Observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month in July 2014 and Conduct Kick-Off Ceremony on Monday, 30 June 2014 Nationwide

July 23, 2014 BLGF MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 035-14 TO : BLGF Central and Regional Directors of This Bureau and All Others Concerned SUBJECT : Observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month in July 2014 and Conduct Kick-Off Ceremony on Monday, 30 June 2014 Nationwide For the information and guidance of all concerned, attached is a copy of the Memorandum dated July 01, 2014 from the Department of Finance regarding the abovementioned subject. The BLGF Central and Regional Directors are hereby instructed to take note of the above and all BLGF Offices are encouraged to participate thereof. Please be guided accordingly. (SGD.) SALVADOR M. DEL CASTILLO OIC-Executive Director ATTACHMENT Department of Finance MEMORANDUM FOR : Heads of Offices This Department Heads of Bureaus/Attached Agencies Department of Finance SUBJECT : Observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month in July 2014 and Conduct of Kick-Off Ceremony on Monday, 30 June 2014 Nationwide Attached for information and guidance are copies of memorandum dated 20 June 2014 and Keynote Speech of Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin, Department of National Defense and Chairperson, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on the above-captioned subject. ICTcDA (SGD.) DIRECTOR LOURDES Z. SANTIAGO Director IV Central Administration Office KEYNOTE SPEECH BY THE SND July 2014 National Disaster Consciousness Month (NDCM) Theme: "KAHANDAAN AT KALIGTASAN NG PAMAYANAN, PUNDASYON NG KAUNLARAN" DND Flag Raising cum Kick-Off Ceremony of 2014 NDCM Monday, 30 0700H June 2014, GHQ Canopy, CGEA, QC AMENITIES . . . TODAY, WE ARE HOLDING THIS KICK-OFF CEREMONY FOR THE JULY 2014 NATIONAL DISASTER CONSCIOUSNESS MONTH WITH THE THEME, "KAHANDAAN AT KALIGTASAN NG PAMAYANAN, PUNDASYON NG KAUNLARAN." I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY WEARING TWO HATS: AS THE SECRETARY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE AND AS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (NDRRMC) PURSUANT TO REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10121. THESE ARE THE CHALLENGING TWIN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SECURITY AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION. AS WE ARE ALL AWARE, OUR COUNTRY IS STILL RECOVERING FROM THE DISASTERS THAT STRUCK US IN THE LAST SEMESTER OF 2013 BOTH NATURAL AND MAN-MADE. THESE WERE THE ZAMBOANGA ARMED CONFLICT, BOHOL EARTHQUAKE AND THE SUPER TYPHOON YOLANDA (HAIYAN). THE YEAR 2013 TESTED MOST FILIPINOS AS WE EXPERIENCED TOUGH TIMES, BUT DESPITE THAT, THE YEAR HAS ALSO SHOWN THE BETTER SIDE OF US FILIPINOS IN THE WORLD OF HUMANITY OUR RESILIENCE, OUR SPIRIT OF BAYANIHAN, OUR SPIRIT OF SURVIVALISM, OUR HOPEFULNESS AND OUR FAITH. THESE ARE THE VIRTUES THAT REMAIN AMIDST DEVASTATION, LOSS, HUNGER, SCARCITY OF RESOURCES AND MOUNTING NEEDS IN THE AFFECTED AREAS. THESE TOUGH LESSONS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TAUGHT US TO BECOME STRONGER AND BETTER PERSONS. AHCcET RECENTLY, THE PAGASA OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THE START OF THE RAINY SEASON WHICH ALSO SIGNALS THE ADVENT OF TYPHOONS VISITING OUR ARCHIPELAGO. WE ARE IN A CROSSROAD OF TRANSLATING TOUGH LESSONS OF PAST DISASTERS TO IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR DRRM SYSTEM BOTH DOCTRINAL AND PRACTICAL. THE NDRRMC IS CURRENTLY FINALIZING THE NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE PLAN TO UPSCALE THE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND DISASTER RESPONSE PROTOCOLS AND RESOURCES TO MAKE THEM MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE "NEW NORMAL" DISASTERS AS WHAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH TYPHOON YOLANDA. THIS IS WHERE THE PDRA OR PRE-DISASTER RISK ASSESSMENT WHICH WAS EARLIER MENTIONED BY THE CIVIL DEFENSE ADMINISTRATOR, USEC ALEXANDER PAMA, COMES IN TO LEVEL UP THE PREDICTIVE CAPABILITY OF DISASTER RISKS BASED ON SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING WITH EARLY ACTION AND APPROPRIATE RESPONSE PROTOCOLS THAT CAN BE USED BY THE LOCAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT COUNCILS IN IMPOSING PRE-EMPTIVE OR MANDATORY EVACUATION OF COMMUNITIES AT RISK. TEcHCA FOR EXAMPLE, THE HYDRO-METEOROLOGICAL SIGNALS NEED NOT BE VERY TECHNICAL, BUT SHOULD BE RELAYED IN SIMPLER TERMS SO AS TO WARRANT EARLY ACTION FROM EVERY CITIZEN. ALSO, THE CITIZENRY NEED TO HAVE SAFE-CONSCIOUSNESS OF SAVING HIS/HER OWN LIVES MORE VALUABLE THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD. HOWEVER, THIS MIGHT NEED IMAGINATION AND PERSONAL EVALUATION WHICH CAN BE INFLUENCED BY A CHECKLIST OF PRECAUTIONARY OR SELF-HELP TIPS AND MEASURES. HENCE, THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE CONCENTRATING TO ENHANCE PROTOCOLS AND OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS FOR THE PREDICTION, IMAGINATION AND EARLY ACTION IN REDUCING DISASTER RISKS. ON THE POLICY SIDE, WE HAVE ALREADY COMMENCED GATHERING AMENDMENT THEMES, ISSUES AND REVISION POINTS FOR THE SUNSET REVIEW OF THE PHILIPPINE DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2010. THE LEGISLATIVE REVIEW WILL ADDRESS THE WEAK POINTS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND PRACTICE ENUNCIATED IN THE BASIC LAW BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THESE PREVIOUS DISASTERS. WE ARE DOING THESE NOTABLE INITIATIVES TO ENSURE THAT THE HIGHEST CAPABILITY, PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO DISASTERS ARE ACHIEVED. OUR DEFENSE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE OFFICE OF CIVIL DEFENSE ARE IN THE FOREFRONT OF PROVIDING MANPOWER, SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO OUR FELLOWMEN BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER DISASTERS AND CALAMITIES. HaDEIc DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS. THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR MUST WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THE CITIZENS ARE READY TO PREVENT HAZARDS FROM TURNING INTO DEVASTATING DISASTERS. BEING CONSCIOUS AND PREPARED FOR ANY CALAMITY IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY MANAGE DISASTERS AND REDUCE CASUALTIES AND DAMAGES TO LIVES AND PROPERTIES. THE DND ORGANIZATION IS ONE WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IN THE CELEBRATION OF THE NATIONAL DISASTER CONSCIOUSNESS MONTH AND THE OCD-NDRRMC'S EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE INITIATIVES TOWARDS OUR VISION OF A PREPARED POPULATION AND A SAFE NATION. MARAMING SALAMAT PO AT MAGANDANG UMAGA SAINYONG LAHAT. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council June 20, 2014 MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Secretary Chief, BFP Secretary, DOST Secretary-General, PRC Secretary, DILG Commissioner, NAPC-VDC Secretary, DSWD Chairperson, PCW Secretary, NEDA Chairperson, HUDCC Secretary, DOH Executive Director, CCC Secretary, DENR President, GSIS Secretary, DA President, SSS Secretary, DepEd President, PhilHealth Secretary, DOE President, ULAP Secretary, DOF President, LPP Secretary, DTI President, LCP Secretary, DOTC President, LMP Secretary, DBM President, LnB Secretary, DPWH Director, PHIVOLCS Secretary, DFA Administrator, PAGASA Secretary, DOJ Director, MGB Secretary, DOLE Administrator, OCD Secretary, DOT Lead Convenor, DRRNet Philippines Secretary, OPPAP Dean, Ateneo School of Government Chairperson, CHED Executive Director, World Vision Chief of Staff, AFP Executive Director, Center for Disaster Chief, PNP Preparedness Chairpersons, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils Chairperson, Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Chairperson, ARRM Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Chairpersons, Provincial/City/Municipality/Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils SUBJECT: Observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month in July 2014 and Conduct of Kick-Off Ceremony on Monday, 30 June 2014 Nationwide In accordance with Executive Order No. 137 dated August 10, 1999, the month of July is observed as the National Disaster Consciousness Month (NDCM). This year, the NDCM's theme is, "Kahandaan at Kaligtasan ng Pamayanan, Pundasyon ng Kaunlaran" . TCcSDE In this regard, we enjoin your respective offices to align your preparation and conduct of activities that feature this year's theme. Partners and stakeholders are encouraged to conduct a Kick-off Ceremony on Monday, 30 June 2014 in observance of NDCM nationwide and display streamer (9ft by 5 ft.) bearing the NDCM theme (design attached) throughout the month of July. With our intent to publish a calendar of NDCM and DRRMCs' significant activities, may we request the submission of the list of activities to the OCD Plans and Programs Division with telefax 912-0441 or 912-5947, or email at [emailprotected] . Your continuous support to the Council's undertakings is highly appreciated. (SGD.) VOLTAIRE T. GAZMIN Secretary, DND and Chairperson, NDRRMC