JMJ MARIST BROTHERS

NOTRE DAME OF DADIANGAS UNIVERSITY

REPUBLIC ACT 10121

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT (DRRM) ACT OF 2010

A Research Paper

Presented to
Dr. Remus V. Villavicencio, DPA
Notre Dame of Kidapawan College,
Kidapawan City

By

James Domini L. Labiano

Second Semester

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I. Describe in general, principles and scope of the law.

Republic Act No. 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management Act of 2010 (DRRM Act) is a law which transforms the Philippines’

disaster management system from disaster relief and response towards disaster

risk reduction (DRR). It was approved on May 27, 2010. It repealed Presidential

Decree No. 1566 which was enacted way back in 1978.

Under the old law (P.D. 1566), disaster management centered only around

the hazard and the impacts of a disaster. It assumed that disasters cannot be

avoided. Most of the plans were on the provision of relief goods and infrastructures

like dikes an flood control systems. The government’s response to disaster was

focused on disaster response. The national and local governments were reactive to

disasters.

Development will remain backwards if this continued. The DRRM Act comes at a

time when the Philippines grapples for answers to the ever increasing risk of its

people to disasters, particularly in the face of intensified global climate change.

We need a more proactive approach to managing disaster risks. The DRRM

Act transforms and reforms the way we deal with disasters. We now recognize that

impacts of disasters can be reduced by addressing the root cause of disaster risks.

The government shifts its focus from disaster response to disaster risk reduction

(DRR). This puts more emphasis on strengthening people’s capacity to absorb

stress, maintain basic functions during a disaster and bounce back better from

disasters.

The DRRM Act institutionalizes the best practices of local communities

which have been implementing effective DRMM in their respective areas.

The DRRM Act provides a responsive and proactive manner of addressing disasters

through a framework that:

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  Prioritizes on community level DRRM focusing on the most vulnerable

sectors (i.e., the poor, the sick, people with disabilities, the elderly, women

and children)

 Recognizes the important role and strengthens capacities of local

communities

 Ensures broad‐based and greater participation from Civil Society

 Addresses root causes of disaster risks

The DRRM Act adopts and adheres to principles & strategies consistent with

the international standards set by the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). The HFA

is a comprehensive, action‐oriented response to international concern about the

growing impacts of disasters on individuals, communities & national development.

The HFA was developed following the tsunami in 2004 which claimed more than

200,000 lives and massively damaged properties and the environment. This

emphasized the need for a paradigm shift from disaster response to disaster risk

reduction (DRR).

The HFA was formulated and adopted by 168 governments at the World

Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan in 2005.

It is aimed at building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters, and

reducing vulnerabilities and risks to hazards. On September 14, 2009, the

Philippine Senate ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and

Emergency Response (AADMER) which is ASEAN’s affirmation of its commitment to

the HFA.

What are the salient features of the DRRM Act?

 Coherence with international framework

 Adherence to universal norms, principles, and standards of humanitarian

assistance

 Good governance through transparency and accountability

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  Strengthened institutional mechanism for DRRM

 Integrated, coordinated, multi‐sectoral, inter‐agency, and community‐based

approach to disaster risk reduction

 Empowerment of local government units (LGUs) and civil society

organizations (CSOs) as key partners in disaster risk reduction

 Integration of the DRRM into the educational system

 Establishment of the DRRM Fund

 (DRRMF) at the national and local levels

 Providing for provisions on the declaration of a state of calamity, remedial

measures, prohibited acts and penalties

Who are involved in DRRM as mandated in the DRRM Act?

National government. The different government departments and agencies

with responsibilities related to DRRM are constituted as members of the National

DRRM Council (NDRRMC) to ensure consistency in the DRRM policies, plans and

programs of the government (Sec. 5).

Local government units (LGU). LGUs are considered as the front liners and

“first responders” in every disaster event (Sec. 15). They take the lead in preparing

for, responding to, and recovering from the effects of any disaster.

Civil society organizations (CSO), the private sector and volunteers. Civil

society organizations and the private sector play key formal and informal roles in

effective DRRM. They complement and enhance the government’s resources and

efforts in implementing an effective DRRM. Their participation and involvement in

all aspects of DRRM from planning to implementation is ensured through their

membership at all levels of governance (Sec. 2.d; Sec. 5.hh & ii; Sec. 11.a.17 & 18;

and Sec. 12.d) and through an accreditation process (Sec. 13). Examples of CSOs

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are cooperatives, peoples organizations, neighborhood associations, non‐

government organizations, church‐based organizations and academic institutions.

Communities, including the most vulnerable sectors, are both disaster

victims and agents of change. It is crucial to strengthen, institutionalize and scale

up the skills, knowledge and innovative practices that they have initiated and

sustained in DRRM. Their active and substantive participation at all levels of

DRRM coordination is recognized since they are most familiar with their situation.

They themselves shall determine which approach is most appropriate for them

(Sec. 2.d and Sec. 12.d).

II. Who are the primary agencies that compose the disaster risk

reduction and management council both national and local

government? How are they organized? What are their roles in the

council?

A. National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is a

multi‐sectoral body composed of the heads of the different executive departments of

government, government institutions, local government associations, civil society

organizations, and the private sector. It shall oversee the DRRM system in the

Philippines. The NDRRMC council is chaired by the Department of National

Defense and Vice Chaired by four (4) Departments each covering the four (4)

thematic areas namely; (1) Disaster Prevention and Mitigation; (2) Disaster

Preparedness; (3) Disaster Response; and (4) Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery.

 Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND) – Chairperson

He may call upon other instrumentalities or entities of the

government and nongovernment and civic organizations for assistance in

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 terms of the use of their facilities and resources for the protection and

preservation of life and properties in the whole range of disaster risk

reduction and management.

This authority includes the power to call on the reserve force (citizen

armed force) to assist in relief and rescue during disasters and calamities.

 Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government

Responsible agency to establish and strengthen capacities of

communities to anticipate, cope and recover from the negative impacts of

emergency occurrences and disasters and to deliver the following outcomes;

1. Increased level of awareness and enhanced capacity of the community to

the threats and impacts of all hazards.

2. Communities are equipped with necessary skills and capability to cope

with the impacts of disasters.

3. Increased DRRM and CCA capacity of Local DRRM Councils, Offices and

Operation Centers at all levels.

4. Developed and implemented comprehensive national and local

preparedness and response policies, plans, and systems.

5. Strengthened partnership and coordination among all key players and

stakeholders.

 Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

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 Responsible agency to provide life preservation and meet the basic

subsistence needs of affected population based on acceptable standards

during or immediately after a disaster and to deliver the following outcomes;

1. Well-established disaster response operations.

2. Adequate and prompt assessment of needs and damages at all levels.

3. Integrated and coordinated Search, Rescue and Retrieval (SRR) capacity.

4. Safe and timely evacuation of affected communities.

5. Temporary shelter needs adequately addressed.

6. Basic social services provided to affected population (whether inside or

outside evacuation centers).

7. Psychosocial needs of directly and indirectly affected population

addressed.

8. Coordinated, integrated system for early recovery implemented.

 Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)

Responsible Agency to protect the community and avoid hazards and

mitigate their potential impacts by reducing vulnerabilities and exposure and

enhancing capacities of communities and to deliver the following outcomes;

1. DRRM and CCA mainstreamed and integrated in national, sectoral,

regional and local development policies, plans and budget.

2. DRRM and CCA-sensitive environmental management.

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 3. Increased resiliency of infrastructure systems.

4. Enhanced and effective community-based scientific DRRM and CCA

assessment, mapping, analysis and monitoring.

5. Communities access to effective and applicable disaster risk financing and

insurance.

6. End-to=end monitoring (monitoring and response), forecasting and early

warning systems are established and/or improved.

 Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority

Responsible Agency to restore and improve facilities, livelihood and

living conditions and organizational capacities of affected communities, and

reduced disaster risks in accordance with the “building back better”

principle and to deliver the following outcome;

1. Damages, losses and needs assessed.

2. Economic activities restored, and if possible strengthened or expanded.

3. Agency to be determined based on the affected sectors.

4. Houses rebuilt or repaired to be more resilient to hazard events; safer

sites for housing.

5.Disaster and climate change-resilient infrastructure

constructed/reconstructed.

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 6. A psychologically sound, safe and secure citizenry that is protected from

the effects of disasters is able to restore to normal functioning after each

disaster.

B. Local DRRM Councils (LDRRMC) The Local DRRM Councils are found at the

provincial, city, and municipal levels. The Barangay Development Council (BDC) shall

assume the powers and functions of the council at the barangay level. The LDRRMC is

composed of multi‐sectoral and multi‐agency members. LDRRMCs oversee the

implementation of the Local DRRM Plans (LDRRMPs) formulated by Local DRRM Offices

(LDRRMOs) (Sec. 11) The LDRRMC council is chaired by the Governor or Mayor and

Vice Chaired by four (4) Departments Heads of the Provincial or City/Municipal

Offices each covering the four (4) thematic areas namely; (1) Disaster Prevention

and Mitigation; (2) Disaster Preparedness; (3) Disaster Response; and (4) Disaster

Rehabilitation and Recovery.

In the case of the Province of Cotabato, the Provincial Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management Council is chaired by the Governor, Vice chaired by

the Provincial DILG for Disaster Preparedness; Vice chaired by the Provincial

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division for Disaster Prevention and

Mitigation; Vice chaired by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office for

Disaster Response; and Vice chaired by the Provincial Planning and Development

Office for Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery. Their roles are the same with the

roles of the NDRRMC vice chairperson.

III. What are the important components of an effective disaster risk reduction

and management plan?

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 An effective Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (LDRRMP)

should always follow the roadmap of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management Plan (NDRRMP). It should correspond to the four (4) Priority Areas

which correspond to the structure of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and

Managemnt Council (NDRRMC), namely a vice-chairperson for (1) disaster

prevention and mitigation ; (2) disaster preparedness; (3) disaster response; and (4)

rehabilitation and recovery.

All Priority Area sub-goals leads to the overall goal/vision of disaster risk

reduction and management which is “safer, adaptive and disaster-resilient

Filipino communities toward sustainable development.”

The LDRRMP should follow the NDDRMP goals, this are to be achieved until

2028 through 14 objectives, 24 outcomes, 56 outputs, 93 activities.The plan details

lead agencies, implementing partners and timelines under each of the four distinct

yet mutually reinforcing Priority Areas. The long-term goals targetted by the Priority

Areas leads to the attaining the country’s overall DRRM vision. It is structuredas

follows:

I. Risk profile and state of DRRM in the Philippines

II. Development policies, challenges and opportunities

III. The National DRRM Plan Priority areas and long term goals

Priority projects

Cross-cutting concerns

General considerations and planning assumptions

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 Timelines

Implementing strategies and mechanisms

Agency leads and implementing partners

Resource mobilization

Monitoring, evaluation and learning

IV. Annexes (HFA, PDP, NCCACP, Development of the NDRRMP, Detailed

NDRRMP)

The plan should have the following highlights;

 The need for institutionalizing DRRM policies, structures, coordination

mechanisms and programs with continuing budget appropriation on DRR

from national down to local levels. Thus, several activities will strengthen the

capacity of the personnel of national government and the local government

units (LGUs) and partner stakeholders, build the disaster resilience of

communities and institutionalize arrangements and measures for reducing

disaster risks including projected climate risks.

 The importance of mainstreaming DRRM and CCA in the development

processes such as policy formulation, socioeconoimc development planning,

budgeting and governance particularly in the area of environment,

agriculture, water, energy, health, education, poverty reduction, land-use

and urban planning and public infrastructure and housing among others.

This is achieved through activities such as development of common tools to

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 analyze the various hazards and vulnerability factors which put

communities and people into harms way.

 Competency and science-based capacity building activities alongside the

nurturing of continuous learning through knowledge development and

management of good DRRM practices on the ground.

 The inclusion of human-induced disasters that result in internally displaced

persons, public anxiety, loss of lives, destruction of property and sometimes

socio-political stability. Encompassing conflict resolution approaches, the

plan seeks to mainstream DRRM into the peace process.

 It emphasizes gender-responsive and rights-based sustainable development.

IV. State your reaction about the law. What are its strong and weak points?

What measures or amendment should be done to make it responsive to local

situation?

Our current disaster law, the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management Act of 2010 (Republic Act 10121), paved the way for reforms by

shifting our disaster framework from one of relief and response to one of risk

reduction and management. This created a proactive, as opposed to a reactive,

approach to disasters.

RA 10121 created the National DRRM Council (NDRRMC) to address the

needs its predecessor, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), was ill

equipped to meet. Moreover, recognizing the changing face of disasters and the way

they must be managed, RA 10121 provided a mechanism of self-review.

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 The law calls for an evaluation of its provisions every 5 years to gauge its

effectivity and identify areas that could be improved through amendment. Towards

this end, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), as administrator of the country’s DRRM

program, has led consultations with various groups to identify key areas for

improvement. With the assistance of the United Nations Development Programm,

the OCD has been conducting policy writeshops with representatives of various

government agencies, CSOs, and the private sector.

According to the Ateneo School of Government, the representative of

academe and independent research institutes, is one of 4 CSO members of the

NDRRMC. They have been engaging with policymakers in the ongoing sunset

review of RA 10121.

They summarize the most critical issues that they, and other stakeholders

engaged in the review process, believe the amendment should cover:

1. The creation of an independent DRRM organization with sufficient powers to

fulfill its mandate.

A truly effective system requires clear leadership and accountability

mechanisms. We have repeatedly advocated the creation of an independent,

standalone disaster management organization charged with overseeing a unified

strategy to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural and human-

induced disasters. We need a single organization (whether an agency or authority)

with whom the proverbial buck stops. More importantly, this organization should

have access to sufficient funds, manpower, and resources to allow it to fulfill its

mandate.

2. The promulgation of clear guidelines on the use of the country’s national and

local DRRM funds.

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 Many LGU officials are unclear on how they can access these funds, and

when. The Commission on Audit has found a huge divergence in the understanding

of what initiatives constitute acceptable programs within the various thematic

areas (prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery and

rehabilitation). This misunderstanding is a critical gap, since LGUs are the first

responders during disasters, and their inability to use funds before the occurrence

of hazards increases the risk that disasters will ensue.

To address this gap, the proposed bill mandates the establishment of clear

guidelines on the sources and use of DRRM funds, both national and local.

Improved fiscal management will enable disaster managers and, equally important,

the public, to understand what happens to DRRM funds allocated from the

national budget, as well as from donations of other governments, international and

intergovernmental organizations, CSOs, and the private sector.

In line with the proposed structural reorganization, the Authority should have the

power to monitor and manage the funds allocated for DRRM, whether from the

government or from external sources. Appointing the Authority to manage these

DRRM funds also establishes a clear line of accountability for their proper

disbursement and expenditure.

3. The establishment of comprehensive risk insurance and risk transfer

mechanisms.

With billions lost from each disaster, one pillar of an effective DRRM

program is the creation of a risk insurance and risk transfer mechanism.

This mechanism will allow micro, small and medium enterprises to get back on

their feet after the occurrence of hazards, despite the loss of resources required to

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continue their business operations. This, coupled with the creation of business

continuity plans, will increase the resiliency of community members and reduce

their dependence on external aid after a hazard disrupts their livelihood.

4. The full implementation of the law at the local levels.

Another key issue plaguing the current DRRM system has been its inability

to create functional DRRM offices at the levels of provinces, cities, municipalities,

and barangays. A strategic area for intervention is thus the full implementation of

the law at every local level.

This includes fully staffing DRRM offices at the regional and all local levels through

the creation of sufficient plantilla positions. Institutionalizing these positions will

insulate local disaster managers from partisan politics and ensure the continuity of

DRRM programs at the local level, despite frequent changes of local chief executives

following their terms of office. Having permanent staff will also guarantee that the

pool of personnel trained in DRRM will not be replaced with less able people with

every change in local administration.

A promising innovation in the proposed bill is the imposition of penal provisions for

the failure to implement the law, and the creation of a Public Assistance and

Complaints Office to help citizens aggrieved by the inaction or mismanagement of

local officials during disasters. These measures should provide the impetus to

implement the law fully. However, we note that this full localization should be

supported by the provision of necessary resources by the national government.

References

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DRR Knowledge Center, The Online Library for the Philippine Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management

https://www.rappler.com/thought-leaders/112048-reform-ph-disaster-law

http://ndcc.gov.ph/attachments/095_IRR.pdf  

http://www.senate.gov.ph/republic_acts/ra%2010121.pdf  

https://wydrr.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/drr-and-ra-10121.ppt

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