House urged to pass disaster management bill

Local executives and civil society groups on Wednesday joined the call for the immediate passage of a measure seeking to revise the government's approach to disasters. The Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Network Philippines (DRRNet) backed up lawmakers in pushing for the swift passage of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRMM) Bill of 2009. The House of Representatives is yet to act on the measure, which has already been passed by the Senate. "Our government is set up now to react, not to prepare for, disasters," said World Vision executive director Elnora Avarientos, speaking on behalf of the DRRNet. "The DRMM bill will change that. It will save lives and protect investments." Calls for the bill's immediate passage heightened after the consecutive onslaughts of tropical storm "Ondoy" in the National Capital Region (NCR) and typhoon "Pepeng" on North Luzon. The two cyclones left almost 600 people dead and billions of pesos worth in damages. Under the bill, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) would be renamed the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (DRRMC), which would have counterpart structures in regions, provinces, cities or municipalities, and villages. The DRMMC will lay out the government's disaster management plan. "The basic strategy of the DRMM bill is to streamline disaster preparedness in local government units and communities," said Donna Mitzi Lagdameo, disaster risk reduction programme manager of international aid agency Oxfam. "Instead of putting money in the calamity funds, which are released when a disaster strikes, the DRRM bill will ensure that government resources will be invested in building the resiliency of communities in preparing for and coping with disasters," she added. Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin Abalos Jr., ULAP national president, also said in a statement forwarded by DRRNet that his group is supporting the pending bill. Abalos said he is particularly in favor of the institutionalization of DRRM at the local government level and the increased participation of non-government organizations in DRRM. In a press conference earlier, DRRM bill authors Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon and Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III renewed their call for the measure's passage before year-end. "The secret (to effective disaster management) is in having the communities themselves prepared, and that cannot be achieved within the present structure," Guingona said. Biazon said he has also written the Office of the President asking it to certify the bill as urgent. The bill has been passed by the committee on appropriations and national defense and security, but it has yet to be reported out to the plenary. Biazon and Guingona said they do not expect the bill to be approved before Congress session goes on recess Friday, so they are hoping the House leadership would act on it favorably once session resumes on November 9. - GMANews.TV