House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday agreed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s recommendation to move the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to the Office of the President as it will give the chief executive a "direct hand" in managing the government's response to calamities.
"It simplifies the flow of responsibility and directives to the more than 30 departments, agencies, and organizations sitting in the council," said the Leyte solon.
"Like many nations, we have no choice but to prepare for these eventualities. Our situation is even peculiar, because we are visited by an average of 20 tropical storms every year," Romualdez said, adding that climate change-related problems, such as extreme weather conditions, are worsening.
Thus, he said, the country must streamline its disaster response and risk management systems, as well as become climate change-resilient.
The President suggested moving the national disaster response team under the OP during his visit to Tacloban City to mark the 9th anniversary of Super Typhoon "Yolanda."
Congress established the NDRRMC under Republic Act 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010. Currently, the executive secretary represents the OP in the council.
