CLARK FREEPORT – Senate President Franklin Drilon proposed here yesterday transforming the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) into a fullfledged department.
“To ensure that our development initiatives are sustainable, we must incorporate disaster risk reduction in our development policies and in every part of our society,” said Drilon in his speech before the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) here.
He said “we can explore the idea of transforming the existing NDRRMC from a coordinating body to a more permanent structure or even a full-fledged department with full-time staff and experts in various fields.”
“We need to come up with geohazards maps of all areas in the country to determine which areas are at risk from typhoons, landslides, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. We cannot afford to be reactive when it comes to disasters,” he stressed.
Drilon said that fully coping with natural disasters was “a tall order because it involves not just decreasing our people’s vulnerability to adverse weather conditions, but also ensuring the judicious management of land and environment.”
Pointing out that “good governance is essential to disaster management,” Drilon said “good governance can only take hold if these conditions are present: first, government is serious and sincere in instituting reforms; second, citizens are actively checking and evaluating government activities and holding those in positions of power accountable; third, a free and independent media.”
