Implementing the DRMMP in Metro Manila - Pacific Disaster Center

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Consultative Forum on the DRM Billpending in the Philippine Congress. In mid-2006, FG5 member Priscilla Duque of theOffice of Civil Defense (OCD), proposed to hold a consultative forum to discuss andfine-tune the consolidated DRM bill. Upon P. Duque’s suggestion, Esteban Masagca,chair of the Committee on Victims of Disasters and Calamities of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC/VDC) under the Office of the President, was invited tojoin the organizing committee for the forum. Later, PHIVOLCS became a member ofthis committee. Five meetings took place to set things in motion and in one of them,Roger Rigor, Secretary of the House of Representatives’ Congressional Committee onNational Defense, to which bills pertaining to disaster management are referred fordeliberation, awas invited for feedback and suggestions.ProceedingsThe Consultative Forum on the Consolidated DRM Bill took place on 13 October2006 at the PHIVOLCS Auditorium, Quezon City. Co-organized by the NDCC,PHIVOLCS, NAPC/VDC and EMI, the forum attracted a wide cross-section of theDRM community. One hundred nine (109) participants from LGUs, international andnon-government organizations, NDCC Technical Management Group, OCD, NAPC/VDC and EMI attended the said forum. Twelve of 17 LGUs in Metro Manila (71 percent) were represented, includinga few from the provinces ofPampanga and Southern Leyte.R. Solidum opened the forum witha welcome message, highlightingthe need for a comprehensiveDRM legislation that is foundedon a holistic, proactive approach.E. Masagca, NAPC/VDC, thenexplained the rationale for havinga new DRM law and the objectivesof the forum. He specificallyunderscored the importance ofincluding provisions involving the communities in DRM planning and programming,and posed the challenge on how to monitor the status of the bill and ultimately lobbyfor its passage.At the initial plenary, P. Duque, OCD, traced the history of past disaster-related lawsand the major developments within the last five years that led to the forum. Ma.6
Enhancing Local Partnership and Stakeholders’ OwnershipBox 6. Objectives of the Consultative ForumThe daylong activities consisted of two plenary sessions,one panel discussion and one workshop. Through thisprocess, the organizers aimed to review and re-examine theoutput draft legislation and, based on it, craft an amendedone, incorporating the invaluable inputs of the invitedstakeholders. Specifi cally, the forum sought to achieve thefollowing:1. Firm up improved national policies and strategic directionsfor disaster risk management;2. Coordinate DRM across other legislation impacting onemergency management, and link it operationally withnational development planning and poverty alleviation;3. Streamline and strengthen national, regional and localorganizations concerned with DRM and their respectiveroles and those of other stakeholders, for the effectiveimplementation of the DRM Program;4. Make the DRM consistent with the enhanced roles andcapabilities of central government, local government andthe private sector and other stakeholders; and5. Strategize how the revised bill could be approved andsigned into law by the legislative body and the President.7Corazon Alma de Leon, Secretary General ofthe Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC)expounded on the disaster-developmentframework, stressing the need for preparednessand mitigation. She noted that poverty is one ofthe vulnerabilities facing both rural and urbansettlers which, when combined with existinghazards, would result in disasters. R. Rigorthen explained the nature and dynamics of thelawmaking process based on his experiencein the House of Representatives. To mobilizesupport from legislators, he pointed to the needfor presenting practical data that would showthe advantages of the proposed bill over theexisting law.The last presenter for the first plenary, VictoriaBannon, coordinator of the Asia PacificProgramme of the International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC/RCS) highlighted the need for countriesfrequented by hazards to have a sound legalframework for handling disasters, especiallywhen external assistance would be required. She presented the International DisasterResponse Laws, Regulations and Principles (IDRL) Programme, whose goal is to ensurethat legal and regulatory frameworks are optimized to enable international disasterresponse to be provided expeditiously, effectively and in compliance with the highestpossible standards. She also shared realities on the ground and issues encountered byinternational relief workers when responding to countries affected by disasters.In the open forum that followed, Clarita Carlos, former President of the NationalDefense College of the Philippines (NDCP) and currently working at the Office ofCongressman Michael John R. Duavit, expressed her opinion that the proposed billshould be shorter, and details of what needs to be done during disasters should beincorporated in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). She stated that inlobbying for its passage, it is important to highlight the significance of preparedness,and the devastating effects of disasters in the country.On the other hand, Southern Leyte Governor Rosette Lerias suggested the issuanceof a memorandum from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and
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Page 10 and 11: Introductionfrom the National Unive
Page 14 and 15: Consultative Forum on the DRM Billo
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Page 18 and 19: Round-Table Discussion on MEGA-Inde
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Page 28 and 29: Postscript5PostscriptAccomplishment
Page 30 and 31: PostscriptMoving ForwardThe key app

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