LGUs boost disaster risk reduction program

MANILA, Philippines - A majority of governors, mayors and barangay chairpersons have reorganized and enhanced their respective disaster risk reduction and management councils, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo.

In his report to President Aquino, Robredo said the DILG also required local government units (LGUs) to check on their constituents living in areas prone to landslides, flashfloods and strong typhoons to allow the government to ensure their safety.

“We issued a policy requiring LGUs to reorganize and enhance the capacities of their respective Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils in compliance with RA No. 10211 or The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010,” said Robredo.

The DILG chief said a total of 69 provinces, 114 cities and 1,128 municipalities nationwide have already complied with this policy. There are 79 provinces, 138 cities and 1,496 towns in the country.

The report, however, indicated that there was minimum compliance of the policy in the barangay. There are 42,025 barangays and the DILG records showed only 1,699 barangays complied with the policy.

In checking areas prone to landslides, flashfloods and strong typhoons, Robredo said the assessment and early planning would surely prevent tragedies similar to the flashflood and landslide incidents in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro and in Pantukan in Compostela.

“We need our barangay captains and officials, mayors and governors to identify every sitio and barangay prone to landslide and flood to allow them to establish an alert system,” he said.

In Pantukan, the provincial government approved a no habitation area in the town but there was an apparent lapse in the implementation of the local law.

Over 30 persons died and several others remain missing in a landslide in Pantukan, Compostela last Jan. 5.