Manuel_jackielyn_task 3

ASSESSMENTS Tasks: 1. Give your own observation on the idea that the Philippines is a disaster-prone country. Do you agree with this or not? I agree that the Philippines is a disaster-prone country, because apart from the geographical position of the Philippines where it is vulnerable to tropical cyclones, which usually produces heavy rains and flooding of large areas and also strong winds, resulting in heavy losses of human life and destruction of natural resources and assets1. It is also positioned in the Ring of Fire Belt- A route along the Pacific Ocean marked by active volcanoes and regular earthquakes, also referred to as the Circum-Pacific Belt, where many earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.2 Apart from that, the platforms for the disaster are not so good and the Philippine government or the entire Philippines itself and its people are not so ready for such disasters, because first, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council ( NDRRMC) of the Philippines, said that the Philippines does not have enough funds for disasters, but according to the senate, there is still less than P707 billion in unused funds that would have helped the victims of the recent Taal Volcano eruption.3 Perhaps someone is squeezing this fund so that it will not be used when it really needs to. And apart from being a disaster-prone country, the government continues to reduce calamity funds4. Second, most Filipinos are disregarding how strong a typhoon or disaster is and the possible damage it can cause, resulting in greater damage and more losses of life. And third, apart from the ongoing reduction of calamity funds in the Philippines, there is also not enough budget for recovery and rehabilitation. We can see in the news whenever there are disasters that happen, the evacuation centers that are being used are the schools or courts. The Philippines is disaster-prone because of its geography, because its people are not prepared for disasters, and because its government does not pay much attention to the country's preparedness for disasters. 2. Explain the difference between a hazard and a disaster. Give specific examples. The difference between a disaster and a hazard is that a disaster is an event caused by risks that already affected people and its properties in the most damaging circumstances. Hazard, on the other hand, is a dangerous situation that puts human life in danger. A hazard can only be 1

PAGASA. Accessed January 17, 2021. http://bagong.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/information/about-tropicalcyclone#:~:text=The%20Philippines%20is%20prone%20to,destruction%20to%20crops%20and%20prope rties. 2 National Geographic Society. (2019, April 4). Ring of Fire. National Geographic Society. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/ring-fire/. 3 Tulfo, Ramon. (2020, January 28). There’s more than enough calamity funds. The Manila Times. https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/01/28/opinion/columnists/topanalysis/theres-more-than-enoughcalamity-funds/677826/ 4 Communications, I.B.M. &. (2020, January 15). Lower disaster budget shows lack of govt priority. IBON Foundation. https://www.ibon.org/lower-disaster-budget-shows-lack-of-govt-priority/.

considered a disaster if it has already affected a person or the environment and properties of humans, but if it does not cause any further damage it will remain a hazard. For example, weak earthquakes, because they are weak and do no harm, it can not be considered a disaster but it is still a hazard because it puts a person’s life in danger. Another example is active volcanoes, it is a hazard because it is active and can cause damage to people, property and the environment. It will only be a disaster when it has eroded and actually caused damage. 3. What makes a society vulnerable from disasters and hazards? The main thing that makes a society vulnerable to disasters and hazards is the lack of preparation and caution. Because lack of preparation especially when there's danger everywhere becomes catastrophic and will cause a terrible fear of damage for everyone. Lack of caution also makes the society vulnerable, as the hazard is just around the corner and at any time can cause harm. Populations living in dangerous areas also make the vulnerability of a society more vulnerable. Poverty and poor government management also make society vulnerable from hazards and disasters. 4. Among the four priority areas of the DRRM, what should be given the most attention and why? One of the four priority areas of DRRM is Disaster Preparedness, and it should be given the most attention because almost everything is covered and linked to it, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Disaster Response, and even Rehabilitation and Recovery. Because if enough attention is given to Disaster Preparedness, its goals focused on disaster preparedness will be given more importance. If its goals are fully implemented and followed, expect that the workloads of the other priority areas of DRRM will be lessened. What is prevention and mitigation for if people are not prepared, of course it will not be enough just to pay more attention to Prevention and Mitigation, it will still need support from Disaster Preparedness, because whatever avoidance and prevention we might do, there will have and will still have a hazard because for me it is included in human nature, we can reduce the risk it can cause but we still can not remove the fact that it will still affect people and even properties, so you will still need to really focus on preparation. Because preparation will also reduce the potential damage of a disaster or a hazard, and when all the goals and objectives of the Disaster Preparedness are fully implemented, the lives or populations that will need to be responded by the Disaster Response will be reduced, and also the number of people that will undergo Rehabilitation and Recovery after a disaster, wii also be reduced. 5. Among all the disasters presented, what do you think is the most difficult to prevent? Expound on your answer. Earthquakes, for me, among all the disasters that were presented, earthquakes were still the most difficult to prevent. Because first of all, we can not make any preparations for it because we do not know when it will come or where it will happen, it does not have any warning or signs that will give us a hint to prepare or even save our lives, we will only feel the earthquake when it

happens itself. Although we can avoid its further possible damages that will be caused by the other disasters after the earthquake such as tsunamis and landslides, or the collapse of infrastructures. People who live near the shore can still evacuate, because most people already know that there is a possibility of a tsunami after the earthquake. People living in prone landslide areas can still be evacuated and relocated to a safer place so that when an earthquake happens they will not be at greater risk. We can also strengthen the infrastructures in the city to reduce damage by the time of the earthquake, but we will have a hard time when it comes to the big, many and growing establishments that have long been built in the middle of the cities, because it needs a bunch of works to be done to have an adequate safety in the event of an earthquake. So earthquakes are catastrophes that are the hardest to avoid, to prepare for, and especially, we cannot prevent it. 6. Create a short poem (2-3 stanzas will do or 8-12 lines) about hazards and disasters. Give it a certain or catchy title. “Do not be fear, preparedness is still here” Hazard can’t just be treated as a simple matter Because, when it is neglected it can be a disaster And if the hazard is a threat, The disaster can cause millions of death It is just around us And it can happen in any of hours And if we let hazard and vulnerability met It will surely be our greatest regret But even if it cannot be avoided Some of it can still be prevented So people wouldn’t be threatened And the damage will be lessened 7. Make a poster about how to mitigate the spread of viruses. The rubrics of this activity will be provided by the instructor.

8. Choose one of the disasters presented here in the module. From there, make a short video presentation (2-3 minutes only) on how to prevent it. Note: You have to be

seen in the video, not just a voice over. The rubrics of this activity will be provided by the instructor. (this only for online students) 9. Write a Short Reflection Paper on the theme: Education in the time of Pandemic. Studying before the pandemic, at any level, is already difficult. It is difficult from the start of studying at kindergarten and elementary. ‘Till it comes to high school, where studying has still not become easy, because the higher the level of education, the more academic work. And when I got to college, I can still say that it is much more difficult to study, it has never been easy, the more the tasks, the higher the level of information I have to gather. But if before, without the pandemic, where we could still be with and meet teachers, who would still guide us and still get actual support from classmates who became friends, learning still didn’t become easy, how about now. Now that the only thing next to me is a water bottle, facing a painful light from the computer and cellphone, and enduring the unstable internet. The tolerable noise of the surroundings is different, which used to be the sound of classmates laughing and talking, but now all I can hear is my parents' orders, my siblings who are also studying modules, or my mother who is teaching my younger brother how to read. And the noise of the neighbors and even the noise of our pet dogs. Since we are no longer in school, everything is different now. Learning is even harder. Education is important, no matter where we look in the world, it is important. Although it is difficult to reach, everyone strives to achieve it. The burden of each student here is only lightened with the help of classmates who became friends and especially the big role of the teachers who guide students, with different strategies to only teach and get the attention of the students. That even though the class is noisy, everyone is still learning. But now, I, here in front of the computer, in a virtual class with new students and teachers still seem to be alone. Studying each lesson alone. Can't get quick answers or explanations to the questions of my own. Forcing to focus despite the noise inside and outside the home that can still be heard even with the ears of the headset or covered by earphones. Suffers from eye pain from hours of doing the assigned tasks in front of the computer. Forcing to calm down, even I am very annoyed on the internet. And sometimes I think, if I am in a good state of life and still experience difficulties in education, what about those people who have not tasted yet a single drop of luxury in life but are trying to achieve education. If before the pandemic studying was already difficult, the pandemic made it worse for us now, especially for the people who are in the lower classes. Education is important, we all know that, and everyone knows that. But in the midst of the pandemic is this really the most important thing? That it can not be set aside for a moment by those above who are sitting in charge? Many have struggled, then and especially now, not only students but teachers also. And now that learning is not just what a student should think, other students are also thinking about how to meet the school requirements now that most of the people who support their family have lost their resources. How can a student focus if he or she is not the only one studying in their family, and he or she still has younger siblings to teach because parents did not graduate and do not know what is being discussed in a student module. How can teachers who earn enough to support the family, now need to have a laptop or computer to catch up with the new normal education. Studying is more difficult now, especially since each lesson needs to be studied alone. It is much more difficult if you are a slow-learner and need someone to guide

you on. Education is much more difficult during the pandemic, students now feel that they are now just studying only to pass and not to learn.

10. Create a slogan about disaster preparedness. The rubrics of this activity will be provided by the instructor.