'Why we need more DRR work in the Phl'

Like any other Filipinos working and living abroad, Jerry Velasquez, senior regional coordinator for Asia-Pacific of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), remains concerned about events and developments taking place in the Philippines. Velasquez is the highest-ranking Filipino official in this specialized UN agency that assists countries like the Philippines in disaster risk reduction (DRR) programs and projects.

So when Sendong struck southern Philippines two weeks ago and caused so much loss of lives and damage to both public and private properties, Velasquez could not help but put down in writing on his Facebook account his thoughts on the latest disaster that befell his countrymen in Mindanao. Velasquez, who is based in Bangkok, made use of the powerful social networking site among Filipinos to call attention and perhaps action from the people concerned, especially those in the Philippine government.

At the outset, however, he posted this disclaimer on his Facebook account: “I am writing this note as a regular Filipino citizen, and not as a representative of the UN. These are my personal views.”

According to him, the Philippines “is a front runner, a model country when it comes to enabling environment for both disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. It has great laws and policies, and institutions.” Velasquez though noted with grave concern that the focus was lost somewhere along the way after the country adopted and passed into law the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Law in 2010.

Also known as Republic Act 10121, it created the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and a paradigm shift from a disaster response focus to disaster risk reduction or DRR. The NDRRMC replaced the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) but kept most of the various government agencies under its umbrella.

Citing the 2010 compilation of risk assessments in the ASEAN region of the UNISDR, Velasquez noted that in the Philippines, like in the rest of the world, the loss of human lives due to disasters is decreasing, despite the increasing number of disasters. However, alarmingly, the economic damage to the country due to disasters has increased 18-fold since 1970, it noted.

“This means that a policy of putting more and more money in response is not going to work in a country like the Philippines. There will come a time when the budget allocation for disaster response will be so great that the country won’t be able to bear it,” Velasquez warned. 

“A more proactive, preventive, DRR centric approach is needed, and it was there in RA 10121 — if we just implement it,” the DRR expert pointed out.

I am reprinting excerpts, with his kind permission, of his Facebook notes on why the Philippines needs more DRR work:

“The Philippines adopted in the law’s declaration of policy, it stated that: ‘It shall be the policy of the State to adopt a disaster risk reduction and management approach that is holistic, comprehensive, integrated, and proactive in lessening the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of disasters including climate change, and promote the involvement and participation of all sectors and all stakeholders concerned, at all levels, especially the local community.

“In the past, there was the NDCC and the calamity fund. The fund exists both at the central and the local levels. It was 2 billion centrally (in 2010) and 5 percent of the local budget locally. Section 22 of RA 10121 states that: (a) The present Calamity Fund appropriated under the annual General Appropriations Act shall henceforth be known as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRM Fund) and it shall be used for disaster risk reduction or mitigation, prevention and preparedness activities such as but not limited to training of personnel, procurement of equipment, and capital expenditures. It can also be utilized for relief, recovery, reconstruction and other work or services in connection with natural or human induced calamities which may occur during the budget year or those that occurred in the past two years from the budget year.

“(b) The specific amount of the NDRRM Fund and the appropriate recipient agencies and/or LGUs shall be determined upon approval of the President in accordance with the favorable recommendation of the NDRRMC.

“(c) Of the amount appropriated for the NDRRM Fund, 30 percent shall be allocated as Quick Response Fund (QRF) or standby fund for relief and recovery programs in order that situation and living conditions of people in communities or areas stricken by disasters, calamities, epidemics, or complex emergencies, may be normalized as quickly as possible.

“Before RA 10121, centrally and locally, the funds can only be used when there is a state of calamity declared. RA 10121 changed all of this. It specifies that 70 percent of all the calamity funds be used for DRR instead – both locally and centrally, and also changed the name of the fund – to NDRRM Fund – to reflect the changed nature and intent of its use. Unused funds are also to be rolled into a new trust fund for future DRM work...

“Recently it was reported that President Aquino vetoed the use of the NDRRM Fund for pre-disaster work, with Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio Abad stating that ‘the GAA for 2011 merely cautions against using the Calamity Fund for pre-disaster activities, such as the preparation of relocation sites or facilities and the training of personnel directly involved in disaster management, as indicated in the Conditional Implementation of Special Provision No. 1 in this year’s Calamity Fund.’

“The presidential veto specified that there is no need to use the 70 percent of the NDRRM funds for DRR centrally. The reason behind the veto is that it is noted that other government agencies already have DRR mainstreamed and thus no need for further DRR work by NDRRMC using the NDRRM funds.”

Velasquez believe there is a need to rally the stakeholders to help correct this situation. So that this way, Velasquez said, a portion of the 2012 budget is freed and allowed to be used for DRR where obviously much work has to be done in disaster-prone areas in the Philippines.