“A Home Should Be a Place of Safety, Not the First Casualty of Disaster” — Legarda
October 13, 2026As the world observes the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on October 13, Senator Loren Legarda called for a stronger national and local commitment to making Filipino homes safer, warning that disaster preparedness means little if families remain exposed to the same dangers year after year.
For Legarda, this year’s theme, “Resilience Starts at Home,” raises a question that goes beyond emergency supplies and evacuation plans: How safe is the place a family calls home?
“A home should be the one place where a family feels safe. But for too many Filipinos, heavy rain already means worrying about rising floodwaters, a leaking roof, or where to take their children if they have to leave. We cannot keep treating this as a normal part of life,” Legarda said.
Ranking first in the 2026 World Risk Index, the Philippines faces an exceptionally urgent disaster threat, with PAGASA reporting an average of 20 tropical cyclones entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility annually and eight or nine making landfall. According to the World Bank’s 2025 Country Partnership Framework, about 60 percent of the nation’s land area and at least 74 percent of its population are vulnerable to multiple natural hazards, with the poorest 20 percent suffering asset and income losses 1.5 times higher than average. Consequently, vulnerable families in flood-prone, coastal, and landslide-risk communities face unaffordable relocation or retrofitting costs, leaving them trapped in recurring cycles of lost income, interrupted schooling, and burdensome repair expenses.
“We tell families to prepare, and they should. But what about the family that cannot afford to repair its roof? Or the parents who know their house floods but have nowhere else to go? We have to look at their actual circumstances. Safety should not depend on how much money a family has,” Legarda said.
Legarda in an earlier statement recognized that disasters can also be caused by other extreme climatic events such as the impending Super El Niño. In September 23, 2026 advisory, PAGASA warned that the ongoing strong El Niño could intensify into a very strong event and persist through the first half of 2027, increasing concerns over dry spells, drought, water availability, agriculture, and food security.
“El Niño reminds us that disasters do not always arrive with strong winds and heavy rains. Sometimes, the danger builds quietly, through dwindling water supplies and lost harvests. We have to prepare for these risks just as seriously as we prepare for typhoons,” Legarda said.
UN Global Champion for Resilience, Senator Legarda, urged government agencies to prioritize proactive household safety and disaster risk reduction, such as safer housing, hazard-informed land use, resilient infrastructure, and climate adaptation, instead of reactive cycles of relief and rebuilding. This initiative is anchored in key legislation she advanced, including Republic Act No. 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010) and Republic Act No. 9729 (Climate Change Act of 2009) to integrate resilience into planning. She also principally authored Republic Act No. 10692 (PAGASA Modernization Act of 2015) to strengthen national weather forecasting and early warning systems and Republic Act No. 10821 or the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act to safeguard the rights and welfare of children before, during, and after disasters.
“We have spent years building the laws and institutions needed to mitigate the impact of disasters. Why is it that we are seemingly always caught-off guard like we are facing these hazards the first time? Why do we act, only when the hazard is right in front of us? Let us break this cycle of reactive measures and be proactive. We have the data and information, we integrate them in our plans and manage disasters in an anticipatory manner.” she said.
In addition, Legarda believes that the local government plays the most crucial role in disaster management. To empower local communities, she championed key legislative and capacity-building initiatives, including Republic Act No. 10174, which established the People’s Survival Fund (PSF) to finance local adaptation projects like flood management and resilient livelihoods. Recognizing that local governments are central to ground-level disaster preparedness, she also drove the CLLIMATE Roving Academy, piloted by the Climate Change Commission in Naga City toward the end of September 2026, in order to equip LGUs with scientific data, practical planning tools, and access to adaptation financing.
“Local governments are at the forefront of disaster preparedness because no one understands community conditions better-flood-prone barangays and vulnerable coastlines to areas facing water shortages and threats to agricultural livelihoods. Equipping our local leaders with scientific information, adaptation financing, and practical planning tools is essential to ensuring that national climate policies don’t just stay on paper, but deliver real, tangible results on the ground.”
The four-term Senator believes that while these laws are great steps to achieve resilience, we must leap further in improving our disaster management system. To push for an information-based disaster preparedness, she filed important measures during the 20th Congress such as the Senate Bill No. 805, or the Language Accessibility of Public Information on Disasters Act, in order to make disaster-related information more accessible and understandable to the public, particularly when families must make urgent decisions about their safety.
“A warning is useful only when people understand what it means and what they need to do. A mother should not have to guess whether it is time to evacuate. Information must reach people clearly, in a language they understand, and with enough time to act,” she said.
Her other measures address different safety of both the community and the rescuers. Senate Bill No. 519, or the National Coastal Greenbelt Act, seeks to strengthen coastal ecosystems as natural protection against disaster risks, while Senate Bill No. 790, or the Magna Carta for Public Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Workers, proposes stronger protections for disaster personnel. Senate Bill No. 520, or the Calamity Work Compensation Act, meanwhile, seeks additional compensation for private-sector employees required to work during declared calamities and emergency alerts.
For Legarda, journey to resilience must ultimately be measured by how many families are protected from preventable losses, rather than solely by the speed of relief and recovery efforts after a calamity.
“We should be able to tell a family that the place where they live is becoming safer, not simply that help will come when disaster strikes. Our goal must be fewer homes destroyed, fewer families displaced, and fewer Filipinos forced to start all over again,” Legarda concluded. [30]
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“Dapat ligtas ang tahanan, hindi ito ang unang napipinsala sa sakuna” — Legarda
Kaugnay ng International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction sa Oktubre 13, nanawagan si Senador Loren Legarda sa pambansa at lokal na pamahalaan na higit pang paigtingin ang mga hakbang upang maging ligtas ang mga tahanan ng mga Pilipino, lalo na sa mga lugar na paulit-ulit na nalalantad sa baha, bagyo, pagguho ng lupa, at iba pang panganib.
Para kay Legarda, ang tema ngayong taon na “Resilience Starts at Home” ay hindi lamang usapin ng paghahanda ng emergency kit o pagkakaroon ng evacuation plan. Mas mahalagang tanong aniya kung ligtas ba talaga ang mismong tahanang inuuwian ng bawat pamilya.
“Ang tahanan ang dapat na lugar kung saan panatag at ligtas ang isang pamilya. Pero para sa napakaraming Pilipino, kaunting malakas na ulan pa lang, iniisip na agad kung tataas ang baha, kung tatagas ang bubong, o kung saan dadalhin ang mga anak sakaling kailangang lumikas. Hindi natin dapat tanggapin na normal na bahagi na lang ito ng buhay,” ani Legarda.
Nanguna ang Pilipinas sa 2026 World Risk Index, patunay ng matinding pagkakalantad ng bansa sa mga sakuna. Ayon sa PAGASA, humigit-kumulang 20 tropical cyclone ang pumapasok sa Philippine Area of Responsibility bawat taon, at walo o siyam dito ang karaniwang tumatama sa bansa.
Batay naman sa 2025 Country Partnership Framework ng World Bank, humigit-kumulang 60 porsiyento ng lupain ng Pilipinas at hindi bababa sa 74 porsiyento ng populasyon ang lantad sa iba’t ibang uri ng natural hazard. Mas mabigat din ang epekto sa pinakamahihirap na 20 porsiyento ng mga Pilipino, na nakararanas ng pagkawala sa ari-arian at kita na 1.5 beses na mas mataas kaysa karaniwan.
Dahil dito, maraming pamilyang nakatira sa mga lugar na binabaha, baybaying lantad sa panganib, at mga lugar na maaaring gumuho ang lupa ang walang sapat na kakayahang lumipat o patibayin ang kanilang bahay. Nauuwi ito sa paulit-ulit na pagkawala ng kita, pagkaantala ng pag-aaral ng mga bata, at gastusing kailangang pasanin sa pagkukumpuni matapos ang bawat sakuna.
“Lagi nating sinasabihan ang mga pamilya na maghanda, at tama naman iyon. Pero paano ang pamilyang walang perang pampagawa ng bubong? Paano ang mga magulang na alam na babahain ang bahay nila pero wala silang ibang malilipatan? Kailangan nating tingnan ang tunay nilang kalagayan. Ang kaligtasan ay hindi dapat nakadepende sa laki ng kita ng isang pamilya,” ani Legarda.
Binigyang-diin din ni Legarda na hindi lamang bagyo at malalakas na pag-ulan ang maaaring magdulot ng malawakang pinsala. Kabilang dito ang matitinding climate event gaya ng El Niño.
Sa advisory noong Setyembre 23, 2026, nagbabala ang PAGASA na maaaring lalo pang lumakas ang umiiral na El Niño at umabot sa very strong category, at posibleng magpatuloy hanggang unang kalahati ng 2027. Maaari itong magdulot ng mas matinding dry spell at drought, kakulangan sa tubig, at pinsala sa agrikultura at seguridad sa pagkain.
“Ipinapakita ng El Niño na hindi lahat ng sakuna ay dumarating na may kasamang malakas na hangin at pagbuhos ng ulan. May mga panganib na unti-unting lumalala, gaya ng pagkaubos ng suplay ng tubig at pagkawala ng ani. Kailangan din nating paghandaan ang mga ito nang kasingseryoso ng paghahanda natin sa bagyo,” ani Legarda.
Bilang UN Global Champion for Resilience, nanawagan si Legarda sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan na unahin ang mga hakbang na makaiiwas sa pinsala bago pa dumating ang sakuna, kabilang ang mas ligtas na pabahay, paggamit ng hazard information sa land-use planning, matibay na imprastraktura, at mga programa para sa climate adaptation.
Nakabatay ang mga hakbang na ito sa mahahalagang batas na kanyang isinulong, kabilang ang Republic Act No. 10121 o Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 at Republic Act No. 9729 o Climate Change Act of 2009, na naglalayong isama ang disaster resilience at climate adaptation sa pagpaplano ng pamahalaan.
Si Legarda rin ang Principal Author ng Republic Act No. 10692 o PAGASA Modernization Act of 2015, na nagpalakas sa kakayahan ng bansa sa weather forecasting at early warning systems, at ng Republic Act No. 10821 o Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act, na nagtitiyak sa proteksiyon at kapakanan ng mga bata bago, habang, at matapos ang sakuna.
“Maraming taon na nating binuo ang mga batas at institusyong kailangan upang mabawasan ang pinsala ng mga sakuna. Pero bakit tila lagi pa rin tayong nagugulat na para bang unang beses nating hinaharap ang mga panganib na ito? Bakit tayo kikilos kung nasa harap na natin ang panganib? Kailangan nating putulin ang siklo ng puro reaksyon. Nasa atin na ang datos at impormasyon. Isama natin ang mga ito sa ating mga plano at pangasiwaan ang sakuna nang mas maagap at nakabatay sa inaasahang panganib,” ani Legarda.
Binigyang-diin din ng senador ang mahalagang papel ng mga lokal na pamahalaan sa disaster preparedness at climate adaptation.
Isa sa mga batas na kanyang isinulong ang Republic Act No. 10174, na lumikha sa People’s Survival Fund o PSF upang pondohan ang mga lokal na proyekto para sa climate adaptation, gaya ng flood management at mga kabuhayang mas matatag sa epekto ng pagbabago ng klima.
Itinulak din ni Legarda ang CLLIMATE Roving Academy, na isinagawa ng Climate Change Commission sa Naga City noong huling bahagi ng Setyembre 2026. Layunin nitong bigyan ang mga lokal na pamahalaan ng siyentipikong datos, praktikal na kasangkapan sa pagpaplano, at kaalaman sa pag-access ng pondo para sa climate adaptation.
“Nasa unahan ang mga lokal na pamahalaan sa paghahanda sa sakuna dahil sila ang higit na nakaaalam sa kalagayan sa kanilang nasasakupan, mula sa mga barangay na madalas bahain at baybaying lantad sa panganib hanggang sa mga lugar na nakararanas ng kakulangan sa tubig at banta sa kabuhayang agrikultural. Mahalaga na mabigyan ang ating mga lokal na lider ng siyentipikong impormasyon, pondong magagamit sa adaptation, at praktikal na mga kasangkapan sa pagpaplano upang ang mga pambansang polisiya sa klima ay magkaroon ng tunay at konkretong resulta sa mga lugar na higit na nangangailangan,” ani Legarda.
Ayon sa four-term senator, malaking hakbang ang mga umiiral na batas, ngunit kailangan pang pagbutihin ang sistema ng bansa sa disaster risk reduction at management.
Bilang bahagi nito, inihain niya sa 20th Congress ang Senate Bill No. 805 o Language Accessibility of Public Information on Disasters Act, na naglalayong gawing mas malinaw at mas madaling maunawaan ng publiko ang impormasyon tungkol sa mga sakuna, lalo na sa mga sandaling kailangang mabilis na magpasya ang isang pamilya para sa kanilang kaligtasan.
“May silbi lamang ang babala kung nauunawaan ng tao kung ano ang ibig sabihin nito at kung ano ang kailangan niyang gawin. Hindi dapat manghula ang isang ina kung oras na bang lumikas. Kailangang malinaw ang impormasyon, nasa wikang naiintindihan ng tao, at naipararating nang sapat ang oras upang makakilos sila,” ani Legarda.
Kabilang din sa kanyang mga panukala ang Senate Bill No. 519 o National Coastal Greenbelt Act, na naglalayong palakasin ang mga coastal ecosystem bilang natural na proteksiyon laban sa mga panganib; Senate Bill No. 790 o Magna Carta for Public Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Workers, na nagbibigay ng mas matibay na proteksiyon sa mga disaster personnel; at Senate Bill No. 520 o Calamity Work Compensation Act, na naglalayong magbigay ng karagdagang kompensasyon sa mga empleyado sa pribadong sektor na kinakailangang magtrabaho sa panahon ng idineklarang kalamidad at emergency alert.
Para kay Legarda, ang tunay na sukatan ng katatagan ng bansa ay hindi lamang kung gaano kabilis makapagbibigay ng ayuda o makapagsisimula ng rehabilitasyon matapos ang sakuna, kundi kung gaano karaming pamilya ang naililigtas mula sa pinsalang maaari namang maiwasan.
“Dapat nating masabi sa isang pamilya na mas ligtas na ang lugar na kanilang tinitirhan, at hindi lamang na may darating na tulong matapos ang sakuna. Ang dapat nating hangarin ay mas kaunting tahanang nasisira, mas kaunting pamilyang napipilitang lumikas, at mas kaunting Pilipinong kailangang magsimula muli mula sa wala,” pagtatapos ni Legarda.