‘14 senators back creation of disaster department’

MANILA, Philippines — Fourteen senators have expressed support for the creation of a department for disaster response management in order to strengthen the country’s emergency response system and streamline evacuation and post-recovery efforts.

Sen. Francis Tolentino yesterday clarified that the creation of another department to manage disaster response and recovery efforts would not go against the principle of rightsizing the government bureaucracy as ordered by President Duterte.

“Rightsizing would not mean immediate downsizing. Rightsizing would be probably putting in place the proper departments or agencies in the proper administrative bureaucracy. It is a concept that will not lead to bloating the bureaucracy but placing the right offices and agencies within the proper structure,” Tolentino, chairman of the Senate committee on urban planning, housing and resettlement, said.

“I heard 14 senators are in favor of the creation of the department of disaster, so it looks like it’s a majority,” he said after a Senate hearing on updates on the evacuation and post-recovery efforts in areas affected by Taal Volcano’s eruption.

There are eight bills seeking the creation of a department for disaster response management, although Sen. Imee Marcos’ proposal was just to create the National Resiliency and Disaster Management Authority.

Tolentino said he preferred the creation of a department.

With the information provided by several resource persons during the hearing, Tolentino said he is ready to prepare the committee report, which would include a recommendation that the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development should lead the relocation of families affected by the Taal Volcano eruption.

He said he would talk to other agencies to engage the services of the private sector and to ensure that there would be more consultation with the local government units for the permanent relocation of the evacuees within the 7-km danger zone.

“The fourth recommendation, and probably the most important, is for the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture to prepare a more sustainable livelihood plan,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Grace Poe is seeking insurance coverage for the country’s fishery, livestock and poultry sectors to protect farmers and fisherfolk when calamity strikes.

Poe pushed the passage of Senate Bill 866 as estimates of agricultural losses due to Taal Volcano’s unrest begin to trickle in.

She        said these sectors are major contributors to the economy and food security.

“All of the sectors identified above are vulnerable to climate change and severe weather-based calamities,” Poe said.

“Insurance coverage will guarantee that during times of unforeseen events, farmers will not be holding an empty bag,” she added.

Under SB 866, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. [PCIC] is mandated to provide insurance coverage to qualified fisherfolk against losses from natural calamities and to livestock, poultry and unharvested fisheries stocks without prejudice to the inclusion of other non-crop agricultural assets.

These assets include livestock and poultry pens and cages, fishponds, fish cages, fish pens, fishing boats and other related infrastructure as the PCIC board may determine.

The bill also seeks to include in the crop insurance coverage the cost of production inputs, value of the fisherfolk’s own labor and those of the members of his household, including hired workers.