MANILA, Philippines – The National Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) should have a wider scope, to include rehabilitation.

This is is what Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR) Panfilo Lacson is set propose to President Benigno Aquino III.

On Friday, December 19, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said  Lacson would send the “transition proposal” to Malacañang within the day.

“According to him, he would send today to the Office of the President the full transition proposal from OPARR about the successful fulfillment of the provisions of the Philippines Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Law (RA 10121),” Coloma said.

He said Lacson is proposing the expansion of the responsibilities of the NDRMMC to include rehabilitation, which is he said is a “crucial phase.” The NDRRMC is in charge of  disaster prevention and mitigation, disaster preparedness, and disaster response.

The proposal aims to ensure a smooth transfer of Lacson’s mandate to the NDRRMC. Lacson was appointed OPARR to lead rehabilitation efforts after Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Lacson said that after Typhoon Ruby, he received queries if OPARR would also handle rehabilitation efforts in the affected areas. It was then, he said, that it “dawned on me that a permanent agency should be equipped to handle all functions related to preparedness, recovery and rehabilitation since we are a typhoon-prone country.” – Rappler.com