MANILA – Malacañang said Tuesday the newly-created Disaster Response and Crisis Management Task Force (DRCMTF) would fill in the gap in the disaster response framework of the Philippines, which lacks a single entity solely focused on and dedicated to disaster preparedness and response.
In a statement issued by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the new task force would have the same functions as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the United States, which consolidates emergency preparedness, civil defense, and mitigation and disaster response activities, among others.
Marcos signed Executive Order 24 on April 30 creating the Disaster Response and Crisis Management Task Force to ensure a "clear unity of command to lead the government's efforts in confronting challenges brought about by natural disasters through evidence-driven and science-based approach in crisis management."
The task force shall consist of the Office of the Executive Secretary, the departments of national defense, interior and local government, social welfare, health, trade and industry, science and technology, public works, and transportation, as well as the Office of Civil Defense.
"The EO is also a mere transition mechanism while waiting for the passage of a law that will create a permanent agency with similar functions of the FEMA of the US," the PCO said.
The PCO explained that a task force is created rather than an office as it would require an evaluation and approval by the Department of Budget and Management, or a full-blown agency, which necessitates the enactment of a law.
It said the DRCMTF would harness the core competencies of the member agencies, including their built-in Quick Response Funds (QRFs), thus averting the creation of a new office, which would be "duplicative and inconsistent with the right-sizing policy of the administration."
The PCO said the task force would also lead the integrated disaster preparedness and response efforts of the national government and promptly deliver accessible and coordinated assistance programs to the affected communities.
The task force will also be responsible for convening the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to recommend the declaration and the lifting of a state of calamity, as well as the disbursement of the council’s fund.
Aside from integrating government efforts, a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach to crisis management shall be adopted.
A calibrated and graduated national disaster mobilization system, including a pre-disaster risk assessment (PDRA) as a decision-making tool, is also part of the functions of the DRCMTF, the PCO pointed out.
The PDRA is a process to evaluate a hazard’s level of risk given the degree of exposure and vulnerability in a specific area.
The PCO said the task force will also organize Quick Response Groups (QRGs) that can be deployed during, in advance, or in anticipation of the imminent impact of a disaster, in support of regional and local disaster risk reduction and management councils (DRRMCs).
Under the EO, the President shall designate the task force’s chairperson and vice chairperson from among its members, with the member agencies also designating senior officials to act as their representatives to the task force.
The DRCMTF will be placed under the Office of the President.
The PCO said the chairperson would serve as the overall manager and lead coordinator on the disaster preparedness and response efforts of national government agencies and instrumentalities, especially in the affected areas, as well as to ensure the implementation of presidential orders and directives related to disaster risk reduction and management.
The chairperson is also authorized to call upon any government agency or instrumentality for support and assistance in the performance of his/her functions under EO 24, and shall have a direct line to the President, especially during disasters, natural calamities, and other contingencies that may require prompt and timely coordination.
According to the EO, the funding shall be sourced from existing appropriations of the member agencies of the task force, as may be applicable, the contingent fund, and other funding sources identified by the Department of Budget and Management.
The PCO said only the first pillar function of the NDRRMC, which is disaster prevention and mitigation, would be left with the council with the creation of the DRCMTF.
EO 120 (s. 2020) on the other hand, was repealed to revert the disaster rehabilitation and recovery functions from the Build Back Better Task Force to the NDRRMC, as well as avoid confusion as to the mandate of the NDRRMC. (PNA)
