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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Proposed national disaster map key in saving lives during natural calamities--solon

Proposed national disaster map key in saving lives during natural calamities--solon

Published Jan 31, 2025 09:24 am

At A Glance

  • In a bid to save lives and property during natural calamities, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan has pitched for the creation of a national disaster map.

Carina flooding.jpg(MANILA BULLETIN)

In a bid to save lives and property during natural calamities, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan has pitched for the creation of a national disaster map.

Yamsuan's proposal is embodied in House Bill (HB) No.11205 or the Hazard-Mapping Law.

The full title of the bill reads, "An Act providing for the issuance of a list of low-lying areas of the Philippine territory vulnerable to rising sea levels as a result of climate chance, and areas at high risk for natural disasters, mandating the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Space Agency, Climate Change Commission, and other concerned government agencies for its regular updating and appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes.

“We cannot prevent the occurrences of typhoons, volcanic eruptions and other natural phenomena, aggravated by the added threat of climate change. But it is possible to mitigate their impact by adopting science-based strategies," the neophyte solon said.

"These include creating a national disaster map that would help communities, especially coastal areas, prepare for, and lessen the devasting effects of these disasters,” Yamsuan said.

The aspiring Parañaque congesssman said 2024 starkly highlighted the urgency of passing this measure, with the country experiencing a record-breaking severe typhoon season that led to the loss of thousands of lives and massive damages to homes, infrastructure and the agriculture sector.

The economic repercussions of these successive calamities were most felt in the Bicol region, where the damage to agriculture alone from typhoons Kristine and Leon reached P2.9 billion.

This is almost half of the nearly P6 billion total losses reported in the agriculture sector, said Yamsuan, a former assistant secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

HB No.11205 mandates the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through the National Mapping and Resources Information Authority (NAMRIA) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), to provide and issue a national disaster map of the Philippines.

Assisting these agencies in completing the task are the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

The disaster map, among other things, "shall contain proper identification of lands bordering sea levels, exposed to volcanic eruption and lying on earthquake faults".

The map should also include the criteria for evacuation and illustration of recommended evacuation sites and routes.

Creating the disaster map would not have to start from scratch, given that the MGB already has a geohazard map in place that pinpoints vulnerable areas in the country, Yamsuan said.

He said information sources in creating the disaster map should not be limited to scientific instrument-based data, but should also utilize a holistic approach by including, among others, indigenous peoples’ knowledge.

The bill provides for a nationwide information drive; training programs for local officials, disaster response teams and community leaders; and other similar efforts to ensure the disaster map’s accessibility and proper use.

Related Tags

natural calamities Brian Raymund Yamsuan disaster map
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