The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management System in the Philippines

Philippines is one of the world’s most disaster prone nations because it is located in the pacific
ring of fire. Earthquakes and typhoons are common, dealing great damages to the country
every year. Aside from natural causes, there are also human-induced causes (1). These are
brought by climate change and substandard buildings and infrastructures. Being a third world
country, most of the Filipino people are living in poverty, making them vulnerable and more
exposed to hazards of disasters. In order to prevent such tragedies, the Philippine government
created a Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) framework. This will provide a common
direction towards addressing root causes of vulnerability to help reduce and manage the risks
of disasters (2). In 2010, the Republic Act No. (RA) 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (DRRM Act) was passed. This transformed the DRRM
framework of the country from disaster response and anticipation towards an approach that
reduces disaster risks (3). The national government, local government units (LGUs), civil society
organizations, the private sector and volunteers, and the communities are involved in DRRM as
mandated in the DRRM Act. Lastly, the implementation of the DRMM Act strengthen through
its DRRM Council from the national level down to the barangay level.

Existing DRRM legislations in the Philippines

For more than two decades, the National Disaster Risk Reduction System in the Philippines was
known as the Philippine’s Disaster Management System (DMS) before it was transformed
through the DRRM Act if 2010. It is governed by Presidential Decree (PD) 1566 issued on June
11, 1978, “Strengthening the Philippine Disaster Control, Capability and Establishing the
National Program on Community Disaster Preparedness”. The decree created the National
Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) as the highest policy-making coordinating and supervising
body for disaster management. The council consists of 17 members whereas It also appointed
the Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND) as the chairperson of the council.
The prevailing framework for DMS under this executive order is called as the “traditional
approach” where the government response is focused on emergency relief measures (5).
However, this approach focuses on the rehabilitation of the properties damaged instead of
mitigating the impact of disaster risks.

The existing legislation on DRRM of the Philippines clearly lacks on the need to reduce and
manage disaster risks because of the country’s geographical location and socio-economic and
political situation (6). A new law was needed to transform the country’s DRRM that addresses
the lacking of the presidential decree. In May 27, 2010, DRRM Act was approved and it focuses
to disaster prevention and risk reduction through the emphasis of addressing the root cause of
disaster risks to reduce the impact of disasters. This law adopted and adhered to the principle &
strategies of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). The HFA was the global blueprint for
disaster risk reduction efforts between 2005-2015 to reduce the loss of lives and assets (7).
With this, the DRRM Act aims to mainstream the importance of mainstreaming disaster risks
reduction in policies, programs, and plans and to put emphasis on strengthening the people’s
resiliency during and after disasters strike (8). This ensures the institutionalizing NDRRM
practices from the national level down to the barangay level, showing the importance of mutual
cooperation of those government, organization, and the people themselves in order for the
people to bounce back from the disasters.