DRRM ♡ Vulnerability

Vulnerability

• defined by RA 10121

  • characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or asset

  • that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard

• if a community or area does not have the capacity to prepare for any possible disaster, its _____ to that disaster increases

RA 10121

Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010

Vulnerability Cause

• poor design and construction of buildings

• lack of asset protection

• lack of public information and awareness

• low government focus on risks and preparedness

• disregard for wise environmental management

UNDRR (2019)

• disasters in the country do not impact the entire population equally

• the poor are the most vulnerable

  • they have less ability to resist and recover

  • face greater risk and longer recovery time

Vulnerability and Exposure

• an area’s vulnerability depends on its exposure to a disaster

• exposure alone doesn’t always mean vulnerability

• combining both concepts shows that some exposed areas may still cope well

• vulnerability also depends on how prepared or protected the area is

Exposure

• defined by RA 10121

  • the degree to which the elements at risk are likely to experience hazard events of different magnitudes

• the more exposed a community is to the danger, the higher the disaster risk

Three Main Elements

• Physical Elements

• Socioeconomic Elements

• Environmental Elements

Physical Elements

• tangible assets like buildings, infrastructure (roads, bridges, utilities), properties, and even human lives

• directly susceptible to damage or destruction

Socioeconomic Elements

• human population itself

• households, communities, and their livelihoods

• population density, income levels, access to resources, and the functioning of essential services (healthcare and education)

Environmental Elements

• include ecosystems, protected areas, forests, wetlands, aquifers, and biodiversity

• can suffer long-term degradation, pollution, or loss

• impacting ecological balance

• reduces natural resources that communities rely on