Resilience and food security

Last July 28, in The STAR’s Opinion section, an article entitled “Increasing resilience and food security with early action” was published, written by World Food Program Philippines’ Hannes Goegele, who stressed that “[f]or the Philippines, it is high time to shift gears and go beyond saving lives” by protecting livelihoods and enabling communities “to meet their own food and nutrition needs, lowering the risk of looming food insecurity in times of disaster.”

As the House committee on disaster resilience chair, I was elated that the WFP shares our view that addressing resilience and food security go hand-in-hand. Our experience in Dinagat Islands is an accurate representation of the country’s experience, where farmers and fisherfolk are among those most vulnerable to the disastrous effects of the changing climate, while providing products which are foundational to the local economy and survival in times of disaster.

However, the discussion on early action in the article is severely lacking, especially as big steps in reforming our disaster risk reduction and management policy are pending in Congress.

Last May 2024, our office filed House Bill (HB) 10233, empowering the president and local chief executives to declare a state of imminent disaster. This will allow the national and local governments to access funds even before the declaration of a state of calamity. The bill will also institutionalize pre-disaster response mechanisms such as prepositioning of goods and resources, as well as preemptive evacuation and other anticipatory action measures at the local level.

This is on top of other pending legislation simultaneously addressing the issue of food security and disaster resilience. This can be seen in two pending bills establishing evacuation centers in every city and municipality in the Philippines (HB 06522) and establishing calamity food banks in every province in the Philippines (HB 07354).

The latter is especially relevant, considering that such banks are to be stocked with locally produced food products that will ensure that those impacted by disasters will not starve. This makes the food banks more than just a central repository and supply reserve of food, water, medicines, vaccines and other materials and equipment needed in times of disaster. The food banks would create additional demand for locally produced food products and provide livelihood for a greater number of farmers, fishers and other food producers.

Pending third reading is HB10422, amending the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Law, which among others would extend the period within which LGUs can access funds for relief, recovery and reconstruction from two to three years. The reforms in HB10422 are borne out of our first-hand experience with Typhoon Odette in 2021 and Speaker Martin Romualdez’s first-hand experience with Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

Beyond this, we are also encouraging fellow legislators to support a long-term solution by finally creating a Department of Disaster Resilience through HB00329. The existence of this Department would unify and strengthen the implementation of anticipatory action, along with existing laws on preparation, risk reduction and rehabilitation.

Just as important as pointing out the needs of the people is pointing out the steps already being taken by their leaders in addressing such needs. To leave out the latter would be to give an impression that nothing is being done or, worse, that such needs are being ignored.

If we intend to give a clearer picture of how the Philippines is faring when it comes to strengthening our resilience, we must take time to also highlight what is already being done and where we are headed. As legislators, we welcome the valuable insights and inputs from experts; what we ask is for their recommendations to recognise the work already being done, especially if the work being done already includes the same recommendations. – ALAN 1 B. ECLEO, Representative, Lone District of Dinagat Islands