Disaster Management
Objectives:
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Recognize the hazards and disasters affecting the Philippines.
Acquaint themselves with the Philippines Disaster Management System(PDMS)
Define key concepts and principles of disaster management.
Internalize the principles and elements of disaster preparedness and be ready for involvement in time of crisis.
Enhance awareness on the tasks and responsibilities of key players in disaster management.
Natural Disasters
Inevitable happenings that causes damage to the man-made environment and to the nature.
Man-made Disasters
Is a phenomenon that happens when the man itself will not be careful and be oriented properly on what they can do in
times of crisis.
United Nations Disasters Relief Office(UNDRO) states that there are five reasons that is usually present to a country that
became the cause of being hit by a disaster tremendously:
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Rapid population growth;
Concentration of populations in high-risk areas like floodplains, landslide, prone slopes and seismic zones.
Capital development; destruction of marshes by real estate developers.
Man-made destruction, for example deforestation, has lessened the ecosystem resilience to disaster; and
Growing poverty means more live in increasingly substandard housing
(i.e. not typhoon-resistant)
Examples of Disasters:
Natural:
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Earthquakes
Typhoons
Drought
Landslides
Flooding
Volcanic Eruption
Man Made:
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Air and water pollution
Fire
War
Bomb threats
Industrial threats
Civil disturbances
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Poverty
Accidents like transport, nuclear or biological
Categories of Severity
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Accident(individual)
Emergency(limited)
Disaster(widespread)
Catastrophe(collapse)
Key concepts that can be helpful
Risk: the probability of a disaster will occur
Hazard: The specific nature of a threat
Vulnerability: The inability to withstand
Prevention: Measures to avert a hazard
Preparedness: Measures that ensure effective disaster response
Mitigation: Measures that reduce the harmful effects of a disaster
Response: Action taken in the aftermath
Situations in the Philippines
There are contributing factors that make a disaster happens and cause severe damages to lives and properties. These
are as follows:
Poverty and Marginalization
Malnutrition
Poor health
Inadequate basic services: water, sanitation, drainage, light, education
Unemployment, low wages
Resource Depletion
Forest denudation
Soil Erosion
Genetic erosion
Marine pollution
Agrochemical
Air and water pollution
Due to this factors, it can lead to the following:
Man-made disasters
Flooding
Drought
Civil War
Torrential rains
Natural Forces:
Earthquakes
Typhoons
Volcanic Terrain
Assessment/Reporting on Preparedness
The need for preparedness in damage assessment and reporting involves:
1. Knowledge of pre-disaster situation
2. Capability to asses:
 Medical situation
 Agricultural situation
 Infrastructure situation
 Structural stability
 Relief operation capabilities
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Establish lines of communication (physical, organizational)
Established data collection points
Established format of reporting (forms, exercise)
Established confirmation/verification procedures
Established authority for releasing reports
Relief Operations (preparedness/organization)
1. Disaster times are emergency situations
a. Cool and unbiased assessment
b. Swift and decisive action:
c. Balanced response
d. Leadership
e. Discipline
f. Resource management
g. Rehabilitation already envisaged/planned
h. Planning already accomplished
2. Food Relief: Is it Necessary?
Reliefs are the enemy of rehabilitation. It can destroy self-sufficiency, neighborhood relations, self help initiative, eating
habits, agriculture, marketing channels.
Four ways to contribute food relief:
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b.
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d.
General food distribution
Mass feeding
Supplementary feeding
Intensive or therapeutic feeding
3. Food for work
Rehabilitation/Construction and Emergency Preparations
Rehabilitation- restoration of community member economic independence and their physical, social and emotional
well-being.
Disaster prevention and mitigation
Measures need to be drawn to minimize the loss and destruction of life and property. These include the formulation and
implementation of long-range policies and programs to prevent or eliminate the occurrence of disasters based on risk
analysis.
Activities that can minimize the impact of disasters:
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Identification of areas most prone to typhoons and other calamities
Display teaching of structural improvements
Preparation of educational materials
Community systems
Media liaison
Disaster Preparedness
1. Principles
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b.
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The risk must be known.
Effective warning message
Land use planning (risk zoning)
Public awareness