Gilbert Teodoro: Agency more powerful than NDRRMC needed

Rappler.com

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'I think we need a new agency with the capacity to actually take the leadership role and respond if necessary to these disasters'

FORMER DEFENSE CHIEF. Gilbert Teodoro says there is a need for a new agency more powerful than the current NDRRMC. Photo by Chay Hofileña/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – In the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), much has been said and written about the country’s state of disaster preparedness. Although the strength of the typhoon was unimaginable, it also highlighted how inadequate existing government institutions and resources were in dealing with a disaster so huge.

Rappler sought out former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, also a second cousin of President Benigno Aquino III, for his thoughts on disaster mitigation and management. As defense secretary in 2007, he was concurrent head of what was then known as the National Disaster Coordinating Council, an ad hoc body that played a mere supporting role to local government units in their relief efforts.

He had his fair share of criticism when Tropical Storm Ondoy (Ketsana) dumped an unprecedented amount of rain on Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Back then he saw the inadequacy of the NDCC as an organization expected to deal with disasters. It had no teeth, no budget, no resources. It has since been replaced by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), created by RA 10121 of 2010.

Yolanda however showed that even the NDRRMC, given its still limited powers and resources, may still need a few more reincarnations before it can adequately fulfill its disaster risk reduction and management functions. Rappler’s Chay Hofileña and Aries Rufo sat down with Teodoro on November 29 preparatory to an assessment of the NDRRMC. (Also READ: Wanted: Messiah for Disasters) Here are excerpts of that interview.

 FLATTENED. Few houses and structures withstand the fury of Super Typhoon Yolanda. Photo by Franz Lopez/Rappler

Q. Yolanda is the first serious test of the NDRRMC law of 2010.

A. With this kind of disaster, which is precedent-setting, I think we need a new agency with the capacity to actually take the leadership role and respond if necessary to these disasters. If we work on the present structure of first responders here, I guess with an Ondoy-type of disaster, it may even work, but with a Yolanda-type of disaster, I don’t think it would work.

Q. How would you assess the response time of the present administration? How would you have handled it?

A. I can’t say. I don’t think you can say when you’re faced with that kind of a problem. What I can say is I think, we must say that we’re not ready for any kind of a Yolanda or worse, so let’s prepare for that. It’s important to do that. Who knows what the next disaster will be? Secondly, I think it is important now that alongside rehabilitation should be a national infrastructure plan, long-term, which has to be talked about and legislated…To me, infrastructure development in the country, which is crucial for response, has been disjointed, whereas we’re talking about RORO (Roll On, Roll Off), other countries are talking about bridges connecting islands, and I think that’s crucial.

Q. How do you make it part of the national framework?

A. If they are to craft a new Disaster Management Agency law or augment the current one, I believe that there should be a select study group composed of the academe, operational people, even hospitals, etc. Let them craft out one coherent plan and with as much consultation as possible, Congress should pass the plan without chopping away from it or taking out its basic form.

Q. Should this be a national body? Albay Governor Joey Salceda says it should be the LGUs and local officials who should be in charge.

A. Totoo ’yan. Ang problema natin ngayon, kung ’yung magnitude napakalaki na wala nang LGU na natitira, doon nagkakaroon ng malaking problema. (That’s true. But if the magnitude is too big that no LGUs are left standing, then we have a big problem.) And probably that’s where the capacity building of the NDRRMC comes in.

Q. The military would say, ‘In reality, we’re the first responders,’ especially when the LGU is immobilized.

A. They will be a vital component, but that’s only one of the issues: response. This person (who will head a new disaster management agency) should have the power also to influence the LGUs, to influence the NGOs and, to me, it can’t be an executive director. It must be a Cabinet line secretary.

Q. In this particular case, the typhoon was anticipated to be unusually strong. So why delegate to the executive secretary who has no expertise?

A. Each president has his or her own dynamic. It’s a human organizational thing. That’s why, I think, moving forward, you have to craft a powerful personality full-time, meaning institutionally powerful. To me, maybe what can be done, the President can make a Cabinet position for this.

Q. Is political dynamics an element?

A. If there’s a competition for scarce resources, one of the elements that comes naturally is politics. Even in the national agencies, there’s a lot of politics. It really comes into play. Some international, private agencies, by their own charter, cannot really work with governments. That’s why, to take away the politics, you need a strong personality who’s insulated from it.

Q. Looking at the defense budget, what percentage is disaster-related?

A. I can’t really say…If you look at the budget of the AFP vis-à-vis its neighbors, it’s really small. (READ: Haiyan exposes military’s vulnerabilities) I think the public also should learn a lifetime cost mentality rather than an acquisition mentality, because sometimes they feel that just purchasing military equipment is enough. They don’t appreciate the fact that you have to spend probably a quarter of the acquisition cost per year just to operate the equipment efficiently. That’s big, continuing expense.

Q. Where to get the budget?

A. The DPWH budget. Make the priority of DPWH national infrastructure.

Q. But in the short-term, disasters are expected year-round and you need quick response.

A. The answer can be best provided by those who are in the government right now. I don’t have the data to give an intelligent answer. Let’s say for Tacloban, I don’t think it’s wise to put structures back where they were before. Probably the best answer to the question would be to scrutinize the supplemental budget.

Q. For a disaster of this magnitude, especially in the first few days, is there a need to be more dictatorial than democratic/consultative?

A. There was a work-in-progress for a very, very long time without specifics, it was called the SNAP, Strategic National Action Plan. The SNAP is crafted to solve these questions. I think that some agencies of the government have crafted a crisis management plan, so you know, these are good working documents for the government. Whatever type of need in any situation can be institutionally handled by a different document.

Q. You had this during your time?

A. Work in progress. No specifics yet – coordination, etc.

Q. Offhand, would the personality of Secretary Voltaire Gazmin be a good fit in that new agency?

A. Kailangan ng marunong makitungo. (You need someone who knows how to work with people.)…. But whether Secretary Gazmin is willing to handle a different agency is a different point. Personally, if I were him, I wouldn’t want to. No way! [Laughs]….At the end of the day, this is the qualification: who does the President trust enough to give resources and the trust of people, talking in his name to craft the necessary institutions and protocol for disaster risk reduction and management.

Q. So in the end, presidential trust and confidence?

A. Exactly, just like any Cabinet position.

Q. Is there anyone who comes to mind given your past experience.

A. No one. You can think of one person, but for me, it’s a position of trust and confidence. You can’t have things any other way. But if there’s a new agency, there’s clear that there’s somebody in charge, somebody responsible, someone who can take the blame, and when you accept the job, you know that’s part of the job description.

Q. So how do we insulate that person?

A. Public awareness is the best insulator—activism, social networking, intelligent participation in pertinent discourse.

Q. You mean to say, the agency should be a department?

A. Yes, something as powerful without the technical capabilities of the National Security Council in the United States.

Q. This will overtake the NDRRMC, which is not yet 5 years old.

A. Yes. It will send the strong message that we need to reassess and if a new agency is overtaken once again by another disaster, reassess it again. This is a dynamic process, not a static process.

Q. Ideally, what would be the criteria for the head of this new agency, should he be apolitical, political?

A. He should be both. He should be a politician with managerial expertise. You know the best chief justice of the Supreme Court sometimes is a good politician, because then they will know what effect a legal decision will have practically. For me, this agency will need an astute politician and diplomat, and a good manager. You need a messiah. Then the messiah will be crucified. [laughter] – Chay F. Hofileña and Aries Rufo, with Apa Agbayani/Rappler.com

 

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