NEWS

18.11.2013

PH Senate eyeing more climate-change adaptation measures

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Senate President Franklin M. Drilon has called for key changes and long-term reforms in the country's disaster response strategy – including the possibility of completely restructuring the disaster protection agency, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).  

Addressing the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) last November 14, Drilon said that legislative actions are imperative, after expressing his concerns that a natural disaster with a similar capacity for destruction as the super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) could hit the country again.

He said the Senate will look at more climate change adaptation measures, “as the recent spate of strong typhoons could be a sign of shifting patterns in global climate, which makes national preparation to extreme natural events more necessary. It is possible that super typhoon Yolanda is the harbinger of more destructive typhoons."

Drilon stressed the need "to prepare for the worse. We should have a comprehensive disaster risk reduction and management program that will anticipate future occurrences arising from climate change and global warming."

For the Philippines to effectively deal with the threat of natural disasters, it may have to overhaul the NDRRMC, which is currently under the Department of National Defense, and expand its functions and capacities, including the hiring of more specialists into the agency, said Drilon. "We can also explore the idea of transforming the existing NDRRMC from being a coordinating body to a more permanent structure, with full-time staff and experts in various fields," he said.  

He cited also the need to produce “geohazard maps of all areas in the country to determine which areas are at risk from typhoons, landslides, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. We cannot afford to be reactive when it comes to disasters."  The Department of Environment and Natural Resouorces (DENR) had earlier produced such maps and turned them over to the local governments, but some experts said the LGUs have little technical expertise to use the maps for plotting disaster prevention and mitigation strategies in their areas.

Meanwhile, Drilon acknowledged that the effective implementation of any reforms to the country's national disaster strategy will not be a stand-alone effort confined to a single agency. Instead, these should involve LGUs and other agencies of the government involving the environment, land use and various social services.

"To ensure that our development initiatives are sustainable, we must incorporate disaster risk reduction in our development policies and in every part of our society. It is a tall order, I must admit, because it involves not just decreasing our people's vulnerability to adverse weather conditions, but also ensuring the judicious management of land and environment. Good governance is essential to disaster risk reduction," stressed Drilon.  

In underscoring the urgency of reforms proposed, Drilon drew attention to the ongoing relief efforts in the Visayan region, where government agencies experienced difficulties in providing aid to the victims. "Thousands died and thousands more are missing. It is heartbreaking to see the suffering in the faces of the survivors, most of them are now homeless," said Drilon.

Drilon visited Iloilo, his home province, during the weekend to assess the impact of the typhoon in the region and to turn over donations for Western Visayas areas badly hit by the typhoon including Iloilo, Antique, Capiz, and Aklan; and as well as to the towns in the 4th district of Cebu which were likewise affected by the typhoon.

TAGS:

  • Disaster Management
  • national climate change strategy