Go renews push for DDR

Sen. “Bong” Go has reintroduced in the 19th Congress his Senate Bill that aims to establish a Department of Disaster Resilience.,The measure seeks to create a highly specialized agency that will be tasked with ensuring adaptive, disaster-resilient and safe communities.,Go appealed to his fellow lawmakers to give their support for the said measure as it aims to unify and streamline all responsibilities related to disaster preparedness and response.,“Bago pa dumating ang bagyo, mayroon na hong makikipag-coordinate sa local government units, preposition of goods at ilikas po ang mga kababayan natin sa ligtas na lugar,” Go explained. “At pag-alis ng bagyo, restoration of normalcy kaagad, maibalik kaagad sa normal ang pamumuhay ng mga kababayan natin. ‘Yan po ang layunin ng Department of Disaster Resilience.”,“Madalas pong tamaan ng bagyo, lindol at iba pang kalamidad ang ating bansa. Kailangan na talaga nating i-scale up ang preparedness at resiliency against disasters,” he stressed anew.,The DDR will bring together all essential functions and mandates currently scattered among various disaster-related agencies. Once established, it shall be primarily responsible for implementing programs, projects and activities that ensure communities are disaster-resilient, adaptive and safe.,To support the DDR’s functions and responsibilities, the measure also provides for the creation of an Integrated Disaster Resilience Information System, which will serve as a database of all relevant disaster risk reduction and climate change information.