a temporary rise or the
overflowing of a river, stream, or other water course, inundating adjacent
lands or flood-plains. It could also be due to a temporary rise of lakes,
oceans or reservoirs and/ or other enclosed bodies of water, inundating
border lands due to heavy and prolonged rainfall associated with tropical
cyclones, monsoons, inter-tropical convergence zones or active low
pressure areas. Floods are basically hydrological phenomena and they are
also caused by storm surges, and tsunami along coastal areas. Ecologists also attribute flooding in
some regions to the results of human activities like unregulated cutting of trees and urbanization
of large areas. These activities have changed the hydrological regime of some areas so that water
flows into streams more rapidly. As a result of this, high water levels in water courses occur
sooner and more suddenly. Flooding occurs in known floodplains when prolonged rainfall over
several days, intense rainfall over a short period of time, or a debris jam causes a river or stream
to overflow and flood the surrounding area. Several factors contribute to flooding. Two key
elements are rainfall intensity and duration. Intensity is the rate of rainfall, and duration is how
long the rain lasts. Topography, soil conditions, and ground cover also play important roles. Most
flash flooding is caused by slow moving thunderstorms repeatedly moving over the same area, or
heavy rains from hurricanes and tropical storms. Floods can be slow- or fast-rising, but generally
develop over a period of hours or days

Storm Surge
Storm surge is a rise of seawater above normal sea level on the coast,
generated by the action of weather elements such as cyclonic wind and
atmospheric pressure. Sea level is raised and driven towards the coast.
Where the depth is shallow and the slope of the sea bed is gradual, the
natural flow of the water is delayed by the effect of friction on the sea
bed. As more water moves from the sea to the coast excess water piles
up on the shore line. This piling up of water makes a large volume of
water which might eventually flow into the hinterland some distance
from the coast. Depending upon the shape of the coastline and the slope of the sea bed, storm
surge can sweep across large portions of coastal areas

Landslides
A landslide is a massive outward and downward movement of slope-
forming materials. The term landslide is restricted to movements of
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rocks and soil masses. These masses may range in size up to entire mountainsides. Their
movements may vary in velocity. A landslide is initiated when a section of a hill slope or sloping
section of a sea bed is rendered too weak to support its own weight. This is generally triggered by
other natural hazards such as prolonged, heavy rainfall or by other sources of water which
increase the water content of the slope materials. Landslide as a geological hazard is caused by
earthquake or volcanic eruption. Susceptibility of hill slope to landslide is developed as a result of
denudation of mountainsides which removes the trees or ground cover that holds the soil, or
alteration of the surface of the ground like grading for roads or building constructions.

Global Warming
Global Warming is the process of warming the earth caused by the so-
called enhanced green-house effect which traps the solar radiation in the
atmosphere due to the presence of greenhouse gases. Ultraviolet
radiation passes through the Earth’s atmosphere and warms the planet’s
surface before being reflected back into space as infrared radiation.
Gases such as carbon dioxide and methane are called greenhouse gases,
which trap some of the heat from radiation in the atmosphere. The
concentration of these gases has increased dramatically as a result of
human activity, therefore trapping more heat and thus causing global temperatures to increase and
climates to change.

Extreme Climatic Variability

Climate Change is the direct impact of global warming. Rising
temperatures will cause changes to weather patterns. As global warming
occurs, most places will be warmer. This will cause changes in the
amount and pattern of rain and snow, in the length of growing seasons,
in the frequency and severity of storms, and in sea level rises. Computer
models predict that global warming will shift rainfall patterns, resulting
in extended drought conditions in some areas, and excessive rainfall and
severe storms in others. Climate change will cause more severe extreme
weather events and the world would experience more killing heat waves, long-lasting droughts in
some areas and more frequent and intense downpours and floods in others, an increasing number
of super hurricanes or tornadoes and typhoons, massive species extinction, eco-system collapse,
agricultural failure and rising sea levels, which eventually will inundate coastal towns and cities
around the world.

Geological Phenomena and Hazards

Earthquake
An earthquake is a shaking of the ground caused by sudden
slippage of rock masses below or at the surface of the earth. It is a
wavelike movement of the earth’s surface. An earthquake may be
classified as either tectonic or volcanic. In certain cases, earthquakes can
result from man-made activities such as detonation of explosives, deep
mining activities, etc. However, these earthquakes are mild and may be
felt only as tremors. A very severe earthquake is usually associated with
shocks called foreshocks and aftershocks. Foreshocks are a series of
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tremors that occur before the main earthquake. Aftershocks are weaker earthquakes that follow
the main shocks and can cause further damage to weakened buildings. Be aware that some
earthquakes are actually foreshocks, and a stronger earthquake might occur.

Tsunami
Tsunamis are giant sea waves generated by earthquakes and volcanic
eruptions under the seabed. Not all submarine
earthquakes, however, cause tsunamis. Tsunamis can only occur when
the earthquake is strong enough (M7.0+) to displace the seabed, creating
pressures in the water above it. Other sources of tsunamis include
submarine or coastal landslides, pyroclastic flow and large volume debris
avalanches from oceanic and partly submerged volcanoes, and caldera
collapse. Although tsunamis may be triggered in various ways, their
effects on the coastal areas are similar.
The large waves of a tsunami are preceded by initial lowering of the water level even beyond the
lowest tidal levels. This phenomenon resembles the low tides which may have led to tsunamis
being falsely called “tidal waves”. Tsunamis generated in distant locations will generally give
people enough time to move to higher ground. For locally generated tsunamis, where you might
feel the ground shake, you may only have a few
minutes to move to higher ground.

Volcanic Eruption
A Volcanic Eruption is a process wherein volcanic materials
such as molten or hot fragmented rocks or gaseous materials are ejected
from a volcano. Hazards from volcanoes may be of different nature.
These hazards include flowing of fast-moving molten rocks and other
ejecta. The ejected fragments range in size from fine dust (volcanic ash)
to large boulders (volcanic bombs or blocks). Besides liquid and solid
materials, volcanoes give off poisonous gases, sometimes in superheated
gas jets. Other hazards associated with volcanic eruption are earthquakes,
fissuring caused by the force of upward-moving magma, tsunami and water displacement,
subsidence due to retreat or withdrawal of magma, landslides due to too much bulging on one side
of the volcano or those triggered by earthquakes or rainfall.

Astronomical Hazards
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA) is now starting to consider some specific
astronomical phenomena as one of the natural hazards that could occur
on earth and affect
particularly the Philippine archipelago and surrounding areas. Causes
and circumstances of deaths from astronomical phenomena are not
well-studied, providing an interesting area for researching into deaths
and potential deaths from Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) such as comets
and asteroid impacts along with geomagnetic storms and other forms of space weather. Numerous
websites cite cases of meteorite impact casualties, but none could be verified. At this point in
time, PAGASA is in contact with the numerous government and private astronomical institutions,
nationally and internationally to be updated of the current astronomical monitoring and
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observations. The agency is normally furnished with a copy of current astronomical and space
science bulletins and
other relevant newsletters regarding events which might lead to accidents and untoward incidents
at the earth surface, specifically from National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States (NASA) and
other institutions of developed nations and countries. Mountain-sized space rocks could
potentially impact the Earth causing global effects, and perhaps even be mistaken for a nuclear
blast of terrestrial origin. Such large impacts are rare but have happened before. Modern
telescopes have therefore begun to scan the skies for signs of
approaching celestial hazards. Natural disasters are natural phenomena. The best way to manage
hazard impacts is to be aware of how it occurs and its accompanying consequences, mitigate
against, and plan for actions to be taken before, during and after a phenomenon.

Human Induced Hazards

Human-made or induced hazards are threats having elements of human intent, negligence,
and error and involving a failure of a system. Human induced disasters are a result of inadequately
managed human-induced hazards such as:

Technological Hazards

Technological hazards have little or no warning to precede the incident. These dangers
originate from industrial accidents, dangerous procedures, infrastructure failures or certain human
activities, which may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic
disruption or environmental degradation.

Environmental Hazards

Environmental hazards are events that pose a threat from the surrounding environment
encompassing the broad spectrum of acute and chronic effects of industrial, agricultural and
naturally occurring microorganisms, chemicals and radiation in our soil, water, air, food, and
wastes.

Socio-Economic, Political, and Security Hazards

These hazards are caused by criminal and human violence which pose threat to the
security of a great number of people and may be motivated by political or economic reasons.

Types of Human Induced Hazards

Technological Hazards

Structure Collapse

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Structure collapse is often caused by engineering failures
such as under-design of structural components, by corrosion attack
and by aerodynamic resonance in structures.

Fire
Fire is composed of three elements – heat, fuel, and oxygen
which when combined will result in a chemical reaction called
burning. The leading cause of death in a fire, by a three to-one ratio
over burns, is asphyxiation (choking sensation). Fire consumes the
oxygen in the air, while increasing the concentration of deadly
carbon monoxide and other toxic gases in the atmosphere. Inhaling
carbon monoxide can cause loss of consciousness or death within
minutes. The heat from a hostile fire exceeds anything to which a person is normally exposed. A
fully developed room fire has temperatures over 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit. Fire generates a black,
impenetrable smoke that blocks vision and stings the eyes. It is impossible to navigate through
such smoke, so fire drill participants should practice evacuating buildings by at least two routes

Vehicular Related Accidents

Some students go to school aboard a school service, like a
bus, jeepney, tricycle or van. It is also a common practice for parents or
guardians to accompany their children all the way to school and back.
This school service presents certain risks to
the students’ safety. Potential dangers happen especially when students
board and alight from the service vehicle.

ChemicalSpill
(Laboratory)
One of the hazards associated with a laboratory is chemical
spill. An individual may be considered exposed to chemicals by inhaling,
or by the chemical coming in contact with food, water, medicine or
clothing thus making it hazardous to pupils/students. The best way to
avoid chemical accidents is to read and follow
the directions for use, storage, and disposal of the product.

Electrical Blackout
Electrical blackout is an interruption of normal sources of electrical
power

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Food Poisoning
This is a contamination of food with biological contaminants such as
bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. Chemical contaminants can also
poison food, in the form of agricultural chemicals (pesticides,
insecticides, herbicides, fungicides), environmental pollutants (mercury,
lead), veterinary products (antibiotics, growth
enhancer) and additives (preservatives, food coloring)

Environmental Hazard

Red Tide
Red tide refers to the discoloration of water bodies due to the
presence of a high level of “bloom” of a group of algae called
dinoflagellates, which are toxic and responsible for paralytic shellfish
poisoning (PSP).

Water Pollution
Water is polluted by substances like sewage, marine litter, oil and
chemical spills, fertilizers and pesticides entering the ocean from
irrigation.

Socio-Economic, Political, Security Hazards

Bomb Threats
Bomb threat is a declaration of an intention to destroy or injure the target
by means of a bomb. It is usually through telephone or
written notes. It is a piece of information or a warning claiming
knowledge that a dangerous device, such as bomb or similar type of
explosive, has been or will be placed in a building, aircraft or other
facility. A bomb is a device capable of producing damage to material, and injury or death to
people when detonated or ignited. Bombs are classified as either “explosive” inflicting damage
and injury by fragmentation, heat and blast waves, or “incendiary” which generates fire producing
heat without a substantial explosion when ignited. Similar procedures should be applied for
chemical or biological threats.

Kidnapping Threats
If kidnapping happens in the school campus this is a human-made hazard
as well as a criminal offense. Kidnapping happens when one or group of
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persons take and carry away another person, by
force or fraud, without the consent of the person taken and without lawful excuse.

Hostage Taking
Terrorists feel that human lives must be endangered in order
for their demands to be met. Hostage taking may happen in public/private
schools. When it happens, do the following

Civil Disorder
Civil Disorder is a broad term that is typically used by law enforcement
to describe one or more forms of disturbance caused by a group of
people. Civil disturbance is typically a symptom of, and a form of protest
against, major socio-political problems. Typically, the severity of the
action coincides with the public outrage. Examples: legal parades, sit-ins,
strikes, and other forms of obstructions, riots, sabotage. It is intended to
be a demonstration to the public and the government, but can escalate into general chaos

Risk Profile of the Philippines

The Philippines is a large archipelago composed of more than 7,100 islands. It is a hazard
prone country and its exposure to disaster is to a significant extent due to its geographical and
physical characteristics.

The country lies along the Western Pacific Basin, the world’s busiest typhoon belt, with
the average of 20 typhoons hitting the country each year. The country lies in between two tectonic
plates, whose movements create mountain ranges, islands, volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis.
It is also a part of the Circum-Pacific seismic belt and is within the subduction zones called the
Ring of Fire.

The Risks

There are many hazards frequently damaging the country, causing damage to lives and
property. However, not all hazard incidents necessarily result in disasters. They only become
disasters when they affect people who cannot cope with the physical
and economic impacts. The resulting disaster is, therefore, more than a function of the physical
strength, intensity and magnitude of a hazardous event.

Global warming also affects the Philippines. Temperature rises bring about dry
spells and drought and rise of the sea level. Extreme climatic variabilities, El Nino and La Nina,
also bring about damages. El Nino occurrences, induce drought in many parts of the country,

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regularly posing a serious problem in agricultural production and potable water supply. Sea levels
are projected to rise and low-lying areas are vulnerable, especially shore or coastal areas.

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Athmospheric

The country is considered one of the most disaster-prone. It ranks 12 th among 200
countries most at-risk for tropical cyclones, floods, earthquakes, and landslides in the
2009 Mortality Risk Index of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

 Located along the typhoon belt in the Pacific making it vulnerable to typhoons and
tsunami.
 Average of 20 typhoons yearly (7 are destructive)

Tracks and Intensity of Tropical Cyclones, 1851-2006

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1980 – 2005 typhoon season

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Seismic

The Philippines, given its location on the earth is prone to various types
of Natural Disasters.
 Located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, between two Tectonic plates
(Eurasian and Pacific) which are volcanic and earthquake generators.
 22 active volcanoes (5 most active).

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Historical seismicity

The PHIVOLCS earthquake and catalogue seismicity maps shows so far, seven
(7) historically and instrumentally recorded destructive earthquakes (Intensity VII-IX in
the adapted Rossi-Forel scale) have affected Baguio City for the past 356 years (1645-
2001). This roughly translate into a return period of at least one destructive earthquake
(Intensity VII to IX) for every 50 years. In addition, there were four very destructive
earthquakes during the 356-year period for a return period of at least one very
destructive earthquake (Intensity VIII to IX) for every 89 years. In comparison, regional
probabilistic seismic hazard calculations by Thenhaus (1994) yielded annual probability
rates of Ms:

• 6.4 to <7.0 (1 in 23 years)

• 7.0 to <7.3 (1 in 62 years)
• Ms <8.2 (1 in 166 years)

Volcanic

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Volcanoes of the Cordillera region

Benguet Province

1. Santo Tomas, Baguio City

2. Daclan, Bokod
3. Pulag, Kabayan

Kalinga Province

1. Bumabag, Batong Buhay

2. Podakan, Batong Buhay
3. Ambalatungan, Batong Buhay
4. Binuluan

******All of the above volcanoes are inactive or has no record of eruption during historic
times

Overview of the Philippine Disaster Management System

To be able to cope with the worsening effects of hazards impacting the country,
the government developed a Natural Disaster and Calamities Plan in 1969. The guiding
principle for the development of the Natural Disaster and Calamities Plan was to use all
available government resources, and encourage all concerned agencies to work together
in addressing the issue of disasters and calamities. The plan assigned specific tasks or
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emergency functions to member agencies including the Department of Education which
is one of the members, in addition to their primary day-to-day tasks. From 1946 to 1970,
the Philippine Disaster Management System was reactive in nature wherein disaster
responses were limited to emergencies or situations after the disasters have already
affected part of the country.

Management efforts were highly centralized with minimum participation from the
local government officials. The organization of Civil Defense Units at the local level was
mostly on paper and people were content to wait for assistance from the national
government.

In 1978 the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) was formally created
to further strengthen the system and formalize the adhoc organizations at the national,
regional and local levels and to allocate emergency tasks to the different governmental
units pursuant to Presidential Decree 1566 of 1978. The Decree was issued in view of
the need to revitalize the system to enhance the survival capability and economic
stability of the country, supported by an LOI 453 regarding all types of disasters. Finally,
a cogent system for pre-disaster planning, community disaster preparedness and
positive, precise disaster control action for rescue evacuation, relief and rehabilitation to
insure the survival of every Filipino was developed.

Salient Provisions of PD 1566 (1978)

 State policy on self- reliance among local officials and their constituents in
responding to disasters or emergencies;
 Organization of disaster coordinating councils from the national down to the
municipal level;
 Statement of duties and responsibilities of the National Disaster Coordinating
Council (NDCC), RDCC and LDCCs;
 Preparation of the National Calamities and Disaster Preparedness Plan (NCDPP)
by OCD and implementing plans by NDCC member-agencies;
 Conduct of periodic drills and exercises; and
 Authority for government units to program their funds for disaster preparedness
activities in addition to the 5% calamity fund is provided for in PD 474 of 1974
(amended by RA 8185 in 1991).

In May 1994, a World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction was held by the
United Nations to reduce the loss of life, property damage, social and economic
disruptions caused by natural disasters through a concerted effort in the international
and local fronts. It produced the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer
World, called Guidelines for Natural Disaster Prevention, Preparedness and Mitigation.

In the Philippines, the NDCC and its member agencies were identified as those
responsible in addressing the concerns brought out in the conference. In support of the
Plan objectives, it created four committees: on Structural Measures, on Non-
Structural Measures, Disaster Research, and Disaster Legislation. Even with the
emergence of many ideas, both local and international, relative to disaster risk
management, the Philippine institutional arrangements and disaster management
systems tend to rely on a response or reactive approach, in contrast to a more effective
proactive approach. There is a widespread emphasis on post-disaster relief and short
term preparedness rather than mitigation or post disaster support for sustainable
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economic recovery. This much shorter term focus does not adequately emphasize
natural hazards as a potential obstacle to long-term sustainable development. Thus, in
order to evolve to a more proactive role, the National Disaster Coordinating Council
(NDCC) in cooperation with all member agencies prepared and implemented a
Comprehensive Disaster Management Framework for comprehensive disaster risk
management. The framework provides for political leadership and policy support at the
highest levels, while facilitating the active engagement and implementation of all relevant
stakeholders at the national, local, and household levels. Basic components of the
framework are mitigation and preparedness for pre-event and response and
rehabilitation for the post event. The framework includes the essential steps of integrated
risk management, which include risk identifi cation, risk reduction, and risk
sharing/financing in the total risk reduction management system. Current approaches
adapted the risk management as a disaster planning framework that encompasses
disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and rehabilitation.

The NDCC Comprehensive Disaster Management Framework

Declaration of Principles

The National Disaster Coordinating Center (NDCC) is the highest policy making,
coordinating and supervising body at the national level for disaster management of the
country. All its activities, efforts and initiatives relative to disaster risk management are
guided by the following principles:

 Responsibility for leadership rests on the provincial Governor, City Mayors, and
Municipal Mayors (and Barangay Chairmen), each according to his area of
responsibility;
 Each political and administrative subdivision of the country utilizes all available
resources in the area before asking for assistance from neighboring entities or
higher authority;
 The primary responsibility rests on the government agencies in the affected areas,
in coordination with the people themselves;
 Self-reliance be developed by promoting and encouraging the spirit of self help
and mutual assistance among the local officials and their constituents;
 The national government exists to support the local governments in times of
emergencies and according to their level of assignment, all national government
offices in the field support the operations of the local government.

Phases of Disaster Risk Management

Guided by the above-stated principles, disaster risk management involves the

following phases:

Pre-Event

Mitigation: Measures taken in advance of a hazard impact aimed at reducing its impact
on society and environment. Mitigation activities include:
 Hazard / Risk Identifi cation and Assessment– develop, update and disseminate
hazard maps and related information to decision makers, general public and
communities at risk.
 Enforcement of zoning, land-use and building and fire codes.
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 Integrating/mainstreaming disaster risk management in infrastructure, the
education sector, local governance (comprehensive land use and development
plans, construction permits, design approvals), climate change adaptation,flood
mitigation master plan, etc.
 Developing early warning systems that are people-centered timely and
understandable to those at risk.

Preparedness: Measures undertaken to prepare people to react appropriately during

and following such emergencies. It involves the following activities:
 Planning – disaster management plans, contingency plans, SOPs, ICS, mutual
aid arrangements;
 Advocacy – information dissemination through mass media, enhancing people’s
awareness through conduct of disaster management fora /briefi ng, observance of
disaster consciousness month, etc.;
 Education and Training – of local officials, deputized coordinators, auxiliaries,
volunteers, conduct of drills and exercises, community based disaster risk
management trainings;
 Resources – 5 M’s – manpower, materials, methods, machines and money

PREPAREDNESS - A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

What if?!

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Critical concerns

Preparedness cycle

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72 – Hour survival kit

Post Event

Post event refers to activities after the emergency which include the following:

Response - Measures undertaken immediately following an emergency. Such measures

are directed towards saving life, protecting property, and dealing with the immediate
damage caused by the disaster. Below are activities associated with response:

Early Warning: timely and rapid dissemination of warnings to threatened communities/

population; Notification – mobilization of response teams, activation of SOPs, DOCs and
ICS.

The “Golden Hour” Principle: the time within which most lives could be saved and injuries
Minimized

Incident Command System: on scene management of disaster operations activities.

Rehabilitation - Rehabilitation includes measures undertaken to restore affected

communities/areas to their proper or normal level of functioning and development with
reduced vulnerability and increased sustainability. This can be categorized into:
 Short Term – restoring necessary lifeline systems (e.g. power, communications,
water and sewerage, transportation, etc.), providing for basic human needs (food,
clothing, shelter) and monitoring law and order providing CISD, etc.

 Long Term – restoring economic activity and development, rebuilding community

facilities and housing, healing, repair and reconstruction in a way that is less
vulnerable to future hazard impacts.

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R.A. 10121- THE PHILIPPINE DRRM SYSTEM

Disaster legislation in the Philippines dates back in 1978, primarily reactive

approach to disasters, focusing heavily on preparedness and response. Other relevant
legislation for mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction into development includes land-
use controls and building codes. However, building codes are not strictly enforced and
zoning ordinances which are reported to have been relaxed over time.

 With the approval of the DRRM (Republic Act No. 10121) expect that there would
be a paradigm shift emphasizing disaster management to a disaster risk
management approach, with much greater importance given to reducing risk. The
RA was approved on 27 May 2010, and the Implementing Rules and Regulations
was crafted by the Task Force RA 10121 headed by the Office of Civil Defense
(OCD).

Risk reduction and Management

 Systematic process of using administrative decisions, organization, operational

skills and capacities to implement policies, strategies and coping capacities of the
society and communities
 Setting of related goals and objectives in development and land use areas.
 It involves the formulation of strategies and Plans, Programs and Activities (PPAs)

What must be done to reduce Risk?

 Institutionalize Local Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Office

 Establish Early Warning System
 Formulation of Communication Protocol
 Formulation of Evacuation Procedures at the community level and establishments
 Organize Local DRRMC and define the functional roles and responsibilities of the
members and task units
 Establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
 Hazard awareness through Community-Based trainings and seminars
 Integrate disaster risk reduction into the Comprehensive Land Use
Plan (CLUP) and land use planning
 Integrate hazard, risk and vulnerability assessment into the development plan
 Cluster Approach on Recovery Program
 Good working relationship with Warning Agencies and the Local Media
 Installation of rain gauges on mountain slopes

(DENR-MGB CAR recommended that 150 mm of rainfall observed

within 24 hours would already trigger evacuation of communities in
high risk areas) D

 Strengthening of the LGU capabilities on disaster management;

 Updating the hazard profile of all municipalities and to analyse data on human
induced disasters for public safety studies
 Effective flow of communication system to ensure that accurate flow of information
before, during and after disasters

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Risk Reduction method

In the following order

1. Identify, characterize and assess threats

2. Assess the vulnerability of critical assets to specific threats
3. Determine the risk (i.e. the expected consequences of specific
types of attacks on specific assets)
4. Identify ways to reduce those risks
5. Prioritize risk reduction measures based on a strategy

Potential risk treatment

Once risks have been identified and assessed, all techniques to manage the risk
fall into one or more of these four major categories:

 Avoidance (eliminate, withdraw from the risk area)

 Reduction (optimize resources to mitigate effects )
 Sharing (risk transfer or enrol in insurance)
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 Retention (accept, plan - formulate ConPlan, Evac Plan, ICS and
provision of budget)

Disaster risk management strategy

 A comprehensive disaster risk management strategy, actively involving

stakeholders at all levels of government as well as the private sector, local
communities and civil society, is required to implement the legislative framework
and to provide coordination and monitoring mechanisms and arrangements.

 Individual disaster risk reduction actions and programs need to be located within
this strategy, rather than treated as discrete, individual measures. Moreover, the
strategy needs to indicate specific entry points and mechanisms for
mainstreaming disaster risk reduction concerns into both the broader
development agenda and the design and implementation of individual
development initiatives.

 Individual line agencies and local governments are legally responsible for
implementing disaster management, as it is still commonly referred to in
department circulars and executive orders, within their own areas of responsibility.
In practice, some LGUs have yet to even establish their disaster coordinating
councils (DCCs), while those DCCs that have been established vary in quality. In
addition, reflecting Presidential Decree (PD) 1566’s reactive approach to DCC
meetings are commonly held only on an ad hoc basis, in response to crisis
situations, rather than on a more regular basis to discuss ongoing risk reduction
initiatives, and DCCs’ risk reduction and mainstreaming capacity and capabilities
are often very limited

RA No. 10121

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DRRMC Organizational network

NATIONAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION & MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

 17 REGIONAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION & MANAGEMENT COUNCILS

 80 PROVINCIAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION & MANAGEMENT COUNCILS
 117 CITY DISASTER RISK REDUCTION & MANAGEMENT COUNCILS
 1,496 MUNICIPAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION & MANAGEMENT COUNCILS
 41,945 BARANGAY DISASTER RISK REDUCTION & MANAGEMENT
COUNCILS

The Philippine disaster risk reduction and management system (May 27, 2010)

RA 10121, an act strengtheinig the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management System, providing for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Framework, and Institutionalizing the Disaster Risk Reduction and
Maangement Plan, appropriating funds therfor and for other purposes.

Disaster risk reduction

The law which transforms the Philippines’ disaster management system from
disaster relief and response towards disaster risk reduction.

Disaster risk reduction guiding principles

 Institutional not personality oriented

 Permanent solution not temporary or palliative
 Pre-emptive evacuation is better than rescue

The enactment of the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of
2010 (also known as Republic Act 10121), aims to achieve a paradigm shift from
reactive to proactive approach in disaster risk reduction and management.

 One of the main objectives of Disaster Preparedness it to “Enhance the

community with the necessary skills to cope with the negative impacts of a
disaster”.

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 The state of readiness for PDRRMC, MDRRMC and CDRRMC is greatly
determines the extent to which potential casualties and damages can be reduced.
Paradigm shift

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SAQ:

References

https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/node/6041/pdf/6041.pdf
The measurement of disaster risk: An example from tropical cyclones in the Philippines
Rio Yonson, J C Gaillard and Ilan Noy. SEF WORKING PAPER 04/2016
Department of Education (DepED) 2008. Disaster Risk Reduction Resource Manual
(Safer Schools Resource Manual).Published by the Department of Education (DepED)
Philippines in partnership and with the support of the United Nations Children’s
Fund (UNICEF) Philippines
CDRRMC – Baguio (2013) Disaster risk reduction and management (ppt)

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