“I agree with this. This is a good direction,” said Defensor as he supported the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“It is very important to have a disaster response component to the ROTC given that we experience many calamities in this country,” Defensor added.
Marcos had earlier said that the ROTC revival is not solely for national defense but also harnessing the role of disaster preparedness.
“When there is civil defense capability, it teaches the young to be prepared especially that we are also facing the impacts of climate change,” Defensor said.
The Iloilo governor also backed the proposal to create a Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR).
“It’s equally important as disaster response has evolved as important as environmental protection,” Defensor said.
His younger brother, Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor, was one of the principal authors for bill to create DDR in the previous Congress.
Defensor said he made a similar move on the local level when the Provincial Civil Defense Service of Iloilo (ProCiD Serv Iloilo) was created last May 2021.
The ProCiD Serv Iloilo prioritizes disaster risk reduction and management, public safety, peace and order, disease control and prevention, climate change response, and environmental crime prevention.