By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Recognizing the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed a new law that allows the government to preposition national and local resources, and emergency actions to protect communities before the onset of a calamity.
Republic Act No. 12287, or the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act, authorizes the Chief Executive to declare such pronouncement over a cluster of barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, and regions upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Said legislation calls for the establishment of a mechanism for declaring a State of Imminent Disaster, inclusive of necessary criteria for its declaration and lifting, as well as interventions to be undertaken by areas under its coverage.
The NDRRMC or the Regional DRRM Councils shall conduct a pre-disaster risk assessment in anticipation of a highly probable disaster with projected catastrophic impacts, which will be the basis for the declaration.
The classification of a forecasted hazard’s impacts as severe or its equivalent, with adverse effects on the population, and an allowable or sufficient three-day lead time for the national or local government to implement anticipatory actions present in the pre-disaster risk assessment. The allowable lead time may be extended to five days.
Among the anticipatory actions that may be taken by National, Local, or Regional DRRM Councils are as follows:
- Public information advisories on recommended actions to relevant sectors
- Mobilizing and prepositioning inter-agency response teams
- Initiating pre-emptive or forced evacuation
- Mobilizing duly accredited and trained volunteers
- Procuring, mobilizing, prepositioning, and distributing food and non-food items to the forecasted affected population
- Implementing a social amelioration program for the indigent and most vulnerable population
- Carrying out contingency plans to mitigate damage to agricultural products and food supply
- Providing technical and advisory assistance to ensure public health and safety
R.A. 12287 will take effect 30 days after publication in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation.
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