A lawmaker on Monday cited the need for the immediate approval of a bill seeking to create the Disaster Resiliency and Alertness Management (DReAM) Department so the public can sleep soundly and worry less about disasters.
Rep. Alfred Vargas (5th District, Quezon City) said during a press conference at the House of Representatives that the Philippines is the most exposed country in the world to tropical storms, typhoons and other calamities.
“Ang Pilipinas (ay binubuo ng) 7,100 islands, lagi tayong may sakuna, lagi tayong may kaba, so sa tingin ko with the DReAM Department ay makakatulog na tayo ng mahimbing,” Vargas said.
Vargas authored House Bill No. 2001 or the proposed “Disaster Resiliency and Alertness Management (DReAM) Department Act of 2019” which he said will also address the disaster preparedness and disaster resilience concerns regarding transparency and accountability.
When asked to compare the difference between the DReAM Department and the two disaster-related agencies, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), Vargas clarified that there are coordination challenges between NDRRMC which is just a council and the OCD which is under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Both the NDRRMC and the OCD are agencies concerned with the protection and welfare of people during emergencies and disasters.
Vargas further said that at the ground level, the local government units also encounter problems in communication during these calamities and disasters.
He said the DReAM Department shall take care of all disaster-resilience related matters, including before, during and after disasters. It will be headed by a Cabinet Secretary who will be assisted and helped by Undersecretaries.
Vargas said if for example an LGU gets affected by a typhoon, the DReam Department's local disaster component will ensure immediate help from other LGUs nearby or even from other neighboring provinces as well because the agency is headed by a Secretary.
He said it shall be the Secretary of the DReAM Department who will recommend to the President to declare if there is a state of calamity.
As to the timeline regarding the creation of the DReAM Department, Vargas said it should be as soon as possible once the DReAM Department bill becomes a law.
“We would like to invoke Section 48 and Section 52 of the House Rules which states that when the bill passes third reading, by the vote of the majority, pwede na talagang ma fast-track ito, tutal certified as urgent naman ito and if the Majority Leader and the Speaker choose, ay pwedeng-pwede talagang mapabilis itong pag-approve nang department na ito,” he said.
Vargas said there is also a need for a department like DReAM to be able to handle and manage international grants, international funds, international donations with accountability and transparency and quickness.
As to the question of government agencies involved in disaster management and preparation being devolved under a single department, Vargas replied in the affirmative saying that the Secretary of the DReAM Department will be the overall head.
“Per local government, lahat yun under na sa DReAM Department. So this means mas mabilis na yung coordination, tapos hindi na mag-alala sa mga overlaps. Kung ano yung kumpas ng executive, maibababa kaagad sa mga tao. Malinaw lahat,” he said.
Vargas said that based on experience, “ang dami natin na experience - miscommunication, daming spillage, ang daming nasayang, ang daming hindi nagamit, mga relief goods mahati or napupunta sa iba na hindi dapat.” He said the DReAM Department will address all these concerns.
He said that the DReAM Department will have its own funds and its Secretary shall have the access to all the funds, but shall respect the autonomy of the LGUS regarding their funds.
As for foreign donations, Vargas said they will make sure all the rules and practices regarding disaster diplomacy will be followed.
“As we all know very tricky yan. Kailangan talaga mayroon declaration bago tayo makatanggap. Before, nagkaroon ng confusion dahil papano ba talaga. Dapat with DReAM Department, it will be easier to accept foreign aid,” he said.
Vargas cited a provision of the bill which states that the DReAM Department Secretary, whenever necessary, can activate an Ad Hoc interagency committee to orchestrate efforts of concerned entities.
He added that the bill carries an oversight component composed of six senators and six congressmen and a provision on sunset review. /Ma. Victoria Palomar / News and Documentation Section-Press and Public Affairs Bureau/House of Representatives of the Philippines
http://www.congress.gov.ph/press/details.php?pressid=11638
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