Institutional and Policy
Landscapes of Disaster
Risk Reduction and
Climate Change
Adaptation
In Asia and the Pacific
PHILIPPINES
Rodel D. Lasco and Rafaela Jane P. Delfino
A Joint Project of the
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) Philippines
and United Nations International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction Secretariat (UNISDR)
Asia and Pacific Regional Office
September
2010
(FINAL REPORT)
Institutional and Policy Landscapes of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation
FINAL REPORT: PHILIPPINES
PHILIPPINES
INSTITUTIONAL AND POLICY LANDSCAPES OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN ASIA AND PACIFIC
SUMMARY
Development faces a growing threat from a changing climate – particularly through extreme impact and
more extreme events. The Philippines has been considered as highly vulnerable to current (i.e. natural
disasters), as well as future climate-related risks. The development goals of the country can be severely
affected and a great number of population and livelihoods can be at risk. Managing risks to development
requires the systematic integration of disaster risk management (DRM) and climate change adaptation
(CCA) in terms of project activities, coordination and financing mechanisms. However, until now these
agendas have evolved independently in terms of institutions and policies.
Over the years, there have been several planning and development projects that have addressed these
issues. The outputs of these projects although substantial, have not found their way into the scientific
literature. As a result they have not been cited in assessments such as those by the IPCC and thus failed
to inform policy making. This UN ISDR-ICRAF project tries to address those gaps in knowledge transfer.
This paper reviewed the initiatives of the Philippines on DRM and CCA and assesses the progress of its
integration to development planning.
September 2010
Significant program and strategy advances have been gained in strengthening DRM; and pioneering
steps, including key national policies and institutions for promoting CCA. The recently approved policies
on both DRM and CCA, and other adaptation projects feature clear overlaps, including efforts to
harmonize coordination structures. From the review of the DRM and CCA institutional and policy
landscapes of the country, the study provides recommendations and immediate priorities for the
Philippines to facilitate effective integration of DRM and CCA into policies and programs.
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PROJECT BACKGROUND
It is being increasingly recognized that mainstreaming of an integrated approach to CCA and DRR into key
sectoral policies, such as agriculture and natural resource management and urban development, is
essential. Indeed, it is crucial for climate change and disaster risk reduction initiatives to work in tandem
and that synergies between the two are further articulated. The need exists for a better exchange of
knowledge that will benefit of both disciplines’ experiences, in order to avoid inappropriate adaptation
practices and unsustainable policies.
In many Southeast Asian countries, poor and highly vulnerable sectors of the population depend on
natural resources for livelihoods. This is has given rise to attempts to develop an ecosystems-based
approach to CCA and DRR. Over the years, there have been several planning and development projects
that have addressed these issues. The outputs of these projects although substantial, have not found
their way into the scientific literature. In many cases they have very limited circulation. As a result they
have not been cited in assessments such as those by the IPCC and thus failed to inform policy making.
This project will address those gaps in knowledge transfer. Results will be available to the concurrent
investigations that are synthesizing national and regional CCA-DRR efforts and to IPCC as peer reviewed
resource documents.
The project generally aims to provide research; writing and literature review to compile a thorough
review of relevant documentation, published and unpublished, on the subject of climate change
adaptation and the relationship to disaster risk reduction in the Philippines. Specifically:



September 2010

Review existing documentary sources, projects and programmes on climate change adaptation
and disaster risk reduction;
Investigate all relevant projects that have been undertaken over the last two years by key
stakeholders, and prepare a list of those projects and programmed with a means of reviewing
their status, replicability, area of focus (sector, hazard etc.).Compile and categorise such
documents in a way that they can be accessible in electronic form, with the information
necessary to access those documents from the database. And contribute to the updating of
these templates and the overall organizational approach for the documentary review;
Prepare a shortlist of key topic areas by sector (if appropriate) that can be the basis of the two
stage reviews and lessons learned (practical examples of where good climate change adaptation
practices has reduced disaster risk in a sustainable manner);
Undertake a documentary review through a review all collected documents of possible relevance
and prepare a brief annotation on those documents and provide a brief review of the possible
use and value of that publication; and select key documents from which a synthesis can be
derived that is topic specific, that will contribute to two audiences: i) the IPCC review, and ii) the
ongoing Regional Synthesis project. The result will be either publishable material on the selected
topics or complete background documentary evidence upon which specific publications can be
derived.
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Institutional and Policy Landscapes of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation
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September 2010
ACRONYMS
ADB
ADPC
APSEMO
AusAid
BSWM
CAS
CBDRM
CCA
CIRCA
CLUP
DA
DENR
DepEd
DFID
DILG
DIPECHO
DOE
DOH
DPWH
DRR/M
EC
EU
EIA
EMB
ENSO
EWS
GCM
GEF
GFDRR
GIS
GSIS
GTZ
HFA
IEC
IFRC
INGO
IPCC
IRA
ITCZ
IWRM
JICA
LCF
LGU
MDG
MGB
Asian Development Bank
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office
Australia Agency for International Development
Bureau of Soils and Management
Country Assistance Strategy
Community-based Disaster Risk Management
Climate Change Adaptation
Center for Initiatives and Research on Climate Adaptation
Comprehensive Land Use Plane
Department of Agriculture
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Department of Education
Department for International Development
Department of Interior and Local Government
European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department Disaster Preparedness Program
Department of Energy
Department of Health
Department of Public Works and Highways
Disaster Risk Reduction/Management
European Commission
European Union
Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Management Bureau
El Nino Southern Oscillation
Early Warning System
Global Circulation Model
Global Environment Facility
Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery
Geographic Information System
Government Service Insurance System
German Technical Cooperation
Hyogo Framework of Action
Information, Education and Communication
International Federation for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
International Non-government Organization
Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change
Internal Revenue Allotment
Inter-tropical Convergence Zone
Integrated Water Resources Management
Japan International Cooperation Agency
Local Calamity Fund
Local Government Unit
Millennium Development Goal
Mines and Geosciences Bureau
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MO
MTPDP
NAMRIA
NCF
NDCC
NDRRMC
NEDA
NGA
NGO
NPC
NWRB
MDG
MTPDP
OCD
ODA
PAGASA
PCCA
PCIC
PDIP
PDRRMA
PGA
PHIVOLCS
PIA
PNRC
READY
September 2010
SNAP
UNDP
UNESCAP
UNCHR
UNFCCC
UNISDR
Manila Observatory
Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan
National Mapping and Resource Information Authority
National Calamity Fund
National Disaster Coordinating Council
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
National Economic and Development Authority
National Government Agency
Non-government Organization
National Power Corporation
National Water Resources Board
Millennium Development Goal
Medium Term Philippine Development Plan
Office of Civil Defense
Official Development Assistance
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Agency
Philippine Climate Change Act
Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation
Provincial Development Investment Plan
Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act
Provincial Government of Albay
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
Philippine Information Agency
Philippine National Red Cross
Hazards Mapping and Assessment for Effective Community-Based Disaster Risk
Management Project
Strategic National Action Plan
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
PROJECT BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................ 3
ACRONYMS.................................................................................................................................................... 4
September 2010
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 8
2. DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES ............................................................................... 11
2.1 Policy Framework.............................................................................................................................. 12
2.1.1 Legal Basis and Organization ..................................................................................................... 12
2.1.2 Disaster Fund ............................................................................................................................. 13
2.1.3 Paradigm Shift ........................................................................................................................... 14
2.1.4 Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (RA 10121) ........................ 15
2.2 Institutions working on DRM ............................................................................................................ 17
2.2.1 National Organizations working on DRRM (Appendix A) .......................................................... 17
2.2.2 Mainstreaming DRR in national and international organizations ............................................. 19
2.2 Disaster Management Strategies ...................................................................................................... 23
2.3 Challenges and recommendations to mainstreaming DRR .............................................................. 35
3. CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION ......................................................................................................... 38
3.1 Policy and Institutional Framework .................................................................................................. 38
3.2 Organizations working in CCA ........................................................................................................... 41
3.3 Climate Change Adaptation activities in the Philippines .................................................................. 42
Mainstreaming climate change adaptation ................................................................................................ 45
3.4 Key Areas of Progress and Challenges .............................................................................................. 50
4. PROGRESS IN INTEGRATION OF CCA AND DRR .................................................................................. 54
4.1 Overall gaps and needs ..................................................................................................................... 54
4.1.1. Disaster risk management ........................................................................................................ 55
4.1.2 Climate change adaptation........................................................................................................ 56
4.2 Current mechanisms and incentives, and barriers to integration .................................................... 57
4.2.1 Knowledge on climate risk and vulnerability ............................................................................ 59
4.2.2 Institutional capacity and coordination..................................................................................... 59
4.2.3 Local government and community initiatives ........................................................................... 60
4.2.4 Financing DRM and CCA ............................................................................................................ 61
5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................................... 62
5.1 Conclusions ....................................................................................................................................... 62
5.2 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................ 63
References ................................................................................................................................................... 65
Appendices (See Attached Files)
A. Disaster Risk Management Institutions
B. DRM Projects
C. Climate Change Adaptation Institutions
D. CCA Projects
E. Sectoral Initiatives and Key Issues
F. Annotated Bibliography
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List of Boxes
Box 1
Box 2
Box 3
Box 4
Box 5
Disaster-proofing development in Albay, Philippines …………………………………………………………..32
Climate change-related initiatives of the Philippine government …………………………………………39
Lessons learned: initiatives of the Provincial Government of Albay on CCA ………………………….47
Recommended adaptation priorities of key sectors in Southeast Asia ………………………………….52
DRR as a key result area in the NFSCC ………………………………………………………………………………….57
List of Figures
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Overlap between Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction …………………………10
Number of people affected by natural disasters in the Philippines, 1972-2009 ……………………11
Total economic damages from natural disasters in Southeast Asia, 1970-2008 …………………….12
National government agencies working on DRR/M based on NDCC Framework ………………….18
National Framework Strategy on Climate Change ………………………………………………………………..40
List of Tables
September 2010
Table 1
Table 2
Table 3
Table 4
Table 5
Table 6
Key stakeholders and institutions on DRR/M in the Philippines ……………………………………………17
Internationally supported projects on DRR/M, 2007 to present ……………………………………….....24
Summary report: disaster occurrences in the Province of Albay, 1994-2004 ………………………..32
Key stakeholders and institutions on CCA and mitigation in the Philippines ………………………..41
General characterization of DRR/M and CCA communities in the country……………………………54
Progress toward integration (incentives and barriers) of DRR/M and CCA in the country …..58
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1. INTRODUCTION
Climate change has been dubbed the most serious threat facing humanity and the last four decades have
witnessed increased effort to understand the scientific processes behind it, as well as identify the most
sustainable measures for reversing trends and adjusting to their consequences (Schipper, 2006). There is
now a broad consensus in the scientific community on the reality of human-induced climate change. The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded in its fourth assessment report (AR4) that
it is 90 - 99 percent likely that the rise in global atmospheric temperature since the mid-19th century has
been caused by human activities (IPCC, 2007). Among the predicted impacts associated with these rise in
temperature is the more frequent and powerful extreme climatic events, such as storms, heat waves and
hurricanes.
The Asia Pacific region suffers the most from extreme weather events and these will likely increase with
climate change. The Philippines, being an archipelagic country, is highly vulnerable to climate-related
hazards. Farmers have to cope with an average of 20 tropical cyclones a year as well as recurring El Niño
Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. Recent studies in the Philippines showed that water resources,
natural ecosystems and local communities are very vulnerable. For example, the amount of seasonal
water supply from watersheds could change leading to flooding in the rainy season and water deficit in
the dry season (Cruz et al., 2006). In addition, forest ecosystems may shift leading to the loss of current
forests types (Lasco et al., 2006). The poorest of the poor are expected to bear the brunt of the impacts
of climate change (Pulhin et al., 2005). The coastal areas must also be protected from sea level rise and
storm surges. Communities living along the coastline and in the uplands must be prepared to meet the
challenges to their environment, livelihood and homes.
It is increasingly being recognized that adaptation to climate change must be considered as an integral
element of development and poverty reduction efforts (Burton et. al., 2006). The achievement of
development goals is already jeopardized by current and still intensifying level of disaster risks while
vulnerability to these hazards is also increasing due to poverty, urbanization, environmental degradation
and population growth (Oslo Policy Forum, 2008; DFID, 2003). At the World Conference on Disaster
Reduction, held in Kobe, Japan in 2005, climate change was acknowledged as an underlying threat in
relation to disasters in its outcome strategy: the “Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015”
(UNISDR, 2007). The Philippine government adopted the HFA with the goal of substantially reducing
disaster losses by 2015 in terms of lives and social, economic and environmental costs (GFDRR, undated).
September 2010
Climate change and disaster risk management
In the past decade, weather-related natural hazards have been the cause of 90 percent of natural
disasters and 60 percent of related deaths (IFRC, 2005). Worldwide, the destructiveness of tropical
cyclones has increased over the past 30 years, due to an increase in their intensity and extent
(Emmanuel, 2005). Indeed, the number of intense tropical cyclones has nearly doubled since 1970
(Webster, et.al., 2005).
The growing concerns about climate change come against the backdrop of a worrying rise in the
vulnerability to natural disasters. While the past few decades saw a reduction in the number of people
killed by natural disasters, there is a dramatic increase in the number of people affected and socio-
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economic losses (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 2003). This rise in
losses and people affected reflects a growing vulnerability to natural hazards and in particular to
weather- and climate-related hazards. While climate change may already be playing a role, the key origin
of rising disaster losses is increasing vulnerability. The projected trends in extreme events and additional
uncertainties associated with climate change will compound these risks and make the challenge of
reducing them more urgent yet at the same time more difficult.
Although it is acknowledged that climate change may significantly affect the weather patterns of the
earth, the extent of this influence cannot be accurately determined because of the uncertainty about the
role played by climate change in determining extremes in climate variability (Schipper and Pelling, 2006;
van Aalst, 2001). It is therefore important to promote early and cost-effective adaptation to climate
change risks using current adaptation measures to existing climate variability and extremes as a starting
point (Stern, 2006; Sperling and Szekely, 2005). Improving the capacity of local communities, regions and
governments in dealing with current climate vulnerability is likely improving also their capacity in dealing
with future climate changes, especially if such measures are dynamic and can be adjusted to further
changes in risks and vulnerabilities.
Integrating CCA and DRM in development policies
Natural disasters and climate change present considerable challenges for poverty reduction and
sustainable development affecting a range of socio-economic systems (IPCC, 2001 as cited by Thomalla,
et.al., 2006). Since the late 1990s, there has been increasing recognition of the need to mainstream
disaster risk reduction into development - that is to consider and address risks emanating from natural
hazards in medium-term strategic frameworks and institutional structures. Increasing appreciation of the
need to mainstream DRR into development was formalized in January 2005 when the HFA 2005-2015
was adopted by the World Conference on Disaster Reduction. Thus, a number of development
organizations have begun efforts to mainstream DRR into their work, undertaking various institutional,
policy and program changes (Benson and Twigg, 2007).
September 2010
In the same line, adaptation to climate change has risen on the agendas of researchers, practitioners,
and decision-makers in a variety of fields (Mc Gray et.al., 2007). This emerging consensus is driving the
recognition that adaptation to climate change must be considered as an integral element of
development and poverty reduction efforts (Burton et. al., 2006) and, more particularly, will need to
facilitate adaptation to the effects of climate change (Mc Gray et.al. 2007). The achievement of
development goals is already jeopardized by current and still intensifying level of disaster risks while
vulnerability to these hazards is also increasing due to poverty, urbanization, environmental degradation
and population growth (Oslo Policy Forum, 2008; DFID, 2003).
Adaptation to climate change is considered especially relevant for developing countries, where societies
are already struggling to meet the challenges posed by existing climate variability (Yamin et al. 2005;
Adger et al., 2003), and are therefore expected to be the most adversely affected by climate change
(McCarthy et al., 2001). The recent IPCC AR4 makes clear that “adaptation will be necessary to address
impacts resulting from the warming which is already unavoidable due to past emissions” (IPCC, 2007).
Among the first to react on this wake up call are the development agencies as evidenced by efforts to
“mainstream” adaptation into aid programs and projects. Individually and collectively, international
multilateral and bilateral organizations have responded to the increasing challenge of climate change
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with an agenda for action to integrate climate concerns into the mainstream of developmental policy
making and poverty-reduction initiatives (World Bank, 2008).
CCA and DRR have much in common. Both aim to reduce the impacts of shocks by anticipating risks and
addressing vulnerabilities. Certainly, the majority of climate change impacts will materialize through
climate variability (e.g. prolonged wet and dry season) and extreme weather events (e.g. heavy rainfall
events). Climate change is shifting the frequency and intensity of hazards, such as heavy rainfall,
droughts, high sea levels, and possibly cyclones, with direct implications for disaster risk.
Figure 1. Overlap between CCA and DRR (Mitchell and van Aalst, 2008)
September 2010
However, while reducing the risk of weather extremes is a substantial component of managing climate
risk and of the overlap between DRR and adaptation (Figure 1), DRR does not equal adaptation, and
effective disaster risk management in a changing climate is more than business as usual (Mitchell and
van Aalst, 2008).
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2. DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES
The Philippines is considered one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world (Bildan, 2003; World
Bank, 2005). The country’s exposure to disasters is to a significant extent due to its geographical location
and physical characteristics. It lies along the Western Pacific Basin (a generator of climatic conditions
such as monsoons, thunderstorms, inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), typhoons, among others)
making it a path of an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, nine of which makes a landfall. Climate
risk includes exposure to super typhoons, and other extreme weather, El Niño-related droughts,
projected rainfall change and projected temperature increase. The country is also vulnerable to the El
Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). ENSO-droughts have become much more frequent in the 1990s (2year average recurrence interval) compared to the 1970s and 1980s (approximately 4-year interval). This
year, the country is experiencing another ENSO event. Although not directly attributable to climate
change, existing work on El Nino events in the Philippines has identified some evidence of negative
associations between El Nino and rice yields in rainfed production systems (Lansigan 2005; Lansigan et
al. 2000). Other work has found that agricultural communities in the Philippines suffered widespread
crop losses during the 1997/98 El Nino. However, the rapidly increasing population together with other
anthropogenic factors such as land use and land use changes due to rapid urbanization, globalization and
changing climate are pushing a lot of pressure on water resources.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) estimates that the total agricultural production losses under a mild
El Niño scenario could reach P8.09 billion, and P20.46 billion under a severe dry spell (Martin, 2010).
Flooding is another hazard facing the country due to rains brought about by typhoons and the monsoon.
September 2010
The risk to human life from natural disasters in the Philippines has increased dramatically over the past
generation (PRB, 2006). From 1971 to 2000, natural disasters killed about 34,000 people in the country,
but from 1990 to 2000, natural disasters killed or disrupted the lives of 35 million people (Figure 2). It is
expected that climate change will exacerbate existing stresses in the country (The Philippines Initial
National Communication, 1999). Recent studies in the Philippines showed that water resources, natural
ecosystems and local communities are vulnerable to climate change (Lasco, et.al. 2008; Villamor and
Boquiren 2008; Perez 2002a and b).
Figure 2. Number of people affected by natural disasters in the Philippines, 1972-2009 (Source: UN
ESCAP)
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Along with Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and Indonesia, the Philippines is among the lower
middle income countries (GFDRR, undated). The high risk due to the hazards above can affect long-term
economic development and foreign investments. Figure 3 shows the total amount of economic damages
of natural disasters in Southeast Asia from 1970 to 2008. Natural hazards are part and parcel of the
Philippine environment, but disasters happen because human settlements, infrastructure, people and
their economic activities are placed where hazards happen. Costs of disaster impacts are borne by
government, communities, and individual households, thus threatening socio-economic development
gains. Thus, consideration of natural hazards and related risks in institutional programming and policies
may be critical in securing sustainable development in the longer term and ensuring the effectiveness of
organization’s individual country strategies (Benson and Twigg, 2007).
Figure 3. Total economic damages from natural disasters in Southeast Asia, 1970-2008 (Source: UN
ESCAP)
2.1 Policy Framework
September 2010
Being vulnerable to various hazards, the Philippines have a long history of and a rich experience in
disaster management. It has developed an extensive institutional structure for preparing for and
responding to disasters.
2.1.1 Legal Basis and Organization
The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) is the highest policy making body and the focal
organization for disaster management in the country. It was established through the Presidential Decree
(PD) 1566 in 1978. Its establishment led to disaster coordination from the national to regional to the
lowest government unit (“barangay”). The basic function of NDCC is to advice the President on the
status of national disaster preparedness and management plans, and recommends the declaration of
state of calamity and the release of the national calamity fund, together with the Regional Disaster
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Coordinating Councils and Local Disaster Coordinating Council. The NDCC establishes the priorities in the
allocation of funds, services, and relief supplied and plays an advisory role to lower DCCs through the
Office of Civil Defense by issuing guidelines. The disaster coordinating councils is an inter-institutional
arrangement or “collegial body” consisting of 17 national government agencies and one nongovernmental organization, the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC). The NDCC utilizes the facilities and
services of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) as its secretariat and executive arm. The NDCC issues
guidelines on emergency preparedness and disaster operations.
The national calamities and disaster preparedness plan, prepared by the NDCC in 1988 following the
issuance of PD 1566, specifies that disaster coordinating councils be established for national, regional,
Metro Manila, provincial, city or municipal, and barangay level. It detailed the composition and
respective functions of all key member agencies. The council is chaired by the Secretary of National
Defense with 14 Department Secretaries, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),
Executive Director of the Philippine Red Cross, Chairman of the National Economic and Development
Authority (NEDA), and the Director-General of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) as members. All
implementing plans shall be documented and copies furnished to NDCC through the OCD. The OCD was
given a vital role in executing and monitoring the implementation of policies and programs – making its
Administrator the NDCC Executive Officer, and in providing a secretariat support to the NDCC. NDCC
member agencies are responsible for carrying out respective tasks and responsibilities, which include
preparedness, mitigation, response and rehabilitation. The NDCC is replicated at the sub-national local
levels referred to as the local DCCs with 17 regional, 80 provincial, 117 city and 1496 municipal councils.
The local DCCs function substantially like their national counterpart except that they operate and utilize
their own resources at their respective levels. Each disaster coordinating council shall maintain a disaster
operations center. However, until this time, not all local government units have a working DCC.
September 2010
2.1.2 Disaster Fund
The NDCC does not have an annual budget allocation; it operates through member agencies, regional
and local DCCs. One basic source of funding that can be utilized in the occurrence of disasters is the
National Calamity Fund (NCF). This is a lump-sum amount which consists of five percent of the annual
budget of the national government that is tied to aid, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction. Releases
from the fund are made directly to the appropriate implementing departments or agencies and/or local
government units in accordance with the recommendation of the NDCC and upon approval of the
president of the Philippines. This is contained in Republic Act No. 8185 (1996) amending Republic Act No.
474 (1974) that created the calamity fund. The current operating expenditures of NCF is PHP2 billion
(US$ 42.5 million). No funds are provided by law for mitigation and preparedness per se. This was to
strengthen the capabilities of local government in disaster management.
To respond immediately to an emergency or disaster, 25 percent of the NCF is released to lead
departments such as the social welfare and development, public works and highways and national
defense departments as a Quick Response Fund. The amount is a stand-by fund which shall be utilized in
times of calamities and is intended primarily to provide relief and rehabilitation to calamity-affected
communities and areas and to normalize as quickly as possible the situation and living conditions of the
people in such communities and areas.
Another source of funding is the local government calamity fund set aside by local government units
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(LGUs) from their annual local budgets. LGUs are mandated by R.A. 8185 since 1996 to allocate five
percent (5%) of its Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) as Local Calamity Fund (LCF) and can only be used
upon declaration of a “state of calamity” is the local legislative body. In 2003, a Joint Memorandum
Circular issued by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Interior
and Local Government (DILG) permits the use of the LCF for disaster preparedness and other pre-disaster
activities. A 2004 World Bank-NDCC study reports that an estimated 50 percent of the LCF go unused
each year. The current system, however, puts LGUs in poorer and island provinces (usually hazard-prone)
at a disadvantage as they have lower revenues and thus less available for LCF. LGUs faced with disaster
impacts will depend on external sources for additional funds. Rehabilitation funds promised by the
national government cannot be met occasionally as planned setting back coordination agreements
reached by stakeholders in the affected LGUs.
2.1.3
Paradigm Shift
September 2010
The country, through the NDCC, is putting greater attention from reactive disaster management to a
more proactive approach in line with international frameworks on DRM (Jose, 2006). Since the OCD and
NDCC’s creation, PD 1566 has been the basic law that guides the disaster management programs,
projects and strategies implementation in the country. However, it has been observed and noted from
past experiences, combined with lessons learned and gaps examination, that the law that creates the
Council is more leaning and gives more emphasis on response action, thus, making the implementers
reactive to possible disasters rather than taking a proactive stance in disaster risk management. DRM is
used in the sense of dealing with risks prior to a hazard event, and therefore increasingly the NDCC has
added more activities focusing on mitigation and preparedness. In 2005, the President approved the
implementation of the NDCC Four Point Plan of Action for Preparedness (4PPAP) which aims to increase
public awareness and involvement in measures put in place by the government to minimize the impact
of disasters in the future. Since then, the government through NDCC continued improving the
forecasting capability of the warning agencies, engaging LDCCs holding the annual disaster consciousness
month in July, and formalizing partnerships with different stakeholders through memoranda of
agreement. Nationwide promotion and institutionalization of DRR has been taking place in terms of
instilling awareness, crafting plans and policies, establishing mobilization procedures and coordination
mechanisms for response, improving skills and technical know-how; and recognizing good practices.
The government also pursues a comprehensive disaster management framework that encompasses
disaster risk reduction, mitigation and preparedness in the pre-event; and disaster response,
rehabilitation and recovery in the post-event. The Philippine DRM conforms with the Hyogo Framework
of Action 2005-2015 that highlight “the need to reduce disaster risks more deliberately and
systematically through their integration into policies, plans and programs for sustainable development
and poverty reduction, supported by bilateral, regional and international cooperation” (WB, 2009 ). This
framework also aims to contribute to the attainment of the United Nations (UN) Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), such as poverty eradication and environmental sustainability.
Further to this paradigm shift is the inclusiveness of DRM that is evolving in the country. The past two
years were marked with multi-stakeholder consultations, which were conducted as integral part of two
projects that provide direction to future DRR in the Philippines, namely the national assessment on the
state of DRM and Strategic National Action Plan (SNAP) (NDCC, 2009. Aside from providing ideas on what
needs to be done, stakeholders were able to exchange information in forums that had not existed
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before. This watershed in DRR also potentially leads to actually forming a national platform that the
country needs. National multi-stakeholders held three times during the period, among others all point to
the necessity to continue the discussion and nurture experience. This augurs well in consolidating ideas
and opinions from various sectors in formulating future strategies and charting the direction such as
formulating a DRM law and adopting steps to set up implementing rules and regulations.
2.1.4 Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (RA 10121)
The law acknowledged that there is a need to “adopt a disaster risk reduction and management
approach that is holistic, comprehensive, integrated, and proactive in lessening the socio-economic 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.”
The Act provides for the development of policies and plans and the implementation of actions and
measures pertaining to all aspects of disaster risk reduction and management, including good
governance, risk assessment and early warning, knowledge building and awareness raising, reducing
underlying risk factors, and preparedness for effective response and early recovery.
The NDCC will now be called the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMC),
empowered with policy-making, coordination, integration, supervision, monitoring and evaluation.
Among the functions of the NDRMC are the development of a national disaster risk reduction and
management framework, which shall provide for a comprehensive, multi-sectoral, inter-agency and
community-based approach to disaster risk reduction and management.
The framework would be reviewed every five years or whenever necessary in order to ensure its
relevance to the times. A P1-billion revolving fund will be allocated to the OCD to support its functions.
The OCD would remain, headed by an administrator who shall also be executive director of the NDRMC.
September 2010
At the local government level, the barangay disaster coordinating councils are now abolished and its
functions would be assumed by existing barangay development councils, which shall serve as local
disaster risk reduction and management councils (LDRRMC). The LDRRMC would ensure the integration
of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into local development plans, programs and
budgets as a strategy in sustainable development and poverty reduction.
While the NDRMC would still be recommending the declaration and lifting of a state of calamity, the
LDRRMC may also make its own recommendation to the local Sanggunian for immediate
implementation. Once a state of calamity is declared, various remedial measures to be undertaken by
the member agencies have also been defined by the law, such as the automatic imposition of price
ceilings on basic necessities and prime commodities by the president as provided in the Price Act.
The present calamity fund appropriated under the annual General Appropriations Act would now be
known as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management 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.
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September 2010
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. Of the amount appropriated for NDRRM Fund, thirty percent
shall be allocated as Quick Response Fund or standby fund for relief and recovery programs in order that
living conditions of people in communities or areas stricken by disasters, calamities, epidemics, or
complex emergencies, may be normalized as quickly as possible. The law also provides for the
integration of disaster risk reduction education into the school curricula and Sangguniang Kabataan
program and mandatory training for public sector employees.
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2.2 Institutions working on DRM
2.2.1 National Organizations working on DRRM (Appendix A)
Table 1. Key stakeholders and institutions on DRRM in the Philippines
Key Institution/s
Roles with respect to DRRM
a. Disaster Management Coordination
Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)
The OCD is entrusted to
ensure the protection and public welfare during
disasters or emergencies. The OCD serves as the
operating arm of NDCC, supporting discharge of its
functions.
National Disaster Coordinating Council
(NDCC); Regional Disaster Coordinating
Council (RDCC); and Local Disaster
Coordinating Council (LDCC)
The highest policy-making body on matters of
disasters in the country. NDCC advises the President
on efforts in disaster management undertaken by the
government and the private sector, thereby serving as
the highest policy-making body on disaster
management. The NDCC is replicated at the regional
and local levels, and these bodies function
substantially like the NDCC, operating and utilizing
resources at their respective levels.
Sectoral Government Agencies (e.g. DPWH,
DOTC, DOST, DA, DOE, DENR, etc.)
Responsible for carrying out their respective tasks and
responsibilities in disaster management including
preparedness, mitigation, response
and rehabilitation.
September 2010
b. Research Institutions
Philippine Institute for Development
Studies; Klima/Manila Observatory; Bicol
University; Economy and Environment
Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA)
Research (basic and applied) on disaster – related
issues.
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c. Multilateral and bilateral organizations
and International NGOs
World Bank, UNDP, ADB, USAID, AusAID,
GTZ, DFID, JICA
Funding various development and conservation
programs in the country, including most of the abovementioned projects and institutions.
Philippine National Red Cross, Christian Aid
, DFID, DRRnet, CDP, etc.
d. Local partners, CSOs, and private sector
LGUs (e.g. Provincial Government of Albay,
Iloilo, Marinduque, etc.); Centre for
Initiatives and Research on Climate Change
Adaptation (CIRCA); various community
organizations, corporations and their
foundations
Implement disaster risk reduction and management
projects at the ground
September 2010
DSWD
Figure 4. National government agencies working on DRR/M based on NDCC Disaster Framework
This shows that the cluster approach as a coordination tool to ensure a more coherent and effective
response by mobilizing groups of agencies, organizations and NGOs to respond in a strategic manner
across all key sectors or areas of activity. In the last three years, the disaster response capabilities at the
local level and coordination through the cluster approach were given more attention. National cluster
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leads (national government agencies like DENR, DEPED and DPWH as shown above) are lending support
to regional DCCs to institutionalize the standards and dimensions of the cluster approach, which aids
particularly in the last two phases of disaster framework (response and rehabilitation).
2.2.2 Mainstreaming DRR in national and international organizations
This section provides a background on what national government agencies are tasked to do in the
current existing system, prior to the HFA. Relevant legal instruments and planning tools are mentioned
where applicable.
Development Planning
The government started a process to integrate disaster mitigation and sustainable development issues
within the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP), under Development Sector
Administration. Within this framework, local governments are required to integrate the disaster
management plan into the local development plan. The MTPDP has integrated DRR issues and
investment projects. The MTPDP 2004-2010 has chapters devoted to the environment, infrastructure
and national defense sectors with relevant disaster preparedness and mitigation measures. In the
Philippine Agenda 21 and Philippine Millennium Development Goal (MDG) there is a lot of emphasis on
adaptation to risks associated with current climate variability and extremes.
National agencies
Education. The DepEd has put DRR topics as part of the curricula for primary and secondary public
schools.
September 2010
Science and technology. PAGASA and PHIVOLCS are the country’s warning agencies under the DOST.
Both are service institutes, as differentiated from purely research and development institutes. PHIVOLCS
operates and maintains a system of monitoring for earthquake occurrences, tsunami detection, volcanic
eruption while PAGASA has one for weather, hydrological phenomena, and climate variability. The
Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) looks after the issuance of advisories on radioactive fallouts,
contamination and radiation accidents to the public, as well as decontamination of areas impacted by
radiation.
Land Use Planning. With respect to siting and land use, the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board
(HLURB) and National Housing Authority (NHA) provide guidelines for LGUs and real estate developers.
HLURB develops the Geographic Information System (GIS) Cookbook, which promotes GIS as a tool in
spatial planning. Diffusion of needed tools and techniques has proven to be a challenge. Some LGUs
have been using GIS in the preparation of their respective Comprehensive Land Use Planning (CLUP).
The HLURB Resolution, Series of 1992 has a provision against constructing buildings within 5m of an
active fault.
Environment. The country’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) system has been in place since
1970s. The Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) oversees its implementation to
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ensure that hazards and risks are taken into account in siting development projects. These require
sufficient data and information from PHIVOLCS regarding geological risks, and land use plans from
HLURB, as well as the identification of mitigating actions in order to address risk management issues.
Through its Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), technical assistance on geohazard mapping and
assessment studies of major urban areas and critical areas is provided in order to reduce disaster risks.
The DENR promulgates rules and regulations for the control of forest fires and forest pest and diseases.
It also undertakes reforestation and establishes control measures in areas prone to flooding, landslide,
mudflows, and ground subsidence.
Poverty alleviation. The country’s Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act (RA No. 8425) counts victims
of calamities and disasters among “the disadvantaged sectors of Philippine society.” The implementation
of the Social Reform Policy is done by the National Anti-Poverty Commission. A coordinating body under
the Office of the President, NAPC focuses on programs on poverty alleviation and resource mobilization
for the poor.
Public works and infrastructure. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) prepares and
identifies evacuation sites during emergencies; provides warning on impending water releases from
dams within its control; provides transportation and communication facilities for disaster operations, and
heavy and light equipment for rescue and recovery operations. It also restores destroyed public works,
offices and other buildings. The relevant instruments are: (1) R.A. 6541 National Building Code of the
Philippines (1972); (2) R.A. 1185 Fire Code of the Philippines; and (3) the National Structural Code of the
Philippines. The fifth edition of the Structural Code (2001) introduces two important improvements: the
near-fault criteria which gives “a higher base shear for a building near a known active fault compared to
the same building at a remote location. And […] rewards structures with more redundancy and
alternative load paths.”
September 2010
Interior and Local government. Among the DRR functions of the Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG) is to oversee the organization and activation of the LDCCs in coordination with the
OCD. It organizes the Police Auxiliary Services and Auxiliary Fire Services in the LGUs. Since 2002, the
DILG chairs the NDCC committee tasked to give the award called “Gawad Kalasag” to LDCCs,
humanitarian organizations, NGOs, auxiliary/volunteer groups, and international and local organizations
to recognize exemplary deeds and achievements in the field of disaster management.
Social welfare. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has several functions that
pertain mainly to relief and rehabilitation. Its pre-event functions include the updating of the national
relief and rehabilitation master plan in coordination with other partner NGAs; technical assistance for
capability building preparedness, mitigation, relief and rehabilitation; linking and coordinating with local,
foreign and multi-donors for disaster management programs. It also charged to provide technical
guidance in the conduct of post-disaster evaluation to identify strengths and gaps in disaster
management.
Health. The Department of Health has an organized Health Emergency System (HEMS) for more
responsive and integrated health response to disasters and emergencies. It also assists LGUs during
emergencies in the areas of sanitation, public health concerns, prevention of epidemics, and other
health hazards.
Finance and budget. The Department of Finance issues rules and regulations jointly with the Department
of Budget and Management on the preparation of local government budget and the utilization of the 5%
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reserve for disaster operations. In line with the government’s program of strengthening the country’s
disaster control capability the Disaster Management Assistance Fund (DMAF) was created by virtue of
Municipal Development Fund – Policy Governing Board Resolution No. 06-10-21-2007. It aims to provide
financing, support to mitigation and prevention, response and relief, and recovery and rehabilitation
initiatives of LGUs.
Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture undertakes post-event agricultural surveys and maintains
data on agricultural crops, livestock, and fisheries in disaster-prone areas to facilitate damage
assessment.
Trade and Industry. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) ensures that prices of basic and prime
commodities are stabilized, and that basic necessities are affordable and complying with fair trade laws.
Transportation and communication. The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC)
coordinates the deployment of transport services during and after disaster occurrence from the national
to the local DCC, mobilizes staff, transport and communication facilities of the DOTC Action Center in the
disaster area, and initiates immediate restoration of destroyed infrastructure facilities for transportation
and communication. Through its offices, the DOTC mobilizes transport means to facilitate evaluation of
people, undertakes aerial for search and rescue operations in coordination with the Armed Forces of the
Philippines, and mobilizes regional telecommunication facilities in coordination with the National
Telecommunications Center and private providers.
National defense. The Department of National Defense (DND) provides the budget for activities to be
undertaken by the NDCC Technical Working Group. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) organizes
reaction teams in all military installations and establishes communication linkages and makes these
available in disaster operations. The AFP also provides assistance to Philippine National Police in
providing security coverage, in reconstructing public infrastructure, and providing transportation for
movement of relief supplies and evacuation of disaster victims.
Tourism. The Department of Tourism (DoT) is obliged to organize and train disaster coordinating groups
and reaction teams in hotels, restaurants and other facilities.
September 2010
International Organizations
Consideration of natural hazards and related risks in country programming of international organizations
is critical in securing sustainable long-term development and ensuring the effectiveness of organizations’
individual country strategies. The importance of DRR has been increasingly recognized in development
organization policies since the late 1990s. This shift has been driven by increasing understanding of
disasters as unresolved problems to development and by increasing losses from disasters. Attention is
now turning to the integration of disaster risk concerns into country programming and mainstreaming
disaster risk management within development initiatives.
The scope, level and emphasis of country strategies differ between development organizations
depending on their areas of specialism, their developmental approach and the scale of assistance
provided. To assess how far DRM has been integrated in the portfolio of development organizations in
the country, we assessed whether and in what way disaster risk reduction and management has been
considered in their country programming through Country Strategy Papers, Country Assistance
Programmes or Country Assistance strategies in the last or next two to five years. The documents
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reviewed includes: World Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy (FY 2010-12), AusAID’s Australia-Philippines
Development Assistance Strategy (2007-11), European Commission’s Philippine Strategy Paper (200713), USAID’s Country Assistance Strategy (2009-13), United Nations Development Assistance Framework
(2005-09), and JICA and ADB’s Annual Report (2009).
First, we reviewed whether disaster risk was included as a fundamental component in describing and
analyzing the country’s current situation and medium- and long-term development outlook. AusAID,
JICA, UN, ADB and the WB considered disaster risk and related hazards and vulnerabilities as major
development challenges. For instance, the Australian government recognizes that the poor are
particularly vulnerable to the effects of natural disasters, among others. Natural disasters are considered
as one of the major risks to the implementation and effectiveness of AusAIDs country strategies. JICA
also emphasized that frequent disasters, such as recent spell of floods and earthquakes, are critical
impediments to sustained economic growth. In addition, the UN believes that “improving the
environment and strengthening the national response to natural disasters will contribute to better
health, education and social protection as well as lessen vulnerabilities”. This shows that most of the
development organizations consider natural disasters and related hazards and vulnerability are
themselves a major development challenge and are a contributory factor underlying other development
challenges such as poverty and weak governance.
Next, we tried to identify whether the country programme objectives and strategies include DRR/M. Our
review revealed that most of the country programmes, as outlined below, have direct and prominent
treatment to weather-related hazards, disasters and vulnerabilities. Most development organizations
considered disaster risk management as a key area of cooperation and a cross-cutting theme.
AusAID
One of AusAID’s objectives is to help the population better prepared for and protected from natural
disasters and avian influenza pandemic. This is in response to the government’s goal on effective
emergency and disaster management. The strategies include: providing technical advice, equipment and
training for disaster management agencies, local governments and communities; supplying early warning
equipments and initiatives to improve avian influenza preparedness.
September 2010
JICA
Under the ODA loan-supported environmental development project which begun in 2008 and executed
through the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), JICA provided mid- to long-term financing to
both the private sector and LGUs to help in preserving and improving the nation’s fragile environment.
ADB
ADB continued to align its strategies and programs in 2009 through providing a US $ 3 million grant
under the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund to assist people affected by Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) and
participated with partner agencies in a post-disaster needs assessment to determine the extent of losses
caused by Typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng (Parma) and to identify recovery and reconstruction measures.
The loan program expanded significantly due to ADBs support to assist the government in dealing with
difficult economic situation and natural disasters.
UN
The UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) is focused on the achievement of MDGs and
provides for a common strategic framework for the operational activities of the UN system, setting out
collective priorities and linking these outputs and outcomes to individual UN agency country programs.
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One of the major outcomes included in the current UNDAF is that by 2009, the capacity of stakeholders
shall be increased in order to protect and enhance the quality of the environment and sustainably
manage natural resources. Under this outcomes are outputs to be delivered by UNICEF, UNDP, FAO, and
WTO such that the environmental disaster management framework and disaster preparedness and
response plans, and natural disaster management team is better able to provide emergency response
services.
World Bank
The WB CAS provides the most comprehensive framework for disaster management assistance for the
country. Over the CAS period (2010-2012), the WB group will aim to contribute to achieving more
inclusive growth by supporting the Philippines to reduce vulnerabilities by expanding and rationalizing
the country’s social safety net, improving DRM, piloting CCA measures and expanding mitigation
programs, among others. In addition to current commitments for development policy loans, the bank
will use development policy operations in support of DRM and in the context of a strong reform program
in government financial management. Under the strategic objectives is the reduction of vulnerabilities
which aims to support government efforts top reduce vulnerabilities for a large part of the population.
In our review, it was apparent that development organization country programmes are mostly aligned
with national development and poverty reduction strategies (MTPDP) and set out how they intend to
contribute to the achievement of national goals, it is essential that the next administration prioritize
disaster risk reduction as a critical development challenge. In addition, more participation from CSOs and
NGOs and the vulnerable communities to ensure that their interests are adequately addressed.
2.3 Disaster Management Strategies
With the adoption of HFA in 2005, the Philippine Government (mainly members of NDCC, the country’s
focal point for DRM took steps to shift from the focus on relief and response; various stakeholder groups
are supporting this anticipatory move. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – international and
national – saw an ally in government as it took on projects with a comprehensive approach to disasters.
Foreign-assisted projects provided opportunities where government could take a proactive role in
identifying hazards, assessing risks, mapping, informing, and communicating with community residents,
working with LGUs and LDCCs devising early warning systems (EWS), and mainstreaming operations.
Below is a list of internationally supported projects on DRR/M in the Philippines for the past three years.
September 2010
Table 2: Internationally supported projects on DRR/M 2007 to present (Appendix B)
Past and current projects with donor and international
financial institutions
Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate
Change Adaptation in Local Development Planning and
Decision-making processes
Strategic National Action Plan Project
Funding Agency/ Local and
International Partners
UNDP, AusAID
EU, UNISDR, UNDP
HFA
Activity
Area(s)
1
1
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Learning from Good Practices: Case Study on the
Institutionalization of Albay Provincial Safety and
Emergency Management Office
ASEAN Agreement on Disaster and Emergency
Response (AADMER)
Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into the
Education Sector and Development in the Philippines
Hazard Mapping and Assessment for Effective
Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (READY)
Hazard Mapping and Assessment for CommunityBased Disaster Risk Management (READY II)
Multi Hazard Mapping, Community Based Disaster
Preparedness, Mainstreaming DRR
September 2010
National Assessment of the State of DRM in the
Philippines
Improvement of Methodologies for Assessing the
Socio-economic Impact of Hydro-meteorological
Disasters
OXFAM-GB, Development
Academy of the Philippines
(DAP) and PDCC-Albay
1,3
ASEAN
2
ADPC/UNDP/ECHO
1,3
AusAID; UNDP; PHILVOLCS,
PAGASA; MGB-DENR,
2
NAMRIA and the OCD
OCD-NDCC, AusAID; UNDP;
PHILVOLCS, PAGASA; MGBDENR, NAMRIA
2
ADB, UNDP
2
UN-ESCAP; UN-ECLAC;
UNDP
2
Emergency Response Network (ERN)
IBM International
Foundation (ERN Sahana
Philippines)
2
Web-based Event Database (CALAMIDAT.PH)
ADRC
3
Simultaneous Nationwide Earthquake Drills and the
Nationwide Water Search and Rescue (WASAR)
Training and the Program for Enhancement of
Emergency Response (PEER)
Miami Dade Fire Rescue
Department; USAID, ADPC
3
Online Natural Disaster Risk Management Program
World Bank Institute (WBI);
Hazard Management Unit
and ProVention Consortium
3
Disaster Risk Reduction City-to-city Sharing Initiative
for developing countries
WB
3
Mainstreaming DRR in Development Plans particularly
on Land Use and Physical Framework Plans
NEDA; DEPED
4
National Geohazards Mapping and Assessment
DENR; PHILVOLCS, PAGASA
4
Construction of Hazard Resilient school Buildings
DepED
4
Construction of Innovative Buildings
Community-based Disaster Preparedness:
Development of Information and Education Campaign
Materials (2nd Component of the READY Project)
United Architects
Philippines; Private Sector
Disaster Management
Network
AUSAID; UNDP; PHILVOLCS,
PAGASA: MGB-DENR,
NARMRIA and the OCD
4
5
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Partnership for Disaster Reduction in Southeast Asia
(PRDSEA) Phase 4 Project
ECHO/ADPC
2
Search for Excellence in Disaster Management (Gawad
KALASAG) 2007
NDCC
3
Strengthening the Disaster Preparedness Capacities of
REINA Municipalities to Geologic and Meteorological
Hazards (REINA Project)
UNDP
5
Upgrading the forecasting capability of PAGASA and
PHILVOLCS
Japanese Grant Aid
Program, JICA, MMDA
5
Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response
Facility
AusAID
5
Disaster Preparedness in the Philippines
European Commission
Humanitarian Aid
5
Enhancing the capabilities of local chief executives and
their DCCs
LGUs
5
Housing and Livelihood Support to Disaster Victims
DSWD
Programme on Sustainable Management of Natural
Resources (Environmental sector programme)
Component: Disaster Preparedness in the Eastern
Visayas
EC, BMZ
5
5
The following discussion focuses on key cases from strategies, actions, programs (as enumerated above)
and policies at the national, regional and provincial level to highlight the areas of progress in accordance
with the five priorities of the Hyogo framework of Action (mostly cited from the official HFA report of the
Government of the Philippines).
HFA Priority No. 1: Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and a local priority with a strong
institutional basis for implementation
September 2010
National institutional and legislative frameworks
The NDCC has been working towards decentralization of DRR in different levels of government. The
current legislation on DRR, PD 1566, has been under review since amendments were proposed to the
Philippine Congress ten years ago. PD 1566 does not reflect a comprehensive approach to DRM being
more response-oriented. As DRM covers cross-cutting issues related to land use planning, gender,
conflict, multi-hazard approach, indigenous practices, regional differences, poverty reduction, it is
essential that coverage is comprehensive and specific articles in the draft bill are harmonized with
existing laws. Interestingly, the recently signed PDRRMA adopts a DRR/M approach that is holistic,
comprehensive, integrative and proactive in lessening the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of
disasters including climate change, and promotes the involvement and participation of all sectors and all
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stakeholders concerned from the national to the local level.
Since the HFA, various stakeholders have been actively pursuing DRR activities. There is institutional
commitment from various stakeholders towards recharging the legal basis of DRR actions. This is shown
by active advocacy undertaken by NDCC and NGOs and the consensus is built as opportunities to
dialogue increase. Related laws and regulations pertaining to safety, mining, the building code, land
management, forestry, etc. are poorly enforced. These legal instruments have conventionally been dealt
with without due attention to their function and contribution to reducing disaster risk and hazard
vulnerability (Appendix E).
This country’s main instrument for socio-economic development, MTPDP 2004-2010 incorporates DRR
issues and investment projects in different sectors – dealing with environment and natural resources,
responding to the needs of the poor (disaster relief), peace and order, science and technology, defense
against threat to national security. However, the plan has no specific policy statement about DRR and its
role in sustainable development and attainment of the MDGs. It is essential that not only does the
MTPDP acknowledge damage from natural resources but that vulnerability jeopardizes development
gains due to socio-economic, environmental, and information losses. As a national planning document,
the next MTPDP should explicitly and formally adopt DRM, with a section dedicated to it. A review of
three major development plans and programs by Lasco and others (2009) revealed the MTPDP have
direct and prominent treatment of adaptation to natural disasters, which in turn may be seen as an
indirect manner of addressing climate change, climate-related vulnerabilities and extremes. In the same
study, the review of two other major plans and programs of the Philippine government indicated the
same results. In the MTPDP 2004-2010, at least four chapters discussed the government aim of
addressing the needs of victims of disasters and calamities which at least four chapters discussed the
government aim of addressing the needs of victims of disasters and calamities which mainly refer to
climate extremes. The Philippine MDG progress report has a one-sentence reference on adapting to
climate extremes by “improving flood control and drainage facilities to help urban settlements cope with
damages caused by flooding and typhoons”. While climate change impact assessment was highlighted in
the PA 21, the context implies the need to adapt to it.
September 2010
DRR is integrated into the National Physical Framework Plan (NPFP). To mainstream DRR into local
development plans such as the provincial physical framework plan, comprehensive land use plan (CLUP),
and comprehensive development plan, the national planning body, NEDA, is developing guidelines for
regions and provinces.
Disaster risk reduction is also being integrated in national and local policy development and planning
processes. This commitment resulted towards the drafting of "Strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction in
the Philippines: Strategic National Action Plan (SNAP) 2009-2019" as well as the "Strategic Plan on
Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (SP-CBDRM) 2007-2011." A series of dialogues and
consultations among stakeholders – INGOs, NGOs, academe, and government facilitated the planning
process. Field experience of NGOs complements the scientific knowledge of the science and technology
institutions and academe, and the practical skills and knowledge on post-disaster activities of NDCC. The
DRM field has grown to be inclusive of several other players – from development planning, housing,
environment and disaster fields and thus broadened the work of NDCC.
Just recently, the SNAP and its 18 priority programs and projects were adopted as the government policy
for DRR/M. The same Executive Order (888, approved 7 June 2010) enjoins the systematic
institutionalization of DRR in all government agencies and government owned and controlled
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corporations through: (1) integrating DRR into policies and plans; (2) incorporation of DRR programs,
projects and activities into their budgets through the explicit recognition of budget lines for these
projects and activities that are appropriate for disaster mitigation and preparedness; (3) participation in
the 18 priority projects and programs of the SNAP; and (4) cooperation with national/international NGOs
and the private sector towards safer and more resilient communities. LGUs are likewise encouraged to
integrate DRR in their day-to-day operations and planning.
Community Participation and Resource Mobilization
Prior to 2007, there has been minimal exchange of information and coordination among stakeholders.
New fora for government and other stakeholders (private and civil society) were initiated. Only the NDCC
has a Technical Working Group which offers a regular forum which is limited only to its members.
However, the First National Conference in Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (NCDRR) in Local
Governance was convened in 2007 by DILG in cooperation with donor organizations and academic
institutions. Two consecutive National Multi-stakeholder Dialogues were held in 2007 and 2008 which
provided for a platform for local, regional, national and international players in DRR to exchange
information and experiences and move forward. There has been organized networks and federations
formed to facilitate better communication and dialogue such as the Corporate Disaster Response
Network (CDRN), and the Disaster Risk Reduction Network Philippines (DRR NetPhils).
The NDCC has adopted community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) as a model to engage
communities in DRR undertaking. The evidence for this is crafting of the Strategic Plan to Integrate
Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (SP-CBDRM) for 2007-2011 as part of the Partnerships for
Disaster Reduction in Southeast Asia (PDRSEA) Phase 4 Project supported by the Asian Disaster
Preparedness Center (ADPC) and the European Commission. Projects after HFA adoption have
championed community participation. While many NGOs possess the skills and resources to mobilize
people, many LGUs do not have such capacity.
Mobilizing resources also led to linking non-governmental/private volunteer organizations, the
government apparatus and communities altogether. Partnerships at national and local levels facilitated
actions that were directed at all phases of the disaster cycle, and not just response or relief.
HFA Priority No. 2: Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning
September 2010
Risk assessments and early warning systems
There has been increasing institutional commitment among research and academic institutions as well as
national agencies on science and technology towards developing practices to streamline risk assessment
in the country and it is being attained through projects funded by international donors. The evolving
practices come from experiences built on a previous post-disaster project, scientists, local government
leaders, NGOs and community members are increasingly finding ways to collaborate in science-based
monitoring and early warning in prioritized towns and cities.
The NDCC is undertaking a multi-hazard mapping and assessment project in partnership with key
government agencies such as PHILVOLCS, PAGASA, MGB, NAMRIA, and other government agencies. The
project, which is considered significant in terms of DRR assistance which set a trend, is the READY project
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or Hazards Mapping and Assessment for Effective Community Based Disaster Risk Management (dubbed
as such to connote disaster preparedness). It is built on existing structures and it provides the
environment for stakeholders to work together with clear roles and responsibilities to perform. For
instance, it utilized the multi-agency group called Collective Strengthening of Community Awareness for
Natural Disasters (CSAND) that existed previously and supported by the UNDP. It also works with the
PNRC project on “Strengthening the Disaster Capacities of Communities in the Philippines” (supported
by AusAID). Risk assessment is supported by science-based information, technological know-how, tools
and multi-hazard maps.
READY project focuses on high risk areas which were selected based on the size of the population and
the number of hazards to which they are vulnerable. It marks the first attempt to approach disasters in a
multi-hazard fashion. The goal of strengthening capacity of key stakeholders sits well in terms of creating
an enabling environment in communities. The project encompasses the DRM process (including
community-based early warning system and information, education, and communication (IEC) activities
and provides invaluable input to creating a standard methodology that can be replicated to the rest of
the country (Fernandez and Javier, 2010). The data and information generated are used for disaster risk
management and planning by sectoral agencies and LGUs.
The government is also strengthening on early warning systems for all major hazards. PHIVOLCS and
PAGASA are expanding facilities and equipment and training of personnel to enhance monitoring and
forecasting capabilities. The early warning system had improved with the acquisition of new Doppler
radars of PAGASA which enable it to give more accurate local weather forecasts in five regional centres in
the country (WB, 2009).
September 2010
Regional cooperation
Dialogue among NGOs and international donor agencies takes place through round table discussions.
Recently, the Philippines' Senate ratified the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Agreement
on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), and with that the agreement is expected
to enter into force by the end of 2009. The ratification marks a significant highlight in ASEAN's collective
efforts to build a disaster-resilient community by the year 2015. The agreement binds ASEAN member
states into legal responsibilities to promote regional cooperation and collaboration in reducing disaster
losses and intensifying joint emergency response to disasters in the ASEAN region. The Philippines
actively participates in ASEAN regional cooperation on risk reduction. This is mainly through the joint
disaster drill called ASEAN Regional Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX) held annually in a
host ASEAN country and each with a different disaster scenario. The exercise tests regional capacity to
respond and render humanitarian assistance using a different disaster scenario every year. In 2009,
ARDEX will be hosted by the Philippine Government. Also, the Philippines is a part of the Partnerships
for Disaster Reduction South East Asia. Now in its fourth phase, the project aimed to enhance leadership,
national capacity and regional knowledge in the institutionalisation of community-based disaster risk
management (CBDRM) into the socio-economic development process in four countries (Cambodia,
Indonesia, Philippines, and Viet Nam).
HFA Priority No. 3: Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience
at all levels
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In early 2005, the NDCC implemented the Four Point Plan of Action on Disaster Preparedness (4PPAP)
which strengthens the DRM stance of the country and enhances its disaster prevention strategies. This
aims to increase public awareness and involvement in measures put in place by the government to
minimize the impact of disasters in the future. This plan of action also provides direction to all NDCC
member-agencies in terms of the allocation of capacities, capabilities and resources. Among the
activities contained in NDCC’s 4PPAP, notable is the designation of July as the National Disaster
Consciousness Month in order to heighten public awareness on the importance of disaster prevention,
mitigation and preparedness through simultaneous nationwide earthquake drills, search and rescue
exercise, seminars, and the “Gawad Kalasag” award.
Public awareness and information campaigns on disaster risks are being conducted by NGOs, private and
civic organizations and national and local government agencies. For example, a component of the READY
project is the IEC campaign in which maps are disseminated to vulnerable communities. The Science and
Technology Information Institute (STII) under DOST produces articles and press releases to the media.
Film showings are also utilized by PHIVOLCS regularly and PAGASA also conducts annual seminars on
themes like disasters, ENSO and climate change. The cyber world is starting to be utilized. Website such
as CALAMIDAT.PH and online learning programs such as the Online Natural Disaster Risk Management
program of the World Bank Institute and partners.
Schools are integrating DRR concepts in their curricula. The Department of Education (DepEd) is working
on including DRR in elementary and secondary curricula. The teachers are also informed in DRR by
including the concepts in Teacher’s Education Curriculum. At present, education in DRR is still limited in
scope and education materials are still inadequate. NDCC and DepEd, in partnership with ADPC,
undertook a project to develop DRM modules for integration into the secondary school curriculum. The
module includes information on disaster preparedness, prevention and mitigation of hazards and risks of
natural events to vulnerable communities and areas. Disaster awareness has formed part of the learning
core competencies under the Science and Social studies subjects in public elementary and high schools.
Programs such as Hospital Preparedness for Emergencies (HOPE) under the Program of Emergency
Response (PEER) has been organized by NDCC, along with concerned government agencies and
supported by USAID.
September 2010
HFA Priority No. 4: Reduction of the underlying risk factors
While environmental laws in mining, forestry, protected areas, agriculture and fisheries, wildlife
resources, toxic substances, hazardous and nuclear wastes and pollution control exist, most of these do
not explicitly include disaster risks plan and response. Furthermore, the enforcement of these laws is
weak causing further decline and degradation of the natural resource base of the country. The degraded
condition of forest, mangroves, river systems from which most of the communities depend on leads to
severe disaster impacts.
NEDA is trying to sensitize local planning capacities with DRR. NEDA is actively building awareness and
capacity to mainstream DRR in land use and physical framework plans. The National Land Use
Committee prepared the National Framework for Physical Planning which indicated hazard prone areas
for future land use and physical plans. Some progress is foreseen as capacities of the regional
development councils and development councils of provinces, municipalities and cities built to
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implement risk-sensitive planning.
The government has implemented social development policies and plans such as housing for informal
settlers, livelihood projects and health care to reduce the vulnerability of populations at risk. It is also
currently working on the establishment of a conditional cash transfer system that will help to cushion
shocks experienced by poor households. In the rural sector, crop insurance for palay and high value crops
and livestock insurance through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) are available but many
farmers do not subscribe or are not aware that such insurance exist. In accordance with RA 656 which
mandates all heads of government office to secure from the General Insurance Fund all insurance
covering propertied and other insurable risks of natural and manmade disasters, Government Service
Insurance System (GSIS) called on all government agencies to insure government properties.
Since the NDCC institutionalized the cluster approach through a circular issued in 2007, some significant
DRR actions have been initiated. The cluster approach is providing a forum for stakeholders sharing a
specific concern called “cluster” (for example, education) to be proactive in terms of all phases of DRM.
Regular meetings of a few clusters have thus created a continuum, increasing prospects for DRR
integration in the disaster cycle, including rehabilitation and recovery. The Building Safe Learning
Environments (BSLE) Project (June 2007-June 2008) implemented by DepEd with funding support from
UNICEF, Swedish and Dutch governments, covers both structural and non-structural mitigation measures
in disaster-affected schools and daycare centers in four provinces.
Mainstreaming DRR in the infrastructure sector is being addressed by an ADPC-NDCC project that
incorporates risk impact assessment procedures before construction of new roads and bridges. The
DPWH has provided a venue for other government agencies, professional organizations of civil engineers,
and other interest groups through a national workshop on MDRR in the infrastructure sector.
The DepEd also started a program on school building resistant to hazards, for learning and public use,
serving as evacuation centers in post-disaster situations. NDCC has also partnered with My Shelter
Foundation, United Architects of the Philippines, and the Private Sector Disaster Management Network
in planning and organizing for the construction of innovative school buildings. Under a partnership with
other civic and media organizations, the Millennium School Design Competition, an international search
for a durable and environmentally-friendly design was held.
September 2010
HFA Priority # 5: Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels
The government is intensifying efforts to institutionalize DRR at the national, regional and local levels
through memoranda of agreement (MOAs) and programs for institutional capacity building. Steps had
been undertaken in the form of preparation and contingency plans crafted by DCC. OCD has assisted
more than 50 priority provinces (total: 81 provinces) in preparing contingency plans. Other provinces will
be assisted as funds become available. Based on insights from LGUs experiences, the manual on
“Contingency Planning for Emergencies” for LGUs has gone through its 3rd edition in 2007. UN
Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) continues its support to the manual’s production, and the conduct
of contingency planning and training activities.
A few communities though showed outstanding
performance in many areas of DRR. It is also noteworthy that in September 2008, the DILG through its
regional offices is conducting an “audit” to assess the disaster preparedness of LGUs and to generate
benchmark information on whether provinces, cities and municipalities are prepared or not. In relation
to disaster preparedness training, the OCD has initiated the crafting of a DRM Capability Plan of the DND.
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Towards this end, key officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and DND are invited to participate
in the Strategic Planning Workshop on September 2008.
September 2010
During hazard events, relevant information is exchanged among the key stakeholders on response and
relief. The OCD operates and maintains the NDCC Operations Center (NDCC OPCEN), a 24/7 facility with
continuously trained staff backed up by equipment, stable systems, and sound procedures. The NDCC
OPCEN is activated into an Emergency Operations Center in the event of a disaster. All NDCC member
agencies with disaster response mandate are required to send focal persons to the facility during the
activation period to speed up coordination and information management. The facility is linked with
international response systems like the UNDAC, INSARAG, the virtual onsite operations and coordination
center, and those within the ASEAN region. Post-event reviews that involve various stakeholders are
starting to be regularly conducted. For example, a significant post-event review of the December 2006
typhoon disaster in Bicol region was undertaken through a “lessons learned” workshop five months later.
This workshop was organized by the NDCC and the UNDP.
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Box 1. Disaster-proofing development in Albay, Philippines
The Province of Albay, under the leadership of its governor, recognizes disaster and climate change as
major threats to social and economic development and to the attainment of the MDGs and to the
improvement of Human Development Index and that it will make difficult to alleviate poverty in the
developing world like the Philippines.
Albay along with the rest of Bicol Region is highly vulnerable to natural disasters because of its
geographical location. Located at the eastern Pacific seaboard, Albay is especially vulnerable to tropical
storms and cyclones, which bring destructive winds, heavy rainfall and storm surges several times a year.
Typhoons affecting the province and the Philippines as a whole, form in the Pacific Ocean, and move in a
west-northwest direction, many times the wind intensifying to speeds of 200 kph.
Table 3 shows the affected population and damages caused by tropical cyclones from 1994 to 2006 in
Albay Province. Although there is no clear temporal trend on the number of people affected and cost of
damages, it is important to recognize the high vulnerability of the province to typhoons. Human
settlements living along the coastlines are vulnerable to storm surges. Similarly, houses located at
mountainsides with steep and unstable slopes are prone to landslides and mudslides.
Table 3. Summary Report: Disaster Occurrences in the Province of Albay (1994 – 2006)
Typhoon Occurences
September 2010
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Year
Affected Population
Persons Dead Injured Missing
18,036
47
112
1
6,799
1
2
1
10,126
0
0
0
440,372
44
20
2
1,800
0
0
0
201,834
1
7
1
1,122
0
0
0
27,547
12
1
2
22,882
0
0
0
33,892
0
6
1
1,744
0
0
0
18,372
0
10
1
19,062
4
0
0
Total Damages
(US$)
2,211,904
1,546,644
1,588,884
11,991,106
836,956
6,754,448
2,444
7,188,989
91,111
5,038,046
942,094
1,124,229
3,099,983
0
2,207,708
37,007,025
71,787,460
153,419,031
Typhoon Akang
1994
Typhoon Gading
1994
Typhoon Mameng
1995
Typhoon Rosing
1995
Typhoon Pining
1997
Typhoon Loleng
1998
Typhoon Sendang
1999
Typhoon Reming
2000
Typhoon Senyang
2000
Typhoon Dindo
2004
Typhoon Unding
2004
Typhoon Yoyong
2004
Active Low Pressure –
2005
ITCZ
14 Tropical Storm Caloy
2006
47,065
0
5
15 Typhoon Milenyo
2006
698,460
14
176
16 Typhoon Reming
2006 1,060,875
604
1465
TOTAL
Source: APSEMO and Provincial Social Welfare Department [2007]
419
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Institutional and Policy Landscapes of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation
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Box 1. continued
Albay is the only province in Bicol that has an operational management office that provides effective
coordination of the various stakeholders towards promoting efficient intervention on disaster
preparedness and emergency response. The successful implementation of sustainable disaster
management programs is due to the presence of a permanent office overseeing disaster-managementrelated activities in the local level (Arguelles, 2007). The Provincial Disaster Operation Center (PDOC)
was established in 1992 and was tasked to provide technical and administrative functions of emergencyrelated services. In July 1994, the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) was
institutionalized by virtue of Sanguniang Panlalawigan Resolution (SPR) No. 155-94. It is an independent
department that serves as the technical secretariat and administrative arm of the Provincial Government
of Albay (PGA) in terms of DRM. It was created to empower the management of the PGA along public
safety and disaster risk management.
It supports the Albay Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) in the implementation of
organization’s objectives as mandated by the Presidential Decree No. 1566 and other related laws. It is
tasked to administer effective and efficient interventions into distress areas in coordination with the
different PDCC organic and regular members in the Province of Albay. APSEMO administers and
supervises the systematic delivery of services to the public in terms of Disaster Risk Management and
Public Safety coordination with the Local Disaster Coordinating Councils (LDCCs), PHIVOLCS, PAGASA,
GAs and NGOs due to the effects of natural and man made calamities. It also facilitates the restoration
and rehabilitation of disaster-stricken communities. Specifically it is tasked to: (1) delineate the functions
of Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council members and volunteers before, during and after the
calamity impact; (2) enhance communication linkages within the organization and between sectors
involved in public safety anchored on disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery; and (3)
maintain active coordination between and among the LGUs, GOs, NGOs and PDCC member agencies to
ensure
timely
and
appropriate
action
on
disaster-related
activities.
September 2010
Various indigenous local response mechanisms to landslides, floods, strong winds and heavy rainfall are
apparent in some communities in the province. However, the APSEMO is still on the process of
documenting and verifying the effectiveness of these mechanisms (Daep, 2007).
The institutionalization of the Provincial Disaster Management Office into APSEMO as one independent
department has strengthened the disaster management capability of the provincial government of Albay.
The establishment of this independent body has ensured the continuity of the province’s programs on
disaster management and strengthened the effective coordination of the various institutions for more
efficient management. It has also been chosen as a venue of disaster management seminars and
trainings, and conduct of drills and exercise due to the availability of facilities and resources and
competent staff. According to Salceda (2010), among the key features of Albay’s disaster risk
management are outlined below:
Mitigation
Since 1994, the provincial government allocates 2% of its annual budget to the APSEMO aside from the
5% calamity fund. Another specialized unit has been created in 2009, the Albay Millenium Development
Goals Office (AMDGO) so as to ensure that the current and future plans and programs are aligned with
the MDGs. Risk assessments are also conducted with the help from national research institutions and
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Box 1. continued
foreign funders. Activities include risks and resource mapping, geostrategic (relocation) and engineering
(flood control and alternative routes) interventions; and updating of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan
(CLUP) with climate-related hazards and vulnerabilities. Another feature that the government has
pioneered is that all provincial facilities and school buildings in the province are insured with the GSIS
and provides for universal health coverage which provides all households with access even to private
medical services during emergency situations.
Disaster Preparedness
The PGA maintains close coordination with warning agencies (e.g. PAGASA and PHIVOLCS) and some DRR
NGOs. Community-based warning and evacuation planning is continuously being conducted. Institutional
unit such as Albay Heath Emergency Management (AHEM) is being organized and strengthened. Safe
Schools, Safe Hospitals and permanent safe evacuation centres are being built and prepared. Validation
survey of all school buildings for structural safety (design), safety from hazards (location) and safety for
health are conducted and water-sanitation facilities to 700 school building are being provided. Rescue
equipments are being acquired and deployed as well as communication facilities. Education and training
are continuously conducted.
Response and Relief
Information boards (infoboards) for alerts and announcements are being installed in areas most
accessible to the public. Evacuation protocols are well-established encouraging village-initiated
evacuation. The provincial government also provides funds for maintenance of evacuation centers and
needs of evacuees. Pre-emptive evacuation is considered as key response mechanism to achieve zerocasualty goal. For 16 years, Albay maintained its zero casualty performance during Mayon Volcano
eruptions and previous disasters, except for 2006 when Typhoon Milenyo claimed 14 lives (Ramo, 2010).
The province is declared as an open-city once a disaster strikes so as to facilitate the flow of disaster
relief. Demand-side relief was introduced in the premise that cash is most flexible relief support and has
pump priming effect.
Rehabilitation
September 2010
Damage and Disaster Assessment System (DDAS) is well-established process refined over many cases of
disasters. It is coordinated by APSEMO that leads an interdepartmental team who coordinates with their
national counterparts. Damage assessment process uses Risk Mapping as its starting point, preparedness
activities and the pre-disaster warning phase and the emergency phase. Data gathering is spread out and
information analysis and dissemination is centralized.
Albay’s DRM initiatives essentially integrate risk reduction to its entire development goals- MDG. Thus,
as part of the overall development strategy, DRM becomes an investment with huge economic returns in
the long run. Like the PGA, local governments assume primary mandate in the DRM effort as they are in
the frontline in confronting the escalating impacts of climate change on their constituents on the ground
(Salceda, 2010). The PGA considers funding for risk reduction and its sustainability as one of the barriers
to their DRM programs since internal revenues has remained to be limited.
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2.3 Challenges and recommendations to mainstreaming DRR
Governance
PD 1566 does not reflect a comprehensive approach to DRM. The new DRM bill recently approved
provides a more comprehensive coverage. However, its implementing rules and regulation should also
cover cross-cutting issues related to land-use planning, gender, multi-hazard approach, poverty
reduction, among others. It should also be anchored on existing environmental laws and regulations,
which are mostly poorly enforced. And environmental laws and regulations shall be dealt with due
attention to the possible functions and contribution to reducing disaster risk and vulnerabilities.
Prior to 2007, there was minimal exchange of information and experiences among stakeholders. Since
the HFA, various stakeholders have been actively pursuing DRR activities; however, multi-stakeholder
fora should be intensified and needs more funding. The representation of other stakeholders should be
more sufficient.
The capabilities of local government in disaster preparedness and response need to be strengthened. All
LGUs, particularly the most vulnerable ones, should have a dedicated office to handle disaster
management. This, however, entails cost. The coordination between municipal, provincial, regional, and
national preparedness and response mechanisms should also be strengthened. Many LGUs and DCCs are
not aware of their DRR function; their organizational and institutional capacities are weak. Changes in
the local officials every after elections brings in new personnel that are not properly trained and do not
have proper orientation in terms of DRM. The use of the LCF is not known and often misunderstood by
local officials, particularly; they are unaware that the LCF can be used for pre-disaster activities. There is
a need to inform them about how to strategically make use of the fund for DRR activities.
Risk identification and early warning
September 2010
Availability of data and information and a more coherent strategy towards putting up an ‘information
system’ (e.g. database). Information exchange and knowledge sharing should also be encouraged and
promoted among and between LGUs. Early warning and forecasting systems exist, howevertechnical
equipment and facilities needs constant updating and maintenance. The challenge of setting up early
effective and accurate early warning system (EWS), that delivers accurate warning information of
potential hazards dependably and in a timely manner to authorities and populations at risk that will
enable them to take action, remains.
Knowledge management and education
IEC should be progressive so there is a need to measure the degree of awareness and knowledge
enhancement. Information dissemination programs should involve local communities, NGOs and other
civil society orgs to promote ‘ownership’ to ensure sustainability. The job of facilitating stakeholders’
involvement bears mostly on local DCCs, which themselves need capacity building in the area of
community participation. Local officials can be ‘champions’ in raising public awareness about DRR. They
have an important role to play in raising public awareness for DRR. Learning opportunities through
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seminars, workshops, fora, field trips, among others, can be utilized. Good practices on DRR can be
shared so as to motivate and provide knowledge to make DRM a priority in the local governments. DRR
training courses, seminars, and workshops (such as those that are organized by PAGASA and PHIVOLCS)
should be conducted for specific target groups and localities based on the hazards and vulnerabilities.
Training needs assessment for prioritized groups can also be conducted.
Much work is needed to integrate the EWS in the emergency preparedness and response planning. NGAs
also need to be alert on what guidelines may be needed and what technical assistance and knowhow can
be shared to communities and their LGUs and LDCCs.
Reducing underlying risk factors
Integrating DRR into natural and social support systems should be institutionalized. Coping with disasters
should be an important part of poverty alleviation programs and environmental protection and
conservation activities.
Although there have been actions on mainstreaming DRR in the construction of roads and bridges, it
should be highlighted that the key for a more successful integration of DRR in construction is to include
risk reduction measures in the planning phase. Also, in building safety of schools, it is important to make
sure that the school building are resistant to hazards, particularly those that are serving as evacuation
centers.
In addition, building on the strengths of the DSWD and in partnership with other agencies/organizations
oriented towards social service (health, water and sanitation, housing), the lessons learned should be
incorporated into development planning and disaster/emergency planning, especially at the local level.
LDCCs should play an active role in addressing pre-event concerns of safety and well-being of the
vulnerable population and the poor communities, in cooperation with the social service providers in
their respective LGUs.
September 2010
Insurance and risk transfer options (and incentives) should be put in place. There are very few financial
institutions that provide emergency loans for poor and affected families. The key players in the insurance
industry and government agencies should work on exploring risk transfer options. Micro-financing
should be explored wherein savings and insurance instruments could protect poor community members
who are most vulnerable to disasters through life insurance benefits, loan redemption fund, and burial
benefits.
Disaster preparedness
Mainstreaming in line agencies is hampered by unresponsive organizational structures and practices that
need modification and adaptation to the risk management process. More contingency planning and
training activities should be conducted. LGUs need further guidance from national government agencies
and their regional offices to pursue DRR as an intrinsic part of a devolved function and as an element of
the development strategy. Updating plans, particularly CLUPs and contingency plans, pose a challenge to
most LGUs. Disaster and other climate-related hazards should be included in CLUPs.
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Institutional and Policy Landscapes of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation
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September 2010
As institutionalized by NDCC, the cluster approach has worked well in terms of coordinating stakeholders
in rehabilitation and response process. This approach could also be used for preparedness and
contingency planning. Updating plans, particularly contingency plans, pose a challenge to most LGUs.
Also, different hazards identified in different parts of an LGU needs corresponding appropriate
emergency preparedness methods. Therefore, hazard identification should be made well and scenarios
analyzed as necessary. OCD should also enable RDCCs to conduct contingency planning exercises and in
turn provide assistance to the LDCCs.
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3.
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION
3.1 Policy and Institutional Framework
The Philippine Climate Change Act of 2009 (RA 9729) was signed into law on 23 October 2009. The main
content of RA 9729 is the creation of Climate Change Commission (see Appendix C) which will
incorporate climate change concepts in policy and development plans, as well as receive funds and
endowments to address this problem. The law also provides for the formulation of the Framework
Program on Climate Change and National Climate Change Action Plan, aims that have already been
mentioned in previous legislations. Three commissioners assumed office for a span of six years. A total of
23 government agencies, local government units and representatives from the academe, business sector,
and non-government organizations (NGOs) will compose the body’s Advisory Board to ensure
accountability. The final Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) of the Climate Change Act was signed
by the President, and the new commissioners last January 18, 2010.
September 2010
Since 2007, there is a significant rise in interest on climate change issues among policy makers and
government agencies. However, the country’s attempt to address climate change begun in the early
1990s with the creation of the Inter-Agency Committee on Climate Change (IACCC). The IACCC is tasked
to coordinate various climate change-related activities, propose climate change policies and prepare the
Philippine position to the UNFCCC negotiations. Prior to that was the formulation of the Philippine
Strategy for Sustainable Development (PSSD) which led to the official adoption of the Agenda 21 by
formulating the Philippine Agenda 21 and the creation of the Philippine Council for Sustainable
Development in 1992. The country signed in June 1992 the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) and ratified it on August 2, 1994. It also signed the Kyoto Protocol on April 15,
1998 and ratified it on November 20, 2003 in order to participate in the Clean Development Mechanism
(CDM).
Prior to the creation of the PCCCA was the creation of the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change
(PTFCC) on February 20, 2007. PTFCC is tasked to address the issue of climate change, mitigate its
impact, and lead in adapting to these impacts. It is composed of the DENR Secretary as chair, with the
secretaries of Department of Energy (DoE), DOST, DA and Department of Interiors and Local Government
(DILG), with two representatives from the private sector/civil society, as members. Among its functions
are: a) conducting rapid assessments on the impact of climate change, particularly on the most
vulnerable sectors of water resources, agriculture, coastal areas, terrestrial and marine ecosystems,
among others; b) ensure strict compliance to air emission standards and urgently combat deforestation
and environmental degradation; c) undertake/initiate strategic approaches and measures to prevent or
reduce GHG emissions, including fuel efficiency, energy conservation, use of renewable energy, waste
management, etc.; d) conduct nationwide massive and comprehensive public information and
awareness campaigns; e) design concrete risk reduction and mitigation measures and adaptation
responses, especially to address short-term vulnerabilities on sectors/areas where climate change will
have the greatest impact; and f) collaborate with international partners to support stabilizing GHG
emissions, and institute mitigating and adaptive measures; and g) integrate and mainstream climate risk
management into development policies, plans and programs of the government.
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Box 2. Climate change-related initiatives of the Philippine Government
The national government has in the last 20 years undertaken a number of milestones critical to
addressing climate change in the Philippines:
 Creation of the Philippine Climate Change Commission by virtue of the Republic Act 9729:
Climate Change Act of 2009
 Creation of the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PTFCC) on February 20, 2007
 Designated the DENR as the National Authority for CDM by virtue of Executive Order No. 320
signed on June 25, 2004, and issued the Implementing Rules and Regulations last August 2005
through DENR Administrative Order 2005-17.
 Signed the Kyoto Protocol on April 15, 1998 and ratified it on November 20, 2003 in order to
participate in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). CDM is a flexibility mechanism
established under the Kyoto Protocol that allows governments or private entities in developed
countries to implement cost-effective emission reduction projects in developing countries as a
supplement to domestic actions, and for which the developed countries receive carbon credit in
the form of "certified emission reductions" (CERs). It in turn allows developing countries to
achieve sustainable development by directing private sector investment into emission reduction
projects.
 Philippine Clear Air Act (1999) provides that the DENR together with concerned agencies and
LGUs prepare and implement national plans that are in accordance with UNFCCC and other
international agreements, conventions and protocols on reducing greenhouse emissions. In
addition it establishes that meteorological factors affecting ozone depletion and GHGs should be
monitored and standards set
 Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (1997) establishes that the Department of
Agriculture together with other appropriate agencies, should into account climate change,
weather disturbances and annual productivity cycles in order to forecast and formulate
appropriate agricultural and fisheries programs.
 Signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on June 1992
and ratified it on August 2, 1994
 Creation of the Inter-Agency Committee on Climate Change (IACCC) on May 8, 1991 by virtue of
Presidential Administrative Order 220. Chaired by the DENR Secretary, co-chaired by the DOST
Secretary and composed of 15 government agencies and NGOs, the IACCC is tasked to
coordinate various climate change-related activities, propose climate change policies and
prepare the Philippine position to the UNFCCC negotiations.
September 2010
National Framework Strategy on Climate Change
One of the mandates of the CCC is to formulate a National Framework Strategy on Climate Change
(NFSCC). With the vision of creating a climate risk-resilient Philippines with health, safe, prosperous and
self-reliant communities, and thriving and productive ecosystems, the President signed the National
Framework Strategy on Climate Change last April 28, 2010.
The NFSCC is committed towards ensuring and strengthening the adaptation of our natural ecosystems
and human communities to climate change. In the process, the Framework aspires to chart a cleaner
development path for the Philippines, highlighting the mutually beneficial relationship between climate
change mitigation and adaptation. As a matter of principle, the Framework aggressively highlights the
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critical aspect of adaptation meant to be translated to all levels of governance alongside coordinating
national efforts towards integrated ecosystem-based management which shall ultimately render sectors
climate-resilient.
Figure 5. National Framework Strategy on Climate Change
September 2010
The national framework is formulated within the context of the country’s sustainable development goals
and governance/institutional factors that affect the country’s ability to respond to climate change. This
Framework Strategy provides a basis for the national program on climate change. It identifies Key Result
Areas to be pursued in key climate-sensitive sectors in addressing the adverse effects of climate change
both under adaptation and mitigation. In order to achieve the key result areas, it is important to ensure
that cross-cutting strategies are likewise given attention. As means of implementation, the framework
puts forward multi-stakeholder partnerships, financing, valuation, and policy planning and
mainstreaming.
Among the sectors which have taken climate change issues into their programs is the water resource
sector. The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) formulated the Water Sector Adaptation Strategy
on Climate Change (NWRB, 2009). It was developed to reduce the vulnerability of the water sector and
increase the resilience of communities and ecosystems to climate change utilizing a broad based
participatory process of key stakeholders of the sector. Four strategic outcomes to be achieved by 2050
are identified supported by 12 strategic objectives and several key actions for 2010 to 2022. The strategic
outcomes for the sector include: effective, climate change response, and participative water governance;
reduced water sector vulnerability and resilient communities and natural ecosystems; improved
knowledge on water sector adaptation and climate change; and sustainable and reliable financing and
investment for climate change adaptation in the water sector.
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3.2 Organizations working in CCA
Climate change measures require coordinated efforts among the different sectors of society. This is
recognized and demonstrated in current institutions created to oversee climate change measures in the
country. Other key stakeholders and institutions are also identified and described in this section
following Table 4.
Table 4. Key stakeholders and institutions on CC adaptation and mitigation in the Philippines
Key Institution/s
a. Climate Change Coordination and Advisory
Bodies
Roles with respect to CC
Philippine Climate Change Commission (PCCC)
Primary agency for the formulation and
implementation of plans for the country to
better prepare for and respond to climate
change and natural disasters
[IACCC; PTFCC; Advisory Council on Climate
Change Mitigation, Adaptation and
Communication; Presidential Adviser on Climate
Change]
Coordinating bodies (created prior to PCCC) in
charge for all climate change activities by the
government
September 2010
b. National Agencies
NEDA
Preparation of blueprint of government
programs (i.e. MTPDP)
NDCC – and its local version (regional, provincial,
and municipal DCC)
Coordination of disaster management
measures during emergency
Sectoral National Government Agencies (e.g.
DENR, DOE, DA, DOST, DND, etc.)
Implementation of CC Adaptation projects
based on their sectoral mandate, as stated in
their names
PAGASA, NAMRIA
Provision of weather information
c. Academic/ Research Institutions
UPLB; ICRAF; Klima/Manila Observatory (ADMU);
Bicol University; Economy and Environment
Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA); CI; UP-MSI
and NIGS; Silliman University
Research (basic and applied) on CC Adaptation
– related issues.
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e. Multilateral and bilateral organizations and
International/national NGOs
World Bank, UNDP, ADB, British EmbasssyManila, USAID, AusAID, GTZ, DFID, JICA, WWF, CI,
Oxfam, PLAN International, NTFP-EP, Christian
Aid, Earth Savers Movement, CARE Netherlands,
Philippine Network on Climate Change;
Greenpeace; PRRM, EDC
Funding various development and
conservation programs in the country,
including most of the above-mentioned
projects and institutions.
f. Local partners, CSOs, and private sector
LGUs (e.g. Provincial Government of AlbayCIRCA, Iloilo, and Palawan); various community
organizations, corporations and their foundations
Implement CC adaptation projects at the
ground
3.3 Climate Change Adaptation activities in the Philippines
Development Planning
September 2010
A review of major development plans and policies (i.e the 2004-2010 Medium Term Philippine
Development Plan (MTPDP), the Philippines Millennium Development Goal (MDG), and the Philippine
Agenda 21 (PA 21) showed that (a) climate change adaptation has not been mainstreamed in the
Philippines; (b) whenever climate change is recognized, the focus has been more of mitigation especially
now with rising interest in the CDM; and (c) because of the geographical location, there is more
emphasis on adaptation to risks associated with current climate-related variability and extremes (e.g.,
tropical cyclones, floods, and landslides) (Lasco et al., 2009). This showed that clearly, national decision
makers do not yet see climate change (adaptation) as a high priority issue in the context of national
development plans. This is primarily because national priorities are biased towards more pressing
concerns and the pervasive lack of awareness on the impacts of climate change to sustainable
development. However, there are massive investments on infrastructure projects designed to adapt to
climate-related hazards such as floods. These projects could provide an entry point in integrating climate
change adaptation.
The recent MTPDP, 2004-2010 mid-term updating exercise shows additional progress in the
mainstreaming of climate change in decision-making. The latest draft shows more mention of climate
change in the updated document. Climate change was mentioned in the Green Philippines chapter but
also in the same manner as stated above. However, climate change was, for the first time, mentioned in
the Agribusiness chapter; firstly, in the context of S&T-based innovations in the sector, especially for
mitigation, and, secondly, in the call for the adoption of climate change adaptation models/technologies
for agriculture.
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In the energy sector, the major programs focus on energy efficiency as well as promotion and use of new
and renewable energy (NRE) sources. Under the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) – 2004 to 2013, the NRE
sources are envisioned to contribute significantly to the country’s electricity requirements. The primary
energy supply from NRE by 2013 is projected to increase to 53 percent of the total supply (400.91
MMBFOE ) from 51 percent of total supply (273.98 MMBFOE) in 2004. Furthermore, the Biofuels Act
(2007), which was designed to pursue energy sufficiency and security, in a way helps reduce the emission
of greenhouse gases.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines’ Midterm Progress Report on the Millennium Development Goals, it is
suggested that climate change creates an opportunity for the Philippines’ to channel large-scale debitfor-equity programs to reforestation, clean water, irrigation and food production programs. In other
words, climate change is seen to have a devastating impact on the attainment of the MDGs mostly
through a series of natural disasters, and, therefore, the report highlights the importance of climate
change adaptation and long-term disaster risk management (NEDA, 2007).
The national government through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued
Memorandum Circulars (MCs) to alert LGUs about the need for awareness-raising and capacity-building
and to empower LGUs in autonomously responding to climate change and preparing their adaptation
plans. Among the national government issuances are:
• DILG-MC 2008-69 (Encouraging LCEs and Sanggunians to Implement Climate Change
Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Measures);
• DILG-MC 2008-123 (Mobilizing Local Actions to Address the Impacts of Climate Change);
• DILG-MC No. 2008-161 (November 3, 2008) (Trainer’s Training on Mobilizing Actions to
Address the Impacts of Climate Change);
• DILG-MC No. 2009-21 amending MC No. 2008-123 to include the National Movement of
Young Legislators as one of the institutional partners in Mobilizing Local Actions to Address the
Impacts of Climate Change; and
• DILG-MC 2009-73 (National Conference on Empowering LGUs to Clean the Air and Address
Climate Change Through Partnership).
September 2010
Compliance with these memorandum circulars had been slow and limited. For instance, as of April 2009,
only four out of 17 regions have complied with these circulars (APN-GCR, 2009).
In December 2009, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and three University of
the Philippines (UP) units recently signed memoranda of agreement (MOA) to conduct programs and
projects amounting to some P11 million for climate change adaptation. Through the agreement, NEDA
will tap the academic expertise of various UP units to deliver three outputs – sectoral climate change
vulnerability and impact assessments, a climate change monitoring and evaluation system, and a
compendium of good and innovative climate change adaptation practices. The sectors that will be
covered for climate change adaptation are agriculture, forestry (including biodiversity), health and water.
There are other initiatives by government agencies on climate change, including those funded by
international donors.
As a signatory to the UNFCCC, the Philippines is committed to submit the National Communication. The
Initial National Communication that was submitted in 1999 outlined the plans and options for mitigating
GHG emissions and climate change adaptation options (Philippines Initial National Communication,
1999). In preparation for the Second National Communication (SNC), technical studies on climate
change vulnerability and adaptation and greenhouse gas inventory of the five sectors: agriculture, waste,
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energy, transportation and LULUCF are being undertaken. The SNC is expected to be completed soon.
Vulnerability and risk mapping
It is only recently that climate change adaptation interventions have been initiated. The focus of these
interventions is the agriculture sector. This includes the Provention Consortium grant-funded
“Agriculture Climate Risk Assessment Project” which focuses on crop modeling, insurance, and
agricultural assets. The Coral Triangle Initiative, which is a new multilateral partnership to help safeguard
the marine and coastal resources of the Eastern Pacific that has also been launched.
The Manila Observatory implemented a project entitled, Mapping Philippine Vulnerability to
Environmental Disasters, which identified areas in the country that are at high vulnerability and risk to
environmental disasters. It involved downscaling global climate models to sub-regional levels and an
atlas which mapped and analyzed hazards and disasters via geographic information systems (GIS) and
environmental modeling tools was produced. These national-scale vulnerability and risk maps point to
where hotspots are likely to occur as well as their possible forms. Disaster preparedness strategies and
plans may, thus, be pursued on the initiative of the concerned sectoral representatives as well as
stakeholders within localities. The projections were based on shorter time frames to improve forecast
changes and provide information on their agricultural implications at the local levels (Resurrrecion et al,
2008). In terms of access to information, MO’s Klima Climate Change Center serves as the national body
to disseminate information on climate change, raise awareness and conduct relevant research, and
support national capacity building.
The DENR with funding support from the World Bank is currently identifying and mapping vulnerable
and hazard prone areas (Resurrecion et al, 2008). This project aims to guide policy makers in their
decisions. For instance, vulnerability and hazard maps will help planners to appropriately identify the
land use for such vulnerable areas.
September 2010
The Adaptation on Climate Change and Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCBio) in the Philippines is a three
year project (2009-2011) being implemented by the DENR with support from the German Technical
Cooperation (GTZ). The project aims to develop and implement relevant adaptation strategies to
compensate the impacts of climate change and loss of biodiversity in the country. The project is
composed of four components: (1) institutional strengthening and capacity development; (2) adaptation
of policies and strategies; (3) showcasing of best practices through provision of funding for climate
change adaptation strategies and biodiversity conservation projects; and (4) awareness creation.
Aside from research organizations, the private sectors are also taking their share in the climate change
adaptation efforts of the country. For instance, Smart, a telecommunication company, is working with
MO and PAGASA on telemetric rain gauges in disaster-prone areas. Also, Unilever, a private company is
working with Yes2Life Foundation to restore dead coral reefs (Resurrecion et al, 2008).
There are also a number of projects-based adaptation initiatives implemented and funded by bilateral
and multilateral agencies. One such project is implemented by the International Labor Organization (ILO)
in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte to build the adaptive capacity of the farming communities affected by
severe flooding due to climate change (ILO, 2009).
The World Bank’s Philippine Climate Change Adaptation Program (PHILCCAP) provides a window for
sectoral initiatives to reduce climate change vulnerability of key productive sectors. The project aims to
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reduce the negative impacts of the increasing risks due to climate change on poverty alleviation and
economic development, particularly in agriculture and natural resources management, and through
enhanced interagency coordination with respect to climate change adaptation and natural hazard risk
management. The project, which is envisaged as the first phase of a long-term adaptation program by
the Government of the Philippines, is expected to have the following four building blocks: (i) improve
coordination of adaptation policy by DENR; (ii) implement climate risk reduction in key productive
sectors; (iii) strengthen proactive disaster management within the NDCC; and (iv) enhance provision of
scientific information for climate risk management. The first phase, costing about $5 million, will focus
on establishing the institutional set-up best suited for guiding country and sector responsive adaptation
activities to reduce the country’s vulnerability to associated risks; develop country specific solutions to
adaptation risk management; and develop reliable climate risk information. The second phase will focus
on scaling up best practices and lessons learned in the first phase; and more generally cause climate
change and disaster risk assessment and awareness in the key development sectors of the country; while
expanding investments to all major sectors of the Philippines.
The joint UN programme on Strengthening the Philippines’ Institutional Capacity to Adapt to Climate
Change seeks to assist the Philippines address the above key strategic issues directly affecting the
achievement of the MDGs by pursuing the following three (3) outcomes: climate risk reduction (CRR)
mainstreamed into key national & selected local development plans & processes; enhanced national and
local capacity to develop, manage and administer plans, programmes & projects addressing climate
change risks; and coping mechanisms improved through pilot demonstration adaptation projects.
Mainstreaming climate change adaptation
September 2010
One of the first initiatives to integrate climate CCA and DRM in the country was the project by the Manila
Observatory in 2006. The project was a pilot project for community-based, inter-disciplinary work which
aimed to integrate existing disaster risk management concerns with long-term climate change response
and overall sustainable development through capacity building and technical assistance. The community
of the project was the Mag-asawang Tubig Watershed, which is composed of Calapan City and the
municipalities of Naujan , Victoria , Baco, San Teodoro, and Puerto Galera. This area is particularly
vulnerable to flooding, landslides and heavy siltation brought about by the frequent episodes of extreme
rainfall, as well as to earthquakes and tsunamis.
The First National Conference on Climate Change Adaptation in Albay last October 2007 brought the
concern of climate change and adaptation into the public’s consciousness. The First Conference aimed at
exploring concrete adaptation options to address the potential impacts of climate change and discuss
the policy implications for local government units. Graced by no less than Her Excellency President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo and Vice President Noli De Castro and the secretaries of key executive agencies and
public intellectuals, climate chang e adaptation soon gained momentum and has become a priority
agenda in the national policy arena.
The Albay Declaration on Climate Change Adaptation (Albay Declaration 2007) is the embodiment of a
convergence of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary efforts to arrest the imminent threats and dangers
posed by radical ecological shifts occurring to our beloved planet earth. Both Congressional houses
recognized the Albay Declaration as the national framework for the mainstreaming of global warming
leading to climate change adaptation.
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Following the initiative of the Provincial Government of Albay, other local governments are looking into
mainstreaming climate change adaptation into their local policy and developmental planning process. A
Policy Dialogue with main actors convened by the DENR Secretary and the Presidential Advisor on
Climate Change in May 2009, has paved the way towards developing a National Strategic Framework on
Climate Change Adaptation with Technical Working Groups from various sectors now developing the key
inputs for a Philippine Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. However, there is a need to examine the
current initiatives on adaptation at the national, regional and local level to ensure harmonized and
concerted efforts in line with local requirements and taking into account recent scientific knowledge and
the actual discussion in the international policy dialogue on climate protection under the UNFCCC.
Among the pioneering initiatives to mainstream climate change adaptation in the country is the project
implemented by the NEDA with support from UNDP and AusAID in 2009. The project was entitled
Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Local Development Planning and
Decision-making processes which aimed to mainstream the integrated concerns of DRR and CCA into
local decision making and planning processes. DRR is conceived as a defense against the hazardous
impacts of climate change and variability such as extended droughts and floods. The project aimed to
bring awareness and understanding of DRR/CCA to the community level, incorporating it into local level
land-use and development plans. The project also included the enhancement of multi-stakeholder
cooperation by creating mechanisms for their participation. The project is very timely as it will promote
a medium- to long-term strategy to rebuild the disaster affected areas into stronger and more resilient
communities, while frontline agencies and local government units currently focus on the quick recovery
of
these
areas.
September 2010
The project built on the DRR methodologies and tools developed under the recently concluded NEDAEC-UNDP Project on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management into Subnational Planning which are
embodied in the Guidelines on Mainstreaming DRR in Subnational Development and Land Use/Physical
Planning.
The National Conference on Climate Change Adaptation + 2 (NCCCA+2) was conducted two years after
the first conference. It looked back at the gains of the First Conference after two years of concerted
efforts and how national and local policies have been translated into actions in the light of international
developments. Participants from national agencies, local governments, academe, NGOs and other
interest groups was informed of the developments in international policy discussions on climate change,
particularly adaptation as it relates to disaster risk reduction and mitigation. Discussions in plenary was
structured around the Philippine climate scenario (from the Second National Communication to
UNFCCC) and the advances made in national and local policies as in the National Strategic Framework on
Climate Change Adaptation. The participants discussed further issues and actions towards adaptation.
The Second Conference served as a venue to validate the relevance of the National Strategic Framework
on Climate Change Adaptation to local governance. A Leaders Forum was organized in the morning of the
third day targeting the Regional Development Councils and a high-level Policy Dialogue in the afternoon
for the adoption of the Philippine Strategic Framework on Climate Change Adaptation. The Manila
Declaration urging the President to adopt the Climate Change Action Agenda on technology transfer,
new additional financial assistance, capacity building and research.
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Box 3. Lessons learned: Initiatives of the Provincial Government of Albay on Climate Change
Adaptation
The Province of Albay was among the hardest hit during the 2006 typhoon season, with deadly
mudslides that descended the slopes of Mt. Mayon volcano, which looms high over Legazpi City, burying
homes and farmland, killing almost a thousand people and displacing almost half a million. During
typhoon Reming alone, according to the NDCC, more than a thousand people lost their lives, three
thousand
were
injured,
891
missing
and
300,000
displaced,
countrywide.
The devastation brought by the string of typhoons in 2006 and the pressure being put on the province
by the unpredictability generated by climate change served as wake-up call to local authorities. The PGA
immediately came up with activities and measures that would increase the resilience of the community
to existing risks and events at the same time develop sufficient room to allow for uncertain future
climate events.
From a local government perspective, the extent to which an issue such as climate change becomes
successfully institutionalized in its day-to-day operations, planning and decision-making can be
evaluated, the PGA follows a four-step-principle in its initiatives:
1. Making it a goal
At the initiative of the Governor, the province has a strong drive to address climate change. Also, several
of his staff has an understanding on climate change and the vulnerability of the province to present and
future climate risks.
The interest of decision makers in climate change has been enhanced in Albay as the result of a series of
extreme weather events in 2006 (i.e. a series of storms and high tides), which resulted in loss of
thousand of lives and extensive infrastructural and agricultural damage. Although not directly
attributable to climate change, and have been aggravated by the presence of volcanic hazards, these
events have raised general awareness of the kind of impacts that may be experienced in a climatically
changed future. As a result, there has been increased political and administrative support for climate
change-related work in the province.
September 2010
The creation of these actions is reflective that the present political leadership considers disaster
management and climate change adaptation as top priorities of the province. One should not, however,
be naïve and imagine that the integration of climate proofing considerations into political and
administrative decision-making is likely to be a smooth process. Based on past experience, anything that
affects budget lines and the province’s current desired development path is likely to result in
contestation between the various parties involved.
It is also important to note that climate change is ostensibly a global concern, the implications of which
are focused on global levels, and that very little has been done to fully understand its local impacts. It
requires a move to the understanding and communicating the impacts of climate change that is locally
applicable.
Also, it is a difficult challenge convincing policy makers to integrate climate change adaptation to
development policies since climate change impacts are based on long-term projections. Given the
significant development pressures that exist at the local level (i.e. poverty, hunger, unemployment,
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Box 3. Continued.
among others) local government planners and decision makers in many cases do not have the luxury of
being concerned about global change. It is important to find ways to integrate climate change adaptation
into sustainable development planning in such a way that the policy makers will see climate change as an
issue needing immediate action. Therefore, key to any attempt to embed the climate change issue at the
local government level is the ability to answer the question: “What does it mean for my province, city, or
town?”
The need to answer this question in Albay resulted in the creation of the Center for Initiatives in
Research on Climate Change Adaptation (CIRCA) and strengthening of its APSEMO. The governor and
some of his staff are actively participating on local and international climate-related conferences to
further strengthen their knowledge and understanding on the issue.
2. Ordaining Policies and budget lines
As a result of the first NCCCA and followed by the creation of CIRCA, climate change concerns are
gradually influencing the development planning of the province. The province has passed a number of
legislations with regards to climate change adaptation. Also, there have been several memoranda
promoting awareness DRM and CCA.
Currently, the province is on the process of updating and reviewing its CLUP for DRR and CCA. In the
2008 Plan Objectives and context of the province, it is recognized in the settlement and land use issues
that the province is host to active volcano and is situated in the typhoon belt. Likewise, the existence of
communities or settlements in volcanic hazard areas and other areas prone to severe flooding and
landslide, necessitates that disaster management awareness among populace and the disaster
management operations of LGUs should be strengthened to effectively respond to natural and manmade calamities occurring in the province.
September 2010
The provincial government of Albay has allocated 9 percent of its total regular budget for climate change
and disaster risk management activities. The CIRCA and A2C2 program, APSEMO and calamity fund
receives 2, 2 and 5 percent respectively. The A2C2 program is under the Environmental Management
category which also include solid waste management and environmental enhancement program;
rehabilitation and protection of mangrove and micro-watershed areas; enforcement of forest laws in
CBFM project areas; conduct of tree planting activities; quarrying regulation program; and maintenance
of soil, water and conservation station (PAIP Albay, 2007).
3. Executing Programs
In August 2007, the provincial government resolved that environment (i.e. the importance of
environmental protection, conservation and management) should be included in the curricula of all
schools, colleges and universities in the province. A series of capacity-building activities was conducted
starting off with the Training of Trainors to facilitate the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation in
the curricula of education. In partnership with DepEd, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Bicol
University (BU) and private universities in the province, Albay initiated various activities such as the
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Box 3. Continued.
conduct of essay writing and poster making contests, viewing of documentaries and conduct of seminars
to propagate global warming awareness.
Also, the province’s agricultural rehabilitation program (AIARP) indicates its short term and long term
goals: disaster preparedness and rehabilitation, and climate change adaptation, respectively. Currently,
the program is focusing its activities to organized farmer clusters for typhoon preparedness and
rehabilitation. Adaptation strategies in the agriculture sector i.e. resilient varieties and water
conservation practices are currently being explored. Following are some initiatives in line with its aim to
promote environmentally sustainable practices, most in partnership with private corporations and
government agencies:
 The Barangay Level Composting project aimed to reduce the volume of garbage dumped at
landfills by processing compost into organic fertilizer, thus reducing methane emissions form
agricultural lands;
 The Linis Kalog (Clean up of rivers and creeks) is constantly done to reduce the occurrence of
floods and the damage it may cost;
 The conduct of mangrove reforestation in several areas (e.g. the establishment of 10ha of
mangrove plantations in the coastal areas of Manito, Albay;
 The implementation of watershed management seeks to adapt to the impact of heavy rain on
soils.
4. Building institutions
September 2010
A further outcome of the 1st NCCCA was the realization that successful development and roll-out of the
Albay Declaration would require that the task be appropriately resourced, both from a human and
financial perspective. This required institutional change, as no formal climate change mandate existed
anywhere within the prevailing provincial structures. Thus, the creation of CIRCA. This change to the
provincial institutional structure was approved in 2007 and funds have now been committed, placing a
full time staff to CIRCA and supporting its activities, as a first step towards realizing its functions.
Since the institutionalization of the APSEMO in 1994 and CIRCA in 2007, both have staff that are
dedicated and committed to disaster management and climate change adaptation, respectively. In the
earlier stages of CIRCA, there are limited interactions between the staff of the two organizations (Daep,
2008) although some of the activities of CIRCA are more on disaster risk management particularly with
regards to information dissemination and conduct of training and workshops on disaster preparedness
and risk reduction. Recently, the coordination between the two institutions flourished as seen in the
involvement of both in community vulnerability assessments, contingency planning, and curriculum
development. A Climate Change Academy was recently established to strengthen the PGAs campaign for
education and awareness on climate change, not only in the province but nationwide.
It is, however, important to note that mainstreaming climate change adaptation in the day-to-day
decision-making in LGUs may require considerable additional work and wider responsibility –thus, may
require additional staff and time. Also, there is a need to clarify and strengthen the links between
climate change adaptation, disaster risk management, and development. In addition, the activities,
programs and projects to be launched by new institutions like CIRCA should be made relevant to or
integrated with existing institutions like APSEMO, structures, procedures and activities.
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3.4 Key Areas of Progress and Challenges
It is noteworthy that the province of Albay, through its governor is taking a strong initiative to promote
climate change adaptation not only in the province, but nationwide as well. This drive is embedded in
the fact that the province is among the most vulnerable in terms of climate-related and geologic hazards.
It is the first local government to work on climate-proofing development.
Aside from Albay, a number of provinces such as Iloilo - province most ravaged by Typhoon Frank
(Fengshen) in 2008, and Palawan – an island province, are starting to implement activities on addressing
climate change specific to the needs of their areas.
The province of Palawan undertook some action planning and initiatives to address climate change
concerns (Perez, undated). They provided some recommendations for National Government (NG) action
which include the creation, enhancement or strict implementation of coastal laws (Fisheries Code of
1998, mining laws, etc), regulations (on land use, zoning, etc) or programs (Disaster Management
Program, Coastal Environment Program, Coastal Zone Management); and the formulation of guidelines
and legislation for the implementation of an integrated coastal zone management for all coastal zones in
the Philippines. Climate change is expected to further stress the world’s natural ecosystems. Among the
projected impacts of climate change is the loss of thousands of species as well as changes in natural
ecosystems. The loss of these ecosystem goods and services hits hardest the poor in developing
countries since they are heavily dependent on natural systems and lack resources to protect themselves
from ecosystem changes (Duraiappah, 2004 as cited by Villamor and Boquiren, 2008).
While Iloilo started a project aimed to establish sustainable end-to-end institutional systems for the
generation and application of locally tailored climate information; to build capacity to apply these in realtime in selected locations in the Philippines; and to scale up applications nationally in order to mitigate
the impacts of droughts and floods. The Bangkok-based ADPC, PAGASA, IPG, LGU-Dumangas
implemented a program entitled “Climate Forecast Applications (CFA) for Disaster Mitigation” with
support from USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. It aims to strengthen national capacity to
manage impacts of climate variability on climate-sensitive sectors, such as agriculture. Climate Field
School (CFS) was established as a flagship activity under Climate Forecast Applications (CFA) piloted in
Dumangas, Iloilo in July to September 2007. It hopes to enhance the capacity of extension workers and
farmers to understand and apply climate information in order to reduce flood and drought risks in
agriculture (Toledo, 2009).
September 2010
With more than half of the total area of the Philippines at risk of natural disasters making 81% of its
population at risk, more local governments are likely to draw lessons from the Albay initiatives and
eventually from Iloilo and Palawan, and apply them into their respective localities, wherever suitable.
At the national level, climate change is slowly being integrated in different plans and programs. However,
the progress is slow. Although climate change has been mentioned more frequently in the updated
MTPDP, it continues to be narrowly directed, being mentioned in only two chapters. Climate change
proves to be a low priority in terms of public resource allocation. Similarly, in terms of national laws,
Lasco et. al. (2007) found that few environmental laws address climate change mitigation (i.e. Clean Air
Act) and/or prescribe adaptation strategies to potential impacts of climate change. In a study conducted
by Lasco et. al. (2009), there was a consensus (95 percent of the respondents) that mainstreaming
climate change in policies and programs is important and about 59 percent concurred that it has not
been mainstreamed in the country. The study concluded that climate change is still seen as peripheral
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when compared to more pressing social issues such as poverty and economic growth. However, there is
a great opportunity to improve the linkage between climate change adaptation and development
particularly in terms of disasters and weather-related hazards.
There has been a little progress in terms of mainstreaming of climate change in the decision-making
processes of LGUs, however, this will still take some more efforts due to lack of information as well as the
short planning horizon of local government executives. The former challenge can be handled through a
more extensive and intensive IEC campaign through trainings, seminars and dialogues. Getting local
executives to consider climate change in their decisions is, however, more of a challenge. Thus, the need
to further instill ownership in local government staff.
While some adaptation strategies and awareness raising activities are undertaken by some groups in
communities, there is weakness regarding linking these with the larger municipal, provincial and regional
plans and programs. Ways and means to systematically involving volunteers and community members in
climate change adaptation activities and development processes should be done by the LDCCs led by the
local chief executive. Roles and responsibilities must therefore be assigned to all stakeholders.
At the national level, the newly crafted National Framework on Climate Change has put greater emphasis
on adaptation. The document was formulated within the context of the country’s sustainable
development goals and governance and institutional factors that affect the country’s ability to respond
to climate change. However, the document does not detail specific steps but sets the strategic direction
the government, the private sector and the general public would follow to come up with their precise
programs to address the effects of climate change.
It is important to note that agriculture and water resources should be the priority sectors, which are
inter-linked, and food security and water scarcity issues should be looked at in parallel in the context of
climate change. The water resource and agriculture sectors are starting its initiatives on including climate
change in its major strategies (Appendix E). There is the need to mainstream climate change adaptation
in other sectors besides water and agriculture. Appendix E also summarizes the main features of selected
Philippine policies on environment and natural resource management, and their respective possible
impacts relating to climate change in the country. It is noticeable that only very few of these government
policies directly address the mitigation of climate change, and/or prescribe adaptation strategies to the
potential impacts of climate change. Most of the policies appear to prescribe merely reactive – not
proactive – strategies to mitigate the impacts of and/or adapt to climate change (Lasco et.al., 2008).
September 2010
Integrating CCA into support systems for the poor and victims of disasters needs to be institutionalized.
Issues pertaining to food and grains, in particular and poverty alleviation, in general are dealt with in a
piecemeal manner. Coping with climate variabilities and future climate changes should be an implicit
part of poverty alleviation programs and very much associated with post-event relief activities.
It is also important to note that hazards present risks to societies because of humanity’s vulnerability to
them, and underlying vulnerability are factors such as inequality, marginalisation and globalisation. But
acknowledging that the impacts of hazards on the environment are also, and increasingly, the cause of
heightened risk emphasizes the need to address not only humans’ vulnerability to changes in climate,
but also how anthropogenic changes to ecosystems affect and characterize risk.
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Box 4. Recommended adaptation priorities of key sectors in Southeast Asia (ADB, 2010)
Key sectors (i.e. water, agriculture, forestry, coastal and marine, and health) of Southeast Asian countries
have made encouraging initiatives for climate change adaptation. Below are the recommended priorities
for these sectors.
In the water resources sector, the priority is to scale-up existing good practices of water conservation
and management, and apply more widely integrated water management, including flood control and
prevention schemes, irrigation improvement, and demand-side management.
In the agriculture sector, the priority is to strengthen local adaptive capacity by providing public goods
and services, such as better information, research and development on heat-resistant crop varieties and
risk-sharing instruments such as index-based insurance schemes.
In the forestry sector, the priority is to enhance early warning systems and awareness-raising programs
to better prepare for potentially more frequent forest fires as a result of climate change; and implement
aggressive public-private partnerships for reforestation and afforestation.
In the coastal and marine resources sector, the priority is to implement integrated coastal zone
management plans, including mangrove conservation and plantation.
In the health sector, the priority is to expand or establish early warning systems for disease outbreaks,
health surveillance, awareness –raising campaigns, and infectious disease control programs.
September 2010
In the infrastructure sector, the priority is to introduce “climate-proofing of transport-related
investments and infrastructure.
There is a need to further mobilize greater and more diverse sustainable sources of financing that are
nationally appropriate for climate change, especially in the private sector. In terms of mainstreaming,
among the first to react are the development agencies as evidenced by efforts to “mainstream”
adaptation into aid programs and projects. Individually and collectively, international multilateral and
bilateral organizations have responded to the increasing challenge of climate change with an agenda for
action to integrate climate concerns into the mainstream of developmental policy making and povertyreduction initiatives (World Bank, 2008). This is proven by the increasing number of programs supported
by these organizations in the country particularly on climate change adaptation. The national
government should make sure that climate change is one of its priority since most of the country
strategies (as the argument been proven in the disaster section) are reflective of the governments’
development agenda.
Although several organizations like Manila Observatory, ICRAF, CI, and EEPSEA and some NGOs started
efforts to find solutions to address climate change, there still remains a huge information gap in terms of
vulnerabilities, risk, and adaptation strategies. There is a need for more research support from the
government and other funding organizations. The science and research wings of the government
particularly the agencies of DOST, DENR, and DA should further widen their research thrust to include
climate change issues.
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September 2010
Finally, there is also a need to nationally promote climate change issues, problems and solutions to be
translated into local context and with a language that people can understand.
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4.
PROGRESS IN INTEGRATION OF CCA AND DRR
4.1 Overall gaps and needs
Natural disasters and climate change affect various natural, economic, social, and political activities and
processes. Hence, these challenges need to be addresses in a more holistic, integrative and participatory
manner at all scales, on all political levels and all sectors of society.
Historically, there are two separate communities of policy makers, practitioners, and researchers working
on DRR/M and CCA evident in the limited overlap in approach and strategies, organizations and
institutions, funding mechanisms (see Table 5) and even in meetings and conferences, research methods
and tools, and language.
Table 5. General characterization of the CCA and DRR/M communities in the country
Disaster Risk Management
Climate Change Adaptation
Approach
- Risk management, Vulnerability Reduction
- Engineering and national science-based
events and exposure
- Shift from reactive to proactive approach
- Local scale
- Community-based
- Short-term, real-time forecasting (but
increasingly long-term)
-
Risk management
Strong scientific basis
Vulnerability perspective
Multi-disciplinary approach
Global scale
Top-down
Long-term perspective
-
UNFCCC
IPCC
Academe and research
National and local NGOs
Organizations and Institutions
September 2010
-
United Nations
Provention Consortium (The World Bank)
IFRC
International, national and local civil society
groups and NGOs
National Council for DRR/M
- National Defense (DND) as lead
- Interior and Local Government, Social
Welfare and Development, Science and
Technology and National Economic
Development
Climate Change Commission
- Environment and Natural Resources,
Agriculture, Energy, and National Economic
Development
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Strategies
-
NDCC/DCC Response Systems
UN ISDR
Hyogo Framework of Action
; 4 point Agenda from 2005National DRR/M
Framework (to be adopted)
- SNAP
- National Communication to the UNFCCC
- National Framework Strategy on Climate
Change
Major Policies
- Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Act of 2010 (RA 10121), 27
May 2010
- Adopting SNAP and institutionalizing DRR
(EO 888), 7 June 2010
- Philippine Climate Change Act of 2009 (RA
9729), 23 October 2009
Funding
- National Defense/ emergency response
(National Calamity Fund, now the National
DRR/M Fund)
- International Humanitarian Funding
- Multilateral Bank
- Bilateral Aid
- Special Climate Change Fund
- Adaptation Fund
Modified from Thomalla, et.al., 2006
September 2010
The increasing political momentum due to the number of typhoons that ravaged the country in the past
four years, the overlapping objectives of DRM and CCA in general are increasingly being reflected in
international agreements, government policies, as well as in some projects and programs in the country.
There has indeed been an increase in mutual interest evidenced by the recent policies and programs,
growing number of major conferences and policy dialogues, knowledge sharing and multi-stakeholder
coordination, but there is still some way to go.
4.1.1. Disaster risk management
Based on the last two to four years of experience, multi-stakeholder participation and consultation have
increased. The changes in policy framework and management strategies on DRR are adequate to show
that the country has shifted from a reactive disaster response to a more proactive disaster management.
Among others, the issue that needs to be resolved is how to efficiently and effectively ensure the
implementation of a more proactive DRM in the country. The newly signed PDRRM Law, though
provides for a more holistic, comprehensive, integrative and proactive approach in lessening the
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socioeconomic and environmental impacts of disasters including climate change, and promotes the
involvement and participation of all sectors and all stakeholders concerned from the national to the local
level, should be harmonized with existing environmental laws. More importantly, institutional
coordination is needed between and among national, regional and local agencies. While more
stakeholders from the NGOs and private sector are getting involved, the inclusiveness of DRM in terms of
actors should be enhanced by conducting more stakeholder consultations to provide for future direction
of DRR in the country (i.e. in the preparation of the Philippine DRRM Framework and Action Plan).
The LGUs seem to be in the best position to implement DRM effectively. Local champions are necessary
to instill DRR and ensure DRM ownership particularly in raising public awareness and instilling
knowledge and capacity specific to the needs of their constituents. Capacity building is deemed
necessary particularly to LGUs. It is also important to discover how existing capacities can be used to the
full advantage of the entire DRM community. However, financing mechanisms need to be explored. Local
internal resources are insufficient, thus resource mobilization is needed.
Progress in terms of mainstreaming DRR in the country has been encouraging but rather slow. There
have been significant steps taken from both the national government through its agencies, more
particularly in the education and infrastructure sector. Development organizations’ programming shows
promise in terms of mainstreaming DRR into their development work in hazard-prone countries like the
Philippines. Thus, it is necessary that the government makes DRR a priority in its development agenda. It
is also essential to put in place mechanisms and processes through which stakeholders can contribute
and participate within appropriate legal mandates and institutional arrangements.
The newly signed PDRRM Law encourages the National DRRM Council, to be led by the OCD, to
coordinate with the Climate Change Commission in the development of assessment tools on the existing
and potential hazards and risks brought by climate change to vulnerable areas and ecosystems as well as
the formulation and implementation of a framework for DRRM and CCA in all policies, programs and
projects.
4.1.2 Climate change adaptation
September 2010
Though there have been a number of significant steps the national government have taken, there is still
a need to design national policies, programs and development interventions so that adaptation to
current and future climate-related changes is enabled and not hindered.
The government has created the PCSD in response to its 1992 Earth Summit commitments. The IACCC
was established a year earlier in 1991. More recently, the PTFCC and the Advisory Council on Climate
Change (ACCC) were also formed after the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in 2003. Additionally,
President Arroyo has made “Green Philippines”, which is also a chapter in the Updated 2004-2010
Medium Term Philippine Development Plan, as one of the “8 in 8” priorities (NEDA, 2008). And most
recently, the country has signed into law it’s Climate Change Act of 2009 and established the Climate
Change Commission, a first in the region. Increasingly the Philippines, both at the national and local
levels, have begun to pay attention to the adaptation-side of climate change, by promoting climate
change risk management initiatives.
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It is interesting to note, however, that the newly crafted NFSCC considers disasters i.e. natural
meteorological and meteorologically-influenced hazards of primary relevance to the overall resilience of
the country to climate change. The NFSCC suggests cross-cutting strategies, multi-stakeholder
partnerships, financing valuation and policy planning and mainstreaming. It also considers DRR in its
cross-cutting strategies i.e. in capacity development, knowledge management and information,
education campaigns.
Box 5. Disaster Risk Reduction as a key result area in the NFSCC
In the overall effort of combating the effects of climate change, disaster risk reduction (DRR) shall be the
first line of defense. Thus, beyond normal relief operations, the Framework Strategy shall expand and
upgrade the country’s capacity to address and anticipate disasters such as typhoons, floods, and
landslides. This would bring a renewed focus on science-based early warning systems and capacitybuilding for local government units and organizations for disaster preparedness and risk management.
This would also entail vulnerability assessment of communities as well as prioritized disaster planning
and management for areas in the typhoon-path and flood-prone areas.
Objective: Reduce disaster risks from climate change-induced natural hazards.
Strategic Priorities
September 2010
a. Adoption of a responsive policy framework to serve as an enabling environment for reducing losses
from natural disasters, including climate change-related risks.
b. Use of the best available and practicable tools and technologies from the social and natural sciences
as decision aids and support systems to stakeholders in preventing, reducing and managing disaster
risks.
c. Enhancement of institutional and technical capacity to facilitate the paradigm shift from disaster
response to disaster preparedness and mitigation.
d. Enhancement of national monitoring, forecasting and hazard warning systems; and improve
effectiveness of early warning systems available to communities.
e. Mainstreaming of climate and disaster risk-based planning in national and local development and
land use planning thru the application of disaster risk assessment and by further supporting capacity
development, including the preparation/ gathering and dissemination of appropriate data and maps
necessary for national, regional, provincial and city/municipal planning.
4.2
Current mechanisms and incentives, and barriers to integration
This study assessed current efforts to address disaster risks and climate change in the Philippines,
focusing particularly on aspects that can help build the inter-linkage/s between DRM and CCA. In this
context, we tried to explore several key components of climate proofing development including
knowledge on climate risk and vulnerability (i.e. information and communication), institutional capacity
and coordination, local government and community initiatives, and financing DRM and CCA. Drawing
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from the review of institutional and policy initiatives on DRM and CCA, Table 6 summarizes the principal
mechanisms and incentives, and barriers that shaped how integration progressed to date. These key
points are expanded in the sections that follow.
Table 6. Progress toward integration (incentives and barriers) of DRR/M and CCA in the country
Existing Mechanisms/Incentives
Existing barriers to integration
Knowledge on climate risk and vulnerability:
 Updating of forecasting capabilities
 Increasing IEC campaigns
 Schools are integrating DRR concepts in their
curriculum (primary and secondary schools)
 Starting to incorporate risk and impact
assessment procedures before construction
of new roads and bridges
 Increasing institutional commitments
towards developing practices to streamline
risk assessment
 Involvement in regional discussions,
agreements, and dialogues




Limited forecasting capability
Unutilized existing data sources
Difficult access to data and information
Past and current adaptation strategies to
disaster-related events are largely not
documented
 Lack of/limited analysis of potential climate
change impacts and vulnerabilities;
 Education in DRM and CCA is still limited in
scope and education materials are still
inadequate
 Gaps in awareness and understanding of risk
Institutional capacity and coordination:
 Existing coordination structures for DRM i.e.
cluster approach
 Strategic and policy advances in strengthening
disaster risk management
 Key policy initiative and coordination
mechanism for CCA
 Institutional commitment from various
stakeholders towards recharging the legal
basis for DRR actions
 Relatively weak coordination mechanisms
regarding DRM and CCA
 Impacts of and contribution to DRM and CCA
not anchored on existing legal instruments
September 2010
Local government and community initiatives:
 Political momentum from major disaster
events to consider future risks
 National government is actively building
awareness and capacity to mainstream DRM
and CCA in land use and physical framework
plans
 Adopted a community-driven and engaged
approach to DRM
 Local government initiatives (e.g. Albay, Iloilo
 Threat of discontinuity in policies, structures,
programmes, plans due to short planning
horizon
 DRR and CCA a low priority for national and
local leaders
 Limited capacity, skills and resources
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and Palawan) to institutionalizing DRM and
CCA
Financing DRM and CCA:
 Increasing funding for DRM and CCA
 SCCF pay special attention to DRR in guidance
 Few bilateral and multilateral donors have
integrated their support for DRR and CCA
 Several donors are investing directly on
capacity building for DRM and CCA
 Use of LCFs are unknown and often
misunderstood by local officials
 Absence of insurance and risk transfer options
 Projects that address climate change in
disaster management are fragmented and
tend to be donor-driven
 Disaster emergency response continues to
divert funds
 Barriers to investment in risk reduction and
adaptation
4.2.1 Knowledge on climate risk and vulnerability
The generation and provision of reliable and appropriate information on present and future climate risks
is a key component of adaptation. Improvement of data sources and modeling capacity is both an
adaptation in itself and a resource on which to base adaptive decisions and action. Both communities,
DRR and CCA, have developed a wide range of analytical and assessment tools to assess risk and
vulnerability and identify appropriate strategies. There is an improving science base with respect to
climatic extremes and climate change, including recent studies on climate risk and vulnerability mapping
in both government meteorological/hydrological agencies and academe. Forecasting capability of
relevant government agencies i.e. PAGASA and PHIVOLCS are regarded as limited. Existing data sources
i.e. climate/weather date are often not fully utilized and data from national and/or other external
agencies can be difficult to access, especially for local researchers and local stakeholders. Past and
current adaptation strategies to disaster-related events are largely not documented.
September 2010
Information dissemination is another issue. There has been an increase in awareness campaigns in the
form of seminars, trainings, film showing and participation of media mostly through partnerships of
national agencies, NGOs and the academe. However, more intensive and targeted IEC is needed
particularly to LGUs and their constituents.
4.2.2 Institutional capacity and coordination
The recently approved policies on both DRR and CCA, and other adaptation projects feature clear
overlaps, including efforts to harmonize coordination structures. The effective reduction of
vulnerabilities to current natural hazards and to climate change requires coordination across different
levels and sectors of governance and the involvement of a broad range of stakeholders. The DRM
community, having the newly signed PDRRM Law, is expected to increasingly adopt a more anticipatory
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and proactive approach, bringing it closer to the longer-term perspective of the CCA community. To
strengthen the link between disaster risk management and adaptation to climate change, it is also
important to understand when, and at what level, coordination is required, and who should take the
lead. Adaptation to climate change is not simply an extension of disaster risk management. Adaptation
to climate change not only means addressing changes in the intensity and frequency of extreme events,
but also more subtle changes in climatic conditions as well as new emerging risks, which have not been
experienced in a region before. Shifts in the timing of and magnitude of rainfall, rising temperatures and
changes climate variability will in many ways affect natural resources and the quality of ecosystem
services and hence impact on livelihoods and economic sectors that depend on them.
The cluster approach to DRM has further strengthened coordination across sectors for disasters in the
country. Disaster coordination is achieved largely through a nested network of coordinating councils
from national, provincial to municipal levels. Coordination in relation to CCA is generally less well
developed at present. The creation of the Climate Change Commission is expected to clarify the roles
and responsibilities of the concerned government agencies; encourage participation from different
sectors i.e. private, NGOs, and research; and enhance coordination among all stakeholders.
The capabilities of local government in DRM and CCA need to be strengthened. All LGUs, particularly the
most vulnerable ones, should have a dedicated office to handle disaster management. This, however,
entails cost. The coordination between municipal, provincial, regional, and national preparedness and
response mechanisms should also be strengthened.
Progress toward climate change adaptation in government agencies depends on political commitment
and institutional capacity, reflected in robust policies and strategies geared toward consideration of
disaster risk reduction and long-term changes in risk. Significant policy advances have been gained in
strengthening disaster risk management, including key national policies/strategies in the country.
However, having two separate “institutional homes” while sharing the same objectives and same
challenges, they fail to coordinate themselves. Thus, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of
integrating both DRR and CCA efforts towards the common objective of reducing risk to development.
This is to avoid duplication of efforts, governance inefficiencies and even misunderstanding and
competition among various stakeholders.
September 2010
4.2.3 Local government and community initiatives
Efforts to forge greater capacity at the national scale have to be reflected by work at the local scale to
increase the ability of local institutions and communities to cope with present and future risks from
climatic hazards. Initiatives targeted at local and community level in DRM are evident in the projects and
programs supported by donor organizations. More importantly, the LGUs, like that of the Province of
Albay, possess a unique role of bridging local and national scale activities in terms of disaster
coordination and CCA policies. These practices may also be used as vehicle to raise awareness and
spread the strategies to other LGUs.
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4.2.4 Financing DRM and CCA
Financing for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation can come from national budgets,
international donors and private sector sources. Funding for DRM is growing, as reflected by the
increasing number of projects by several bilateral donor organizations that have specific funding for DRR.
CCA, on the other hand, is slowly getting attention and more funding. Few bilateral organizations have
integrated their support for DRR and CCA. Many DRR/M projects are funded from humanitarian aids,
CCA on the other hand is typically funded out of environmental departments from bilateral donor
organizations.
September 2010
There is a need to further mobilize greater and more diverse sustainable sources of financing that are
nationally appropriate for climate change, especially in the private sector. A number of bilateral and
multilateral donor organizations have integrated their support for DRM and CCA. Most CCA funding are
typically contained in environment-related projects. Several donors are also investing directly in capacity
building through NGOs and research networks.
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5.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1
Conclusions
The Philippines has been considered as highly vulnerable to current (i.e. natural disasters), as well as
future climate-related risks. The country experiences an average of eight to nine tropical cyclones making
a landfall plus recurring floods and landslides, periodic ENSO phenomenon, among others. The rapidly
increasing population together with other anthropogenic factors such as land use and land cover
changes due to rapid urbanization, and accelerated globalization are exerting tremendous pressures on
already limited resources from which majority of the population are dependent with. Climate change is
expected to exacerbate existing stresses, thus the development goals of the country can be severely
affected by climate change and a great number of population and livelihoods can be at risk.
Managing such risks to development requires the systematic integration of DRM and CCA in terms of
project activities, coordination and financing mechanisms. Progress toward DRM and CCA in government
agencies depends on political will and institutional capacity, reflected in robust policies and strategies
geared toward consideration of short- and long- term climate risk to development. Significant program
and strategy advances have been gained in strengthening DRM; and pioneering steps, including key
national policies and institutions, for promoting CCA.
At the local level, LGUs and local chief executives, possess a unique role of bridging local and national
scale activities in terms of disaster coordination and CCA policies and programs.
September 2010
The recently approved policies on both DRM and CCA, and other adaptation projects feature clear
overlaps, including efforts to harmonize coordination structures. However, progress in terms of
integration of DRM and CCA in political agendas and institutional priorities remains slow. Though
significant policy advances have been recently gained, the continuing perception that DRM and CCA are
of less priority hinders moves towards mainstreaming.
The slow progress in terms of recognizing or accepting that disaster risk management is fundamentally
part of good governance lies in the national and local politicians and chief executives who have not
recognized the value of DRM to development. LGUs and DCCs are not aware of their DRR function; their
organizational and institutional capacities are weak. The use of the LCF is not known and often
misunderstood by local officials, particularly; they are unaware that the LCF can be used for pre-disaster
activities. There is a need to inform them about how to strategically make use of the fund for DRR
activities. Early warning and forecasting systems exist, however technical equipment and facilities needs
constant updating and maintenance. The challenge of setting up early effective and accurate early
warning system (EWS), that delivers accurate warning information of potential hazards dependably and
in a timely manner to authorities and populations at risk that will enable them to take action, remains.
Much work is still needed to integrate the EWS in the emergency preparedness and response planning.
While some disaster risk management and adaptation strategies are undertaken by some groups in
communities, there is weakness regarding linking these with the larger municipal, provincial and regional
plans and programs. Ways and means to systematically involving volunteers and community members in
climate change adaptation activities and development processes should be done by the local
governments led by the local chief executive. Roles and responsibilities must therefore be assigned to
all stakeholders.
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Though there have been a number of significant steps in promoting climate change adaptation that the
national government have taken, there is still a need to design national policies, programs and
development interventions so that adaptation to current and future climate-related changes is enabled
and not hindered.
It is also important to point the significance of linking DRM and CCA activities and integrate with poverty
reduction activities and development objectives. Being both a condition and determinant of
vulnerability, poverty reduction should be an essential component of reducing vulnerability to natural
disasters and climate change.
The political momentum and leadership brought by several disasters for the last two years tends to
suffer from coordination conflicts, political instability, and short-term political cycles. Long-term issues
such as CCA may suffer from the threat of unsustainable program and discontinuity of policies, therefore
strengthening the need for ownership. The promising role of local champions and units should be
emphasized and further supported by the national government.
5.2
Recommendations
Given the above realities on DRR and CCA policy and institutional landscapes in the country, the
following recommendations and immediate priorities for the Philippines to integrating DRM and CCA
into policies and programs are forwarded:
On knowledge on climate risk and vulnerability
September 2010
Aggressive systematic knowledge generation and IEC campaign about DRM and CCA is needed. More
research to better understand the local and sectoral impacts of climate change, climate variability and
extreme, and disasters should be undertaken. This needs documentation and organization of all climate
change, variability and risk-related data and information in the country to properly identify hazards and
risks. Useful action may include stepping up efforts in documenting existing strategies and knowledge on
past and current adaptation strategies to current climate variabilities and DRM in general, more research
on technical solutions and capacities to enhance adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities and
provide for sustainable livelihoods; and step up efforts to raise public awareness and IEC campaigns.
Such campaigns ought to be targeted to a wider range of stakeholders such as the research and academe
communities, policy makers and civil society.
On institutional capacity and coordination
The cross-sectoral nature of natural disasters and climate change warrants a similar approach to
addressing the issue. A more integrative, participatory, and multi-stakeholder approach, as been
highlighted in both Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act and Climate Change Act, should be
implemented. This entails not only increased policy dialogues but a more concerted and coordinated
partnership arrangements and stronger operational links for research and policy.
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FINAL REPORT: PHILIPPINES
On local government and community initiatives
The local leaders can be champions, and LGUs seem to be in the best position to implement DRM and
CCA effectively. Local champions are necessary to instill DRR and CCA and ensure ownership particularly
in raising public awareness and instilling knowledge and capacity specific to the needs of their
constituents. Capacity building is deemed necessary particularly to LGUs. It is also important to discover
how existing capacities can be used to the full advantage of the entire DRM community. However,
financing mechanisms need to be explored. Local internal resources are insufficient, thus resource
mobilization is needed. Ways and means to systematically involving volunteers and community members
in climate change adaptation activities and development processes should be done by the local
governments led by the local chief executive. Roles and responsibilities must therefore be assigned to
all stakeholders.
On financing
The implementation of the above recommendations and of other development plans related to DRR and
CCA may be hampered by inadequacy of funds and other (human and material) resources. As such, more
concerted efforts, together with the all-important political will, ought to be devoted to establishing
regular sources of funds at local, national and even international levels, to finance climate changerelated initiatives
September 2010
Finally, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to improving risk management strategies of the country i.e.
integration of DRR agenda into CCA structures, or vice versa. This calls for the government to build and
strengthen existing capacities. This will require further dialogues between the DRM and CCA
communities to identify existing mechanisms and potential entry points to foster broader integration
and facilitate stronger connections. Needless to say, the response of the Philippines should go beyond
having institutions and policies put in place.
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FINAL REPORT: PHILIPPINES
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