CALCULATING RISK: A DIGITAL FUNCTION OF WOMEN’S RESILIENCE IN SEISMIC HAZARD SPACES

This study understands how women navigate the spaces of environmental hazards, particularly seismic risks, in the local community of Paitan in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. Anchored on an extension program of Nueva Vizcaya State University, the project responds to growing evidence from local, national and international studies showing that women experience the most severe impacts of disasters due to their multiple and intersecting roles within households, communities and broader social structures. In Paitan, these vulnerabilities are intensified by limited access to hazard information, lack of formal training and the persistence of gendered expectations in disaster response. Using participatory workshops, community mapping and focus group discussions, the program reveals that women primarily rely on informal networks, family knowledge and local experiences in understanding seismic risks and other natural disasters. Results indicate that women possess strong contextual knowledge of their environment but lack technical capacity in disaster preparedness and early warning systems. Through targeted training on disaster risk reduction and environmental awareness, participants reported increased confidence, improved preparedness practices and greater participation in community–level decision–making. The study highlights that empowering women with localised knowledge and skills transforms them from passive victims into active agents of resilience through digital function – a mathematical concept in performing operations through simplified and contextualised outputs. Furthermore, the findings underscore the importance of community–based, gender–sensitive extension programs in strengthening women’s roles in managing natural disasters and hazards.