Loren to PNoy: Launch the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan Now

FOLLOWING THE DEVASTATION BROUGHT BY TYPHOON SENDONG, SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA TODAY CALLED ON PRESIDENT BENIGNO AQUINO III TO IMMEDIATELY LAUNCH THE NATIONAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN (NDRRMP).
Legarda, the UNISDR Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Asia Pacific, said that “under Republic Act 10121 or the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, a comprehensive NDRRMP should be developed and implemented.”
“With the more destructive disasters that have come before us, it is high time that the NDRRMP be immediately launched as this outlines the specific strategies to reduce disaster risks,” she added.
According to the DRRM Law, the NDRRMP must provide for the identification of hazards, vulnerabilities and risks to be managed at the national level; disaster risk reduction and management approaches and strategies to be applied managing said hazards and risks; agency roles, responsibilities and lines of authority at all government levels; and vertical and horizontal coordination of disaster risk reduction and management in the pre-disaster and post-disaster phases.
“As envisioned in the law, this National Plan will guide the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive and integrated local disaster risk reduction and management plans (LDRRMP). Without a national disaster prevention plan rolled out at full speed, cities and municipalities will be unprepared and repeatedly battered by unexpected disasters,” the Senator stressed.
Legarda added that LGUs must ensure that their development plans can withstand the impact of worsening disasters and climate change.
“Climate change is a clear and present danger. It is a national security concern. Demanding immediate government action to address its impact is the very least we can do in remembrance of the Mindanao flashflood victims who would have hopefully issued a wake-up call for everyone,” the Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change pointed out.
“I hope this painful experience will help us move forward and submit to the discipline of disaster and climate risk-sensitive national and local development planning,” Legarda concluded.