3rd Session of the Global Platform for
Disaster Risk Reduction
Side Event: How can Legislation Promote
Disaster Risk Reduction at the
Community Level
Tuesday, May 10, 2011,13:15 -14:15
Room A-CCV
International Conference Centre Geneva
17 rue de Varembe, Geneva, Switzerland
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS IN DEVELOPING
DISASTER LAW: PHILIPPINE EXPERIENCE
by:
Atty. Priscilla P. Duque, MNSA
Assistant Civil Defense Executive Officer / Chief, Training Division
Office of Civil Defense, NDRRMC
:
The 7,107 island-country – THE PHILIPPINES – in the world map
Scope of Presentation

The Making of Republic Act 10121 dated May
27, 2010
- Background
- The Building Blocks
- Approaches / Strategies

Challenges
Background
RA NO. 10121
• 21 years in the making
• 7 Congresses
• 4 Administration
• Signed into Law on May 27, 2010
• IRR signed by the DND Secretary &
NDRRMC Chairperson on Sept. 17, 2010
Republic Act No. 10121
otherwise known as
“ An Act Strengthening the Philippine Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management System,
Providing for the National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Framework,
Institutionalizing the National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Plan,
Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other
Purposes
RA No. 10121
SCOPE
Provision for the development of policies and plans and
implementation of actions and measures pertaining to all aspects
of DRRM (Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and
Recovery and Rehabilitation), including- Governance
- Risk assessment and early warning
- Knowledge building and awareness raising
- Reducing underlying risk factors
- Preparedness for effective response and early
recovery
Building Blocks of Successful
Legislative Reform in the
Philippines
The building blocks of successful legislative reform in PH

Presence of relevant DM/DRRM policy environment
• ACDM
• IDNDR • ARPDM
• ISDR
• 1998 2003
GAA
’90’s
The building blocks of successful legislative reform in PH

Presence of relevant DM/DRRM policy environment
The building blocks of successful legislative reform in PH

Presence of relevant DM/DRRM policy environment
ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency
Response (AADMER)






Initiated in mid ‘04, mandate given 3
weeks before the December 26, 2004
Indian Ocean Tsunami
Draft negotiated in ‘05 within 4 months
Signed by Foreign Ministers of ASEAN
on 26 July 2005 in Vientiane, Lao PDR
Ratified by all AMS as of September
17, 2009
Entry into force on December 24,
2009
The first ever HFA-related binding
instrument in the world
The building blocks of successful legislative reform in PH
 Planning Instruments
1983
National Calamities and
Disaster Preparedness Plan
2003
Local Disaster Coordinating Councils’
Contingency Plans
2005
Four-Point Plan of Action on Disaster Preparedness
2009
Strategic National Action Plan on Disaster Risk Reduction
The building blocks of successful legislative reform in PH
 Planning Instruments
NDCC’s Four-Point Plan of Action on Disaster Preparedness
1. Upgrading the forecasting capability of warning agencies for hydrometeorological and seismological hazards through improved
equipment and staff development as well as networking with foreign
forecasting
institutions;
2. Promoting an integrated and coherent strategic public information
campaign on disaster preparedness through the conduct of
nationwide tsunami and earthquake drills; distribution of posters and
flyers on natural hazards and other IEC through the tri-media;
3. Enhancing capabilities of Local Chief Executives (LCEs) and their
respective Disaster Coordinating Councils (DCCs) in identified
vulnerable areas through the conduct of DM-related trainings, and
4. Strengthening mechanisms for government and private sector
partnership in relief and rehabilitation.
The building blocks of successful legislative reform in PH
 Planning Instruments
SNAP on DRR - Five Strategic Objectives
The building blocks of successful legislative reform in PH
 Planning Instruments
SNAP Priority Programs and Projects – Eighteen (18)
1. Governance: Disaster Risk Management Act
2. Multi-stakeholder Dialogues on Disaster Risk Reduction
3. Institutionalization of Disaster Management Office
4. Enhancing Capacity Development for Local Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Councils
5. Mainstreaming DRR into the Peace Process
6. Mainstreaming DRR in Various Government Plans and Programs
7. Public-Private Partnership
8. Resource Mobilization
9. Information and Database Generation
The building blocks of successful legislative reform in PH
 Planning Instruments
SNAP Priority Programs and Projects
10. Knowledge Management
11. Supporting DRR Mainstreaming through Sectoral Approach
12. Preparedness for Effective Disaster Response
13. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Campaign
14. Institutional and Technical Capacity Building
15. Education and Research
16. Forecasting and Early Warning
17. Risk Evaluation
18. Development of Tools for Assessment and Monitoring of DRR
Measures
The building blocks of successful legislative reform in PH

2009 TOPS (Typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and Santi)
Other building blocks of successful legislative reform
in the Philippines:



Clear leadership and a common vision of
DM/DRR as more of a development issue
rather than just a humanitarian assistance
issue;
Country’s geographical location that makes
it vulnerable to natural hazards;
The growing complexity and intensity of
disasters;
Other building blocks of successful legislative
reform in the Philippines:

Multi-stakeholders participation in the drafting of the
DRRM legislation: line ministries, local government,
military, responder groups, Red Cross, humanitarian
NGOs, people’s organisations, the private sector;

Active participation of the Chairman of the
Philippine Red Cross and UNISDR DRR Champion of
Asia Pacific, who were members of the 14th
Congress, Senators Richard Gordon and Loren
Legarda, respectively, and

Presence of a very active DRR National Platform that
served as the focal point in the advocacy for the
passage of RA 10121
Our Strategies and Approaches . . . .

Multi-stakeholder consultation workshops at
national, sub-national and local government levels;

Engaging selected members of both Houses of
Congress in DM/DRRM projects and activities,
especially the Senate and House Committees on
National Defense where the proposed legislation
was initially filed;
Our Strategies and Approaches . . . .

Focus- Group Discussions (FGD) on thematic areas
such as the following:
- policies
- institutional and operational arrangements
- funding
- volunteer management
- training and education in DRR

Maximizing the presence of DRR and Climate
Change Champions in Congress
Impact of RA 10121on the Promotion of
DRR at the Community Level

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Provided the impetus to pursue disaster risk
reduction initiatives
Enhanced DRR mandate for LGUs
Institutionalized community participation
Clarity of roles / functions
Defined resource / funding allocation
Institutionalized DRRM System
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT
Our Major Challenges

WALKING THE TALK . . . . . .
- policy implementation
- funding / resource mobilization
- sustaining DRR achievements in various
sectors
- monitoring and evaluation
Our Major Challenges


Addressing other perceived operational gaps
- victims rights
- protection of volunteers from liability
- guiding principles & SOPs of emergency
service sectors / clusters
- COOP / BCP
Harmonizing the implementation of the DRRM
Act, Climate Change Adaptation Act and related
sectoral laws for effective governance
MARAMING SALAMAT ! ! !
NDRRMC Website: www.ndcc.gov.ph