MANILA, Philippines — Science Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. yesterday reiterated his opposition to the proposal to transfer two Department of Science and Technology (DOST) attached agencies under a bill seeking to create the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR).
In October 2018, the House of Representative approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to establish the DDR.
According to Solidum, part of the House-approved version is the transfer of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to the DDR.
Phivolcs and PAGASA are attached agencies of the DOST.
Solidum is the DOST’s undersecretary for disaster reduction and climate change and officer-in-charge of Phivolcs.
He said Phivolcs and PAGASA are focused on research and development and thus should be kept in a science and technology environment.
“It (DDR) would really help in addressing disaster management in the country but we in the DOST, we want the role of science in disaster management to be separated, it could be a partner to the agency,” Solidum said in an interview with dzBB.
“There should really be an agency which will manage disaster and it has two aspects. First is before the disaster strikes, there should be an agency which will manage disaster risk, minimize the possible death, injuries, damage to houses, economy and supply (of goods),” he said.
Second, when the disaster or climate change hits and there are effects, Solidum said there must be an agency that will oversee disaster recovery.
“That’s the traditional management,” Solidum explained.
Solidum also said there should be a separate agency that will focus on collecting necessary information during calamities so that there will be basis in addressing the disaster.
“We should have information, data, warnings which will serve as our bases for action,” Solidum said.
“Action involves evacuation, preparedness and creation of control measures to minimize the impact of disasters,” he added.
Principally authored by Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, the bill provides for the creation of the National Disaster Resilience Council, which shall be the policy advisory to the DDR on disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation.
It shall be headed by the secretary of disaster resilience and composed of the heads of different government agencies involved in disaster risk reduction and management.