DISASTER READINESS & RISK REDUCTION

Module 1 ■ The Concept of Disaster and

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

This module introduces the basic concept of disaster and DRRM. Be guided by
following the correct chronology of instructions in the succeeding pages.
Supplemental resources such as video presentations and Powerpoint
Presentation of the lesson are included. Access them as instructed.

MODULE 1 UNIT 1: Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk

Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs by DepEd)

1. Explain the meaning of disaster

2. Differentiate the risk factors underlying disasters
3. Describe the effects of disasters on one’s life
4. Identify areas/locations exposed to hazards that may lead to disasters
5. Analyze disaster from the different perspectives (physical, psychological, socio-
cultural, economic, political, and biological)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Read to anyone at home the following: At the end of the module, I should be able to
a. identify the possible impacts of a disaster brought by a natural hazard,
b. relate natural processes and hazards as possible agents of disasters, and
c. analyze the significance of the different disaster risk factors.

I. DESCRIBING A DISASTER | What are the effects of disasters? What are the hazards it may
bring? Imagine yourself in situation depicted on the image above. A super typhoon struck your
locality leaving most infrastructures wrecked and basic services such as water and light unavailable.
Describe two possible impacts of the typhoon to you or your family
DESCRIBING A DISASTER | What are the effects of disasters? / What are the hazards it may
bring?
1.
2.

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II. CONCEPT MAPPING | From your answers above, can disasters be due to natural
processes? From our Earth Science subject, recall the different natural processes that continuously
shape the earth, and which happen across the different earth subsystems or spheres.

Given the list of words below, classify each as to where they occur and encircle which of those that
can harm human.

Volcanic Eruption (VE) Tropical Storm (TS) Earthquake-Induced Tsunami

Mantle Convection (MC) Rainfall-Induced Landslide Ocean Current (OC)
(RIL)
Earthquake-Induced Erosion Lava Flow (LF) Evaporation (Ev)
(EIE)
Tornado (T) Storm Surge (SS) Earthquake (Ea)
Precipitation (P) Hail Storm (HS) Condensation (C)

HAZARDS AT HOME | What are hazards? HAZARD, as defined by UNISDR (2009) (adapted by
Philippines DRR Law, 2010), is a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity, or condition
that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and
services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage.

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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT 1 | M1U1 FA1: Based on the definition above, identify hazards that
you can encounter at home. From your main door to the following rooms: your bedroom, kitchen
and bathroom, list down hazards which you can encounter as you proceed to each of the three
rooms. Among these hazards identified, select three most possible and critical (one form each room)
then briefly describe each on the answer sheet. Inspect if you have a visible floor plan in your
house. If non – discuss this with you family and try to suggest a simplified floor plan sketch of your
house and indicate where the three hazards are.
Most Critical
Location of Hazards Identified Hazards
Hazards
1. From front door to
bedroom
2. From front door to kitchen
3. From front door to
bathroom

LESSON PRESENTATION | What is disaster risk? What determines it? DISASTER is defined as
a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human,
material, economic, or environmental losses and impacts which exceeds the ability of the affected
community or society to cope using its own resources. RISK, on the other hand, is the possibility of
something bad or unpleasant will happen (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary).

Given the above definitions, what then determine disaster risk? To help you answer this question,
read the following articles (access the soft copy of these articles from your GENYO LMS COURSE
TAB), then self-reflect on the corresponding guide questions

1. State failure as a risk factor – How natural events turn into disasters
World Risk report 2011, page 44-47
2. Environmental degradation as a risk factor (Welle, Beck, and Mucke)
Work Risk Report 2012, page 28-31
3. Health and healthcare as risk factors (Michael Marx),
World Risk Report 2013, page 12-18
4. Urbanization and risk – challenges and opportunities (Matthias Garschagen)
World Risk Report 2014, page 12-18
5. How food insecurity influences disaster risk (Matthias Garschagen)
World Risk Report 2015, page 19-26
GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. In terms of disaster response, rate your local government (municipal or city level) from one
(weak governance) to 5 (strong governance) on how they lead with the recent calamity
experienced in your locality.
2. How does a healthy ecosystem reduce disaster risk?
3. Given the current state of the health care system of our country (Philippines), does this greatly
increase our disaster risk in this time of Covid-19?
4. Enumerate one challenge and opportunity that Metro Manila cities experience in relation or
response to Covid-19.
5. Does the Philippines currently experience food insecurity? What is your basis?
6. Based on the articles you have read, what are the classifications of disaster risk factors.

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ANSWERS TO GUIDE QUESTIONS

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

To help you further understand the concept of disaster and disaster risk, access the Powerpoint
presentation entitled: MODULE 1 UNIT 1 Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk

COPING CAPACITY | What can you do to lessen disaster risk? An important variable in the
determination of disaster risk is coping capacity. Coping capacity, as defined by UNDRR, is the
ability of people, organizations, and systems, using available skills and resources, to manage
adverse conditions, risk, or disasters. The capacity to cope requires continuing awareness,
resources, and good management, both in normal times as well as during disasters or adverse
conditions.
As a senior high student (people), how can you help to the coping capacity of your locality
against eminent disasters?
PERFORMANCE TASK 1 | M1U1 PT1 30 points: In a group of three members. On a short bond
paper, create an art (e.g., digital poster, collage, slogan poster, juxtaposition(compare/contrast) etc.)
of any medium with the subject related to the goal of lessening disaster risk by intensifying coping
capacity during calamitous events. Possible subject(s) of your artwork may be related to natural or
human-made hazards that may lead to disaster(s) which include typhoon, flooding, volcanic
eruption, landslide, earthquake, pandemic, and war. At the bottom part of your artwork, leave a
space where you will write your answer for this question, how will your artwork help in reducing
disaster risk?

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RUBRIC FOR SCORING | Performance Check 1| M1U1 PC1 | 30 points

DESCRIPTORS
CRITERIA Needs
Excellent Good Fair
Improvement
• Has a clear thesis • Has a clear • Has a thesis • Only weakly
• Is well organized and thesis • Is organized and develops its thesis
developed with strong • Is organized and developed • Needs more
connections between developed with • Includes some organization and
ideas connections reasons, examples, development
• Includes thoughtfully between ideas or details that • Includes reasons,
chosen and • Includes reasons, support the main examples, or
scientifically sound examples, or idea and visual’s details that are not
reasons, examples, or details that purpose adequate to
CONTENT
details that support thesupport the main • Few illustrations support the main
main idea and purpose idea and visual’s complement idea and visual’s
of visual purpose purpose of visual purpose
• Most illustrations • Lack of harmonious • Illustrations do not
complement design in complement
purpose of visual presentation purpose of visual
• Overall design is • Output has sloppy
mostly pleasing appearance
and harmonious
15 12 9 6
• All illustrations • Most illustrations • Few illustrations • Illustrations do not
complement purpose complement complement complement
of visual purpose of visual purpose of visual purpose of visual
Overall design is Overall design is • Lack of harmonious Output has sloppy
pleasing and harmonious mostly pleasing and design in appearance
harmonious presentation

10 8 6 4
• Contains few (if any) • Contains few • Is generally free of • Contains several
errors in grammar and errors in grammar grammar/usage errors in
usage and usage errors grammar/usage
WRITING • Words are legible and • Most words are • Presentation is • Distractive
pertinent to topic legible and illegible and elements make
pertinent to topic confusing illustration
ineffective
5 4 3 2
TOTAL

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MODIFIED TRUE OR FALSE: Determine the truthfulness of the following statements. Refer to the
lettered choices below then shade you answer on the provided answer sheet at the end of this
module WRITTEN WORK 1 | M1U1 WW1 2 points each. (30 points)

Lettered Choices: A – Both statements A and B are TRUE

B – Statement A is TRUE, and B is FALSE
C – Statement A is FALSE, and B is TRUE
D – Neither statement A nor B is TRUE

1. A. State failure is a determining factor of disaster risk.

B. Weak governance and unsupportive citizens strengthens the capacity of a nation to cope in
times of disaster.
2. A. Involving the civil society and government in planning important measures to reduce negative
impacts of hazards reduces disaster risk of a country.
B. Corruption in the government greatly reduce the exposure of a country from hazards.
3. A. Environmental degradation and decline of ecosystems could be due to poor and weak
environmental laws.
B. The above statement is an example of the concept of vulnerability in which poor environmental
management makes the society susceptible to disasters.
4. A. Poor leadership, expensive medicine and inaccessible health services can make healthcare
system adaptive to natural hazards.
B. Health care systems lessen vulnerability of a nation against disasters if all its building blocks
are efficiently working.
5. A. Urbanization decreases susceptibility of the society from hazards.
B. High income generated by urbanized areas can be invested in stronger infrastructures and
warning systems.
6. A. Urbanization can become an opportunity to strengthen coping capacity.
B. Coping capacity is the ability to manage adverse conditions, risks, or disasters.
7. A. Natural hazards are expected to worsen in the future.
B. Climate change exacerbate natural hazards thereby imposing a challenge in cities.
8. A. A city is said to be resilient if it’s able to resist, adapt to and recover from the effects of hazards
timely and in efficient manner.
B. Resiliency encompasses adaptation, and coping capacity.
9. A. Health care system as a disaster risk factor is determined by state of health of a society,
effectiveness of medicine and vaccine, health promotion and prevention, and geographical
location.
B. Health care system encompasses government agencies, health care personnel and health
care infrastructures.
10. A. Ecosystem degradation exacerbates disaster.
B. Ecosystem enhances the coping capacity of a community in the event of disasters.
11. A. Climate change affects food security.
B. Inability of crop plants to adapt to changing climatic conditions could result to decrease in
production.
12. A. Marginalized residents in cities are those who are likely not to be affected by disasters.
B. Urbanization in cites can become a risk especially those communities in low-lying areas.

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13. A. Disaster risk is determined by exposure, vulnerability, and coping capacity.

B. There is an inverse relationship between disaster risk and vulnerability.
14. A. Hazard is the same disaster.
B. Disasters are due to hazards.
15. A. Cremating corpses of COVID19 casualties is necessary to prevent possible transmission of the
virus.
B. The act of cremating corpses of COVID19 casualties increase disaster risk.

REFERENCES

Commission on Higher Education. (2016). DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION

Teaching
Guide for Senior High School. Commission on Higher Education. Diliman, Quezon City
Capacity. (2020). Retrieved 20 December 2020, from
[Link]

State failure as a risk factor – How natural events turn into disasters World Risk report 2011, page
44-47

Environmental degradation as a risk factor (Welle, Beck, and Mucke) Work Risk Report 2012, page
28-31

Health and healthcare as risk factors (Michael Marx), World Risk Report 2013, page 12-18

Urbanization and risk – challenges and opportunities (Matthias Garschagen) World Risk Report
2014, page 12-18

How food insecurity influences disaster risk (Matthias Garschagen) World Risk Report 2015, page
19-26