Senate Approves Bill on State of Imminent Disaster
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill No. 2999, known as the Act Establishing a Mechanism on the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster, with a 21-0-0 vote on June 9. This bill aims to bridge the gap between disaster preparedness and disaster response.
Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada authored and sponsored the bill, with co-authors Senators Pia Cayetano, Joel Villanueva, and Majority Leader Francis “Tol” Tolentino supporting the measure. Local leaders noted the urgency of the legislation given the Philippines’ ranking as the highest disaster-risk country among 193 nations, according to the World Risk Index 2024.
Bridging the Gap Between Disaster Preparedness and Response
Estrada emphasized that this bill is crucial to strengthen the country’s resilience against increasingly severe climate impacts. “The measure seeks to strengthen our disaster resilience amid the expected harsher impacts of climate change, and plugs a crucial gap between disaster preparedness and response,” he said.
The bill introduces an innovative policy allowing government agencies to act proactively before disasters strike, rather than reacting after damage occurs. Under the act, the President may declare a state of imminent disaster over specific barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, or regions upon recommendation from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Similarly, local chief executives can declare the same in their jurisdictions through an executive order based on forecasts and recommendations from Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) councils. These councils will conduct pre-disaster risk assessments to evaluate probable catastrophic impacts, which serve as the basis for declaring an imminent disaster.
Implementation and Funding for Anticipatory Actions
Once the law is enacted, local government units (LGUs) must incorporate anticipatory action measures into their regular programs, plans, and activities funded by their local DRRM funds. Unused disaster funds may be repurposed to support these measures. Additionally, LGUs can seek funding from other sources to meet the law’s objectives.
The bill mandates that fund allocation should be graduated and proportionate to the forecasted severity, lead time, and anticipated damage as identified in pre-disaster risk assessments. This ensures resources match the urgency and scale of the threat.
Penalties for Violations and Public Officer Accountability
The legislation imposes fines ranging from P50,000 to P500,000, or imprisonment from six years and one day up to 12 years, or both, for individuals or entities committing prohibited acts under the law. Public officers found guilty face additional penalties, including permanent disqualification from office and forfeiture of assets used in violating the act.
Estrada described the law as a landmark that sets clear guidelines for resource mobilization and marks a shift toward a proactive, anticipatory disaster response. “This landmark legislation provides explicit guidelines for efficient mobilization of resources during disasters, and marks a definitive shift from a reactive and passive response toward a more proactive, anticipatory approach in times of calamities,” he said.
For more news and updates on disaster preparedness and response, visit Filipinokami.com.