House, Senate approve renaming of disaster agency

MANILA, Philippines - The House and Senate bicameral conference committee approved on Wednesday the bill that would rename the National Disaster Coordinating Center to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

“We need a stronger agency to mitigate and protect the threats brought about by natural and man-made disasters and this measure will assure the Filipino people of a coordinated response in times of great need,” Pangasinan Rep. Arthur Celeste said.

Celeste, chairman of the committee on national defense and security of the House of Representatives, said it has been 18 years since the bill was filed, and fortunately it was passed this 14th Congress.

“We have strengthened government structure from the national to the barangay level to be able to achieve disaster preparedness. The bill is now officially known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act of 2010.”

Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III, a senatorial candidate under the Liberal Party of opposition Sen. Benigno Aquino III, also hailed the passage of the measure, which was done before Congress goes on recess on Feb. 3.

“I commend everybody in the House who worked and pushed for, and finally voted for the passage of this landmark legislation, which I know will serve the country in very good stead as we face the uncertainties and the vagaries of unpredictable weather in this time of global climate change,” he said.

The DRRM Act provides for the development of policies and plans and the implementation of actions and measures pertaining to all aspects of disaster risk reduction and management, including good governance, risk assessment and early warning, knowledge building and awareness raising, reducing underlying risk factors, and preparedness for effective response and early recovery.

Under this law, the National Disaster Coordinating Council shall be replaced with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, which shall be headed by the Secretary of National Defense.

A Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office shall also be established in every province, city and municipality, and a Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee in every barangay which shall be responsible for setting the direction, development, implementation and coordination of disaster risk management programs within their territorial jurisdiction.      – Delon Porcalla