Poe renews call for creation of Department of Disaster Resilience following series of calamities

Senator Grace Poe on Wednesday renewed her call for the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) following the series of calamities that hit the Philippines.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Poe pointed out that the DDR will not depend on resilience alone but on proactive measures to mitigate the impact of disasters.

“Kaya nga itong departamento na matagal ko nang sinasabi sana ay ipasa na,” said Poe, who filed Senate Bill No. 124 or the proposed "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System Act".

In 2020, the Philippines experienced strong magnitude earthquakes, destructive volcanic activity, and recently, powerful weather disturbances.

“Ang problema natin hindi lamang sa pagtugon kundi lalong-lalo na sa pag-agap,” Poe said.

“Ang problema nga nito ang mismong nasa gobyerno. Halimbawa, ‘yung pagpapakawala ng tubig sa dam na wala man lang tamang abiso ang gumawa pa ng malaking trahedya,” she added.

During the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses, Angat and Magat Dams have released water, which contributed to the flooding in nearby areas.

Poe said the DDR will also work on designation of officials and implementation of protocols.

For the senator, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council is only a coordination of different departments, which already have loads of responsibility in their own agencies.

“Siyempre, hati ‘yung atensyon nila,” she said.

“Ang nangyayari ngayon, parang walang katawan ang ulo. Inaasahan natin ang NDRRMC ang gagawa ng trabaho pero wala silang dating dahil hindi sila departamento,” she added.

According to Poe, she has been lobbying for the creation of DDR for around three years already.

She acknowledged the suggestion of her colleagues to abolish first a department before creating a new one, considering the availability of funding from the national budget.

For example, she said the Department of Agrarian Reform can be abolished and be absorbed by the Department of Agriculture.

“Mas kailangan natin ang disaster reduction ngayon,” she pointed out.

Senators Franklin Drilon and Panfilo Lacson earlier opposed the proposal to establish the DDR, citing impracticability and possible lack of funding.

The House of Representatives has already approved on third and final reading a similar measure back in September.

Albay Representative Joey Salceda, one of the main authors of the House's version of the bill, dismissed the senators’ concerns, saying that its goal is to institutionalize disaster preparedness and response.

Vice President Leni Robredo said the proposed creation of the DDR should be studied first to ensure that it will not just duplicate the functions of the NDRRMC.—AOL, GMA News