The role of LGUs, local

councils during disasters

Local government units are expected to be at the frontline of emergency
measures in the aftermath of disasters, according to the 1991 Local Government
Code

Michael Bueza
@mikebueza
Published 1:55 PM, December 06, 2014
Updated 1:56 PM, December 06, 2014

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MANILA, Philippines When a disaster hits the country, its not always the
national government that acts first.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council(NDRRMC) is

tasked to come up with a framework for disaster risk reduction and management
(DRRM), as well as supervise preparations for, and responses to, natural
calamities and human-induced disasters.
However, local government units (LGUs) are expected to be at the frontline of
emergency measures in the aftermath of disasters to ensure the general welfare
of its constituents, according to the Local Government Code of 1991.
As first responders, they should be proactive in performing disaster-related
activities, from preemptive evacuation to the restoration of people's livelihood.
Every LGU should also create a Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Plan (LDRRMP) covering 4 aspects of DRRM as specified in NDRRMC's
framework, namely: disaster preparedness, response, prevention and mitigation,
and rehabilitation and recovery.
These LDRRMPs should be consistent with the National DRRM Plan, and be
implemented by Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices in every
province, city and municipality in the country.
Republic Act 10121, the enabling law of NDRRMC, also provides for local DRRM
councils, and specifies levels of coordination between NDRRMC and the local
councils. The workflow and coordination is supposed to ensure and facilitate
quick response before, during, and after disaster situations.
Read more about the roles of local officials and the function and composition of
the local DRRM councils below.

 Roles of local government officials during disasters

Provincial Governors and City/Municipal Mayors

Carry out such emergency measures as may be necessary during, and in
the aftermath of, man-made and natural disasters and calamities
Submit a report when unexpected events and situations arise at any time
during the year, particularly when man-made or natural disasters or
calamities affect the general welfare of the city, province, region or country

Provincial and City/Municipal Councils

Provide relief services and assistance for victims during and in the
aftermath of said disasters or calamities and their return to productive
livelihood following said events;
Adopt measures to protect the inhabitants of the city from the harmful
effects of man-made or natural disasters and calamities

Other Local Officials

Be at the frontline of delivery of services related to their line of work,
particularly during, and in the aftermath of, man-made disasters and
natural calamities

Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRM Fund)

Local government units (LGUs) should set aside at least 5% of their

estimated revenue from regular sources as LDRRM Fund to support predisaster preparedness programs and post-disaster activities
30% of the LDRRM Fund is allocated as Quick Response Fund (QRF) or
stand-by fund for relief and recovery programs
LDRRM Fund can be transferred to other LDRRMCs put under a state of
calamity upon recommendation of the local disaster risk reduction and
management office

 Unexpended LDRRM Fund shall accrue to a Special Trust Fund for

LDRRMC activities within the next 5 years
Any Special Trust Fund unutilized after 5 years shall revert back to the
LGU's general fund

Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs)

Functions:
Approve, monitor and evaluate the implementation of local DRRM plans
Annually review, test and develop the local DRRM plans, consistent with
other national and local planning programs
Ensure the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change
adaptation into local development plans, programs and budgets as a
strategy in sustainable development and poverty reduction
Recommend the implementation of forced or preemptive evacuation of
local residents, if necessary
Notes:
LGUs have the primary responsibility as first disaster responders
Private sector and civil society groups shall work with NDRRMC and
concerned local DRRMCs

 Coordination between NDRRMC and local councils

The following take the lead in certain scenarios:
Barangay Development Council, if one barangay is affected by a natural
calamity or human-induced disaster
City/Municipal DRRMC, if 2 or more barangays are affected
Provincial DRRMC, if 2 or more cities/municipalities are affected
Regional DRRMC, if 2 or more provinces are affected
NDRRMC, if 2 or more regions are affected

Composition of local councils

Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)
Regions I to XII, CAR
and CARAGA

Chairperson:Region
al Director of the
Office of Civil Defense
(OCD) under the
Department of
National Defense

Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM)

Chairperson:ARM

Metro Manila

M Governor

Vice
Chairpersons:Regi
onal directors of

Chairperson: Chairm
an of the Metro Manila
Development Authority
(MMDA)

Vice

(DND)

Vice
Chairpersons:Regio
nal Directors of the
Department of Social
Welfare and
Development
(DSWD), Department
of the Interior and
Local Government
(DILG), Department of
Science and
Technology (DOST)
and the National
Economic and
Development
Authority (NEDA)

Members:Executives

DSWD, DILG and

DOST, and the
executive director of
the Regional Planning
and Development
Office (RPDO)

Chairperson: OCD
Regional Director,
National Capital Region
(NCR)

Members:
o Executives of
MMDA
departments/offi
ces/field stations
operating in
NCR
o All other
national
government
agencies
operating in
NCR

of regional offices and

regional field stations
of the government
agencies that are
members of NDRRMC

Provincial/City/Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Council

Not limited to the following:

 Chairperson: Local chief executive (Governor or Mayor)

Members:
o Local Planning and Development Officer
o Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer
o Local social welfare and development officer
o Local health officer
o Local agriculture officer
o Local gender and development officer
o Local engineering officer
o Local veterinary officer
o Local budget officer
o Division Head/Schools Superintendent/District Supervisor of the
DepEd
o Highest-ranking officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
in the area
o Provincial/City Director or Component City/Municipal Chief of the
Philippine National Police (PNP)
o Provincial Director or City/Municipal Fire Marshall of the Bureau of
Fire Protection (BFP)
o President, Liga ng mga Barangay
o Representative of the Philippine Red Cross

o Four (4) accredited civil service organizations (CSOs)

o One (1) private sector representative
o Optional Members:
o Provincial Director or City/Municipal officer of the DILG and the
DENR
o Local official of the Philippine Coast Guard or Philippine Forest
Guard
o A representative of the Sangguniang Bayan or Lungsod (city or
municipal council)

Barangay Development Council (BDC)

Chairperson: Barangay captain
Members:
o the Sangguniang Barangay (barangay council)
o representatives of NGOs operating in the barangay (they will
constitute not less than of the whole barangay council
o a representative of the Congressman of the legislative district where
the barangay is situated

Rappler.com
Sources: Republic Act 10121, Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA
10121, Local Government Code of 1991
Do you have any interesting, intelligent, incredible, or even insane and inane
questions in mind? Email us at [email protected], and let Rappler IQ
provide the answers.

Filed under:#YolandaPHDRRMHaiyanLGURepublic Act 10121disaster risk reduction and

managementdisastersgovernancelocal governmenttyphoon YolandaYolanda

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#PROJECTAGOS

LGUs, NGOs unite for

disaster risk reduction
5 years after the Philippine DRRM Act of 2010 was enacted, the country still has
a lot of gaps that need to be addressed
Anthony Badoy Mondragon
Published 5:00 PM, March 30, 2015
Updated 5:00 PM, March 30, 2015

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COOPERATION. LGUs and CSOs listen attentively to the discussion of DRRM strategies. Photo by
Darlene Joy Calsado

MANILA, Philippines Local government units (LGUs) and civil society

organizations (CSOs) representatives unite for an improved Disaster Risk
Reduction Management (DRRM).
Both sectors agreed that the country still has a lot of specific needs and gaps that
need to be addressed, in spite of Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine DRRM Act
of 2010.

Cooperation
A series of roundtable discussions (RTD) were organized across different
regions, with the aim to increase resilience of high-risk communities.
In Western Visayas, representatives from the Provinces of Antique and Iloilo,
alongside representatives from the Philippines Visayas Foundation, Inc. (UPVFI),

Christian Aid and the Iloilo Code of NGOs (I-CODE) came together to discuss
effective was to prepare and respond to disasters.
This RTD is one of the component activities of the Scaling-up Resilience in
Governance (SURGE) project. It is the fourth in a series of roundtable
discussions with two already held in the CARAGA region and one in the Davao
region.
It extends inclusive community-based disaster risk reduction (ICBDRR) to more
communities and advocates improvements in disaster risk management policies
and practices.
A regional launch for Western Visayas and press conference preceded the RTD
where Ma. Aletha Nogra of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region VI, Prof.
Jorge Ebay of UPVFI and Alvic Padilla of Christian Aid fielded questions from the
media.
In our experience in typhoon Yolanda, we really need more partners to advance
DRRM in saving lives and minimizing damage to properties, said Nogra.
SURGE doesnt have a component on post-disaster but it hopes to make
communities better prepared to respond to that, added Padilla.

Policy
The first resource speaker was Malu Felizar Cagay, Vice Chairperson of the
Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network (ADDN) who discussed an
overview of RA 10121 since its implementation in 2010.
RA 10121, which was signed and approved by former President and now
Pampanga Representative Gloria MacapagalArroyo on May 27, 2010, was put
into effect on June 24, 2010 after 14 years in the making.

Ven Paolo Valenzuela of the Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP) presented
the session From Sunset Review to Sendai focusing on the overview of the
regional and international policy processes on DRR.
He also focused on the 3rd World Conference on DRR (WCDRR) held on March
14 18, 2015 in Sendai, Japan. The WCDRR was an opportunity to review the
Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005 2015 and inform a post-2015
framework with lessons from local lived experiences especially those from the
Philippines and a more coherent link to the post-2015 climate deal to be
negotiated this December in Paris and post-2015 Millenium Development Goals
(MDGs) to be ratified come September this year. In addition, the second phase of
HFA ratified in Sendai two weeks ago aimed to have signatory countries commit
to more inclusive DRR practices.
HFA was formulated after world leaders committed to pay attention and take
action in reducing disaster risk, and adopted guidelines to reduce vulnerabilities
to natural hazards. It assists the efforts of nations and communities to become
more resilient to, and cope better with, the hazards that threaten their
development gains.
Learning from the lessons of the Bandah Aceh tsunami which devastated
Indonesia in 2004, HFA is a global blueprint for disaster risk reduction efforts with
a 10-year plan, adopted in January 2005 in Hyogo, Japan by 168 governments at
the World Conference on Disaster Reduction.
Ebay also presented UPVFIs Rehabilitation for Island Sustainability and
Empowerment (RISE) project in the island communities of Carles. He focused on
the peculiar vulnerabilities and hazards by geographically isolated and depressed
areas (GIDA) and how CBDRR contributes to building resilience in the case of
the Gigantes islands.

Preparation for Sendai

Areno thanked the LGU partners who are providing good policy support to
communities most especially those who are here from Antique and Iloilo both
covered by Christian Aid and other non-Christian Aid areas.
We hope that the inputs that were derived in this two-day workshop will be able
to put forward to elevate these concerns and bring forth to the attention of our
PRMCs who are also present here so that we can be able to come up with good
policy agenda and communication messages that will be used in the future, he
said.
Thank you also for the opportunity for us to prepare for the coming Sendai premeetings and probably we can participate in that event so that our voices will be
heard also in the global level, he added. Rappler.com