House approves bill creating Department of Disaster Resilience on second reading

The House of Representatives, through viva voce voting, approved on second reading on Tuesday House Bill 8165, seeking to create the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) which shall be the primary government agency responsible for leading, organizing and managing the national effort to reduce disaster risk, and prepare for and respond to disasters, recover and rehabilitate.

Principally authored by Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez (1st District, Leyte), the bill also provides that the DDR shall oversee and coordinate the preparation, implementation, monitoring, evaluation of disaster and climate resilience plans, programs, and activities.

The DDR shall also provide leadership in the continuous development of strategic and systematic approaches to disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitation, and anticipatory adaptation strategies, measures, techniques and options.

It shall also augment the capacity of local government units (LGUs) in collaboration with relevant national agencies and other stakeholders to implement disaster risk reduction and management and climate change action plans, programs, projects and activities.

The bill declares it is the duty of the State to carry out and harmonize the policies on disaster risk and vulnerability reduction and management, and climate change adaptation, and sustainable development to uphold the welfare of the people particularly the vulnerable sectors of society.

The DDR shall be composed of the following: 1) Secretary to be appointed by the President; 2) five Undersecretaries. Each of the four Undersecretaries shall be responsible for resilience, policy and governance, operations, administration and finance, respectively, while the fifth one shall be the Senior Undersecretary; 3) 10 Assistant Secretaries; 4) 11 Service Directors who shall head the following services: administrative and financial management, logistics and resource management, operations, responders management, policy development and planning, capacity-development and training, legal affairs and compliance, disaster risk reduction, climate change, rehabilitation and recovery management, and strategic communications; 5) divisions, units and offices; 6) The National Climate and Disaster Resilience, Research, Education, and Training Institute ; 7) regional and other offices; 8) bureaus; 9) seconded personnel from relevant agencies; and 10) grievance desks in every region.

The DDR shall also have the power to receive donations and grants from any person, government institution, corporation, international organization, and other similar entities, and the power to recommend the procurement of developmental assistance for the purpose of disaster risk and vulnerability reduction and management, and climate change adaptation.

It shall be mandatory for the department to acknowledge and certify the receipt of all DDR grants and donated funds and ensure their judicious management, including their proper and accurate audit reporting to constituents.

The bill also provides for the creation of the National Disaster Resilience Council (NDRC) 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 the different government agencies.

The Council shall be organized into five clusters namely, Disaster Prevention and Management to be led by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); Disaster Preparedness to be led by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); Disaster response to be led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); Logistics to be led by the Department of National Defense (DND); and Recovery and Sustainable Development to be led by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

The DDR shall also issue comprehensive guidelines on the initiation, entry, facilitation, transit and regulation of international relief goods and personnel, as well as eligibility guidelines to utilize the legal facilities for assisting international actors.

The bill also provides for penalties for prohibited acts of public officials, and private persons or institutions.

The amount needed for the initial implementation of the Act shall be taken from the current fiscal year’s unexpended appropriation of all agencies absorbed, transferred, and attached to the DDR. Thereafter, the amount needed for the operation and maintenance of the DDR shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.

The bill was sponsored and defended on the floor by Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo (Lone District, Camiguin). | Rowena B. Bundang

House OKs Department of Disaster Resilience bill on 2nd reading

The House bill seeks to transfer to the proposed department the 'applicable' powers and funds of existing agencies and offices in charge of disaster risk reduction and management

The House of Representatives approved on 2nd reading the bill that would create the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR).

Lawmakers gave their nod to House Bill (HB) No. 8165 through viva voce voting or a vote of ayes and nays on Tuesday, September 18.

If passed into law, HB 8165 would mandate the DDR to be primarily responsible for overseeing and coordinating the preparation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of disaster and climate change resilience plans and programs.

The bill would also establish the National Disaster Resilience Council, which shall serve as the department's policy advisory body on disaster risk and vulnerability reduction, emergency management, and climate change adaptation.

HB 8165 would also order the creation of the Prevention, Mitigation, and Preparedness Fund, which shall be used to support programs for climate change adaptation, disaster risk prevention and mitigation, disaster risk transfer, and disaster preparedness of 3rd to 6th class provinces and municipalities.

Lawmakers approved the bill on 2nd reading after Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) devastated parts of Luzon over the weekend, killing at least 74 people and affecting over 800,000 others. (READ: In Itogon, sister volunteers to dig beneath the soil to look for brother)

What happens to existing disaster-related agencies and bureaus? Under the bill, the "applicable" powers, functions, and funds of the following agencies would be transferred to the DDR:

• Office of Civil Defense
• Climate Change Office
• Geo-Hazard Assessment and Engineering Geology Section of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau
• Health and Emergency Management Bureau of the Department of Health
• Disaster Response Assistance and Management Bureau of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
• Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)

The BFP, however, would remain a "distinct entity" within the proposed department, including BFP employees and officials' uniformed personnel status and benefits.

The Climate Change Office of the Climate Change Commission would also continue to serve its functions, but would be an office under the DDR.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration as well as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology would become attached agencies to the proposed department.

Separation pay and other benefits would be given to officials and employees who would be affected by the transfer of agencies and bureaus.

Why push for a new department? No less than President Rodrigo Duterte asked Congress to pass a bill creating the DDR.

He said the proposed department, which would have more powers than the current National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, would help the country respond to natural and man-made calamities faster.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/212275-house-2nd-reading-bill-department-of-disaster-resilience