This is why there must be a government office — not necessarily a department — dedicated to handling disaster management, according to Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who directed the rehabilitation plan for communities affected by Supertyphoon Yolanda, which struck in 2013. ADVERTISEMENTThere are calls to approve the creation of a department on disaster resiliency following the eruption of Taal Volcano, and amid complaints of poor response from the national government. Lacson said a permanent office under the Office of the President could be created to handle disaster response. “As of now, the NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) does not seem to be effective because it is a council being chaired and composed of Cabinet secretaries who are not focused on disaster and rehabilitation. There should be a permanent office but not necessarily as big as a department,” he told reporters.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 14, 2020 18:00 UTC