by Mari Cruz

 Director Olive Luces of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in the region announced that local government units (LGUs) can now use a certain percentage of their local Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Recovery fund for disaster risk reduction and prevention even without the LGUs declaring a "state of calamity."

The remaining fund will be standby fund for quick response, relief, recovery, and rehab programs.
In a radio interview, Luces revealed that one of the major features of the new National Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) law or Republic Act 10121 is putting up the institutional mechanisms that acknowledges the vital role of the LGUs as the first line of defense in disaster response, relief, rehab, and mitigation.

According to Luces, the new law provides funding for the entire DRRM program. It is now known as the National DRM and Recovery Fund (formerly called the National Calamity Fund) of which 70 percent can now be used for disaster risk reduction or mitigation, prevention, and preparedness activities.

Funding at the local level will still come from the five percent of their respective local calamity fund, Luces added.

Luces explained that before RA10121 the LGUs are limited to use the calamity funds only when disasters or emergency occur and they can only use it after its declaration of a state of calamity, and the expenses are focused mainly on response. * (JDP/MC-PIA CAR)