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INSTITUTIONALIZING DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

“Building a Local Government Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction” - Consultative Meeting

Barcelona, 22-23 May, 2008

CEDRIC D. DAEPAlbay Public Safety & Emergency Management Office Province of Albay, Philippines

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CONTEXT

Philippines

Province of Albay

Bicol Region

Mayon Volcano

Located in theSouthern part ofLuzon about 500kilometers SSEOf Manila Philippines.

It is geo-graphically located within the ring of fire and the typhoon belt region

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Disaster Risk and Vulnerability – PROFILE & TRENDS

• 19 to 21 occurrences of typhoon per year in the Philippines of which 3-5 hit

the Province of Albay.

• About 198,000 houses threatened by wind destructions and at least 350,000

people have to evacuate.

• Mayon Volcano Eruption threats – 3 cities and 5 municipalities

• 127 villages or 11,000 to 12,000 families threatened by landslides

• About 300,000 population out of 1.2M threatened by tsunami

• Eight municipalities and two cities threatened by floods.

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WHAT has been done so far to address the issue?

• Institutionalized Provincial Disaster Management Office and the Provincial

Disaster Operation Center

• Established Early Warning System, Communication Protocol and

Evacuation Procedures at the community level.

• Organized Local DCCs and redefined the functional roles and

responsibilities of the DCC members and task unitsEstablished Policy on

Operational Control and Protocol

• Hazard awareness through Community-Based trainings and seminars

• DRR integration to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan

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What have been the GOOD PRACTICES…

• Institutionalization of the Albay PDMO now APSEMO

• Community-Based Early Warning System, Communication

Protocol and Evacuation Procedures

• Good working relationship between APSEMO, Warning

Agencies and the Local Media

• Established Disaster Operation Center as the hub of action and

the center of emergency coordination and communication

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The Guiding Principles…

• Institutional not personality oriented• Permanent Solution not Temporary• Early evacuation is better than rescue• Disaster Proofing approach

-CLUP = Disaster Risk Reduction -No or selective investment in High Risk Zone -Maximum Protection in the low to moderate risk zone -Safe zone as the site for the new development

Investments

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… and the LESSONS LEARNED

• LGU as the first line of defense

• Warning Equipment is vital in saving life

• Without communication support warning and evacuation fails

• Early warning and evacuation system = Zero Casualty

• Pre-positioned organic resource capability=quick response

• Building-back better not building-back-elsewhere

• DRR measures = Economic Investments

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… and the LESSONS LEARNED

• Help must be linked to initiative. Protracted relief could breed

mendicancy, stunt local initiative and suppress native creativity

• Demand driven vs. donors driven

• Disaster Risk Reduction Plan must be considered basic input

in the Regional Development Master Plan

• Rehabilitation should be pursued in the context of development

strategy

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What are the CHALLENGES ahead?

• Uncertainty – lessons’ learned

• Short-term thinking – multi-hazard approach and hazard assessment and

contingency plan be done every after a calamity

• Complexity – data base and information readiness

• Institutional Structure – need to promote and sustain better institution of

LGUs

• Financing frameworks – need to integrate DRR budget to the regular

appropriations

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… and HOW to address them?

• Political leadership not political will

• Multi-stakeholder approach

• Legislative support from the national and local government

• Established implementing guidelines in integrating DRR to the

CLUP

• Technical assistance to the Local Government Units

• DRR must be an integral part in planning and programming of

the local authorities.

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CONLUSIONS

DRR is global,

Institutionalized

and is a way of

life

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Thank You