The House Committee on Disaster Resilience, chaired by Cagayan Representative Jojo Lara, approved three substitute bills aimed at strengthening the country’s disaster preparedness, speeding up the delivery of relief goods, and making communities more resilient to calamities.
The measures seek to: 1) establish disaster food banks and stockpiles in every province and highly urbanized city in the country; 2) provide free freight services for the transportation of relief goods to calamity-stricken areas; and 3) institutionalize green infrastructure and nature-based solutions for sustainable and resilient national development.
“We must anticipate risks, strengthen our systems, close gaps in our disaster response mechanisms.”
“Taken together, these measures embody a fundamental legislative principle, that government must be proactive, not merely reactive. We must anticipate risks, strengthen our systems, close gaps in our disaster response mechanisms, and ensure that no Filipino is left behind when calamity strikes. I therefore urge all our members of this committee to examine these measures with seriousness, urgency and sense of responsibility,” Lara said.
The legislator underscored the urgency of strengthening the country’s disaster preparedness and response mechanisms as continuous rains caused flooding in many parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila.
The committee consolidated into one substitute bill House Bills (HBs) 1258, 2674, 3875, 4903, 4936, 6374, 6583 and 10295, authored by Representatives Marcy Teodoro, Olga Kho, Ma. Alana Samantha Taliño Santos, Eric Olivarez, Agay Cruz, Lara, Coco Yap and Nelson Legacion, respectively.
The measures seek to ensure the stockpiling and pre-positioning of essential goods for use during emergencies and disasters.
Cruz emphasized the importance of having food, water, medicine and other essential supplies ready even before a calamity strikes.
“Sa panahon ng emergency, alam po natin na bawat oras ay mahalaga. Kaya ang tulong na kailangan ng ating mga kababayan ay di dapat saka pa lang hinahanap, binibili o dinadala kapag nandoon na ang sakuna, dapat nakahanda na,” she said.
The committee also approved a substitute bill consolidating measures providing free freight services for the transportation of relief goods to calamity-stricken areas.
The measure consolidated HBs 350, 1582, 2184, 4385, 4497, 5237, 5339, 5669, 6373, 6637, 7457 and 10294, authored by Representatives Zia Alonto Adiong, Jane Castro, Roberto Nazal, Bryan Revilla, Claudine Diana Bautista-Lim, Agay Cruz, Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, Ma. Nina Francesca Lacson, Jojo Lara, Omar Vincent Sangkola Duterte and Edvic Yap.
Lara said the measures address a persistent challenge in disaster response: the cost and availability of transportation for relief goods.
“By providing free freight services during declared states of calamity, we can help ensure that assistance reaches our Kababayan faster, more efficiently and without unnecessary financial barriers.”
“Too often, donations and essential supplies are delayed because of freight and shipping costs. By providing free freight services, during declared states of calamity, we can help ensure that assistance reaches our Kababayan faster, more efficiently and without unnecessary financial barriers,” the legislator explained.
Meanwhile, Committee Vice Chair and Bukidnon Representative Manuel Alba, who led the subcommittee that consolidated HBs 4888, 6346, 6462, 9164, 9277 and 10028, as well as House Resolution 451, explained that the substitute measure on green infrastructure would require local government units to integrate sustainable and resilient systems into their comprehensive land use plans, provincial development and physical framework plans, and local climate change action plans.
The measure seeks to promote the wider use of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions to reduce disaster risks and strengthen the resilience of communities to the effects of climate change and natural hazards.
All three substitute bills and their corresponding committee reports were referred to the Committees on Appropriations and on Ways and Means for consideration of their funding provisions.
