The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is waiting for the successor of former Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno after he was appointed by President Marcos Jr. as the commissioner of the Bureau of Customs (BOC). At present, the OCD is being supervised by Officer in Charge (OIC) Asec. Bernardo Rafaelito R....
Now is the time for the public to turn its passive awareness of various disaster risks into resilience, allowing communities to withstand the impacts of natural and man-made calamities and facilitate swift recovery. This was emphasized by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) as it kicked off the...
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) will launch an expanded version of its disaster preparedness program next week to reach more Filipinos and enhance the country’s preparedness. “Panatag Pilipinas 2.0” will kick off in Makati City on Tuesday, July 1, coinciding with this year’s observance...
Preparedness for disasters and the push for climate resilience now define the country’s tourism strategy under a recalibrated framework led by the Department of Tourism (DOT). DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco underscored this policy shift during the 2025 International Conference on...
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has prepared its deployable response groups (DRGs) across its 16 districts nationwide to enhance its disaster response capabilities this typhoon season. Commander Michael John Encina, deputy spokesperson of the PCG, said the DRGs are composed of coast guard...
SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) Executive Committee Chairman Hans Sy reaffirmed the vital role of the private sector in disaster risk reduction (DRR) during the 2025 Global Platform of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), held in Geneva, Switzerland. Representing the...
Voting 21-0-0, the Senate approved on Monday, June 9, the bill seeking to bridge the gap between disaster preparedness and disaster response on third on final reading. Senate Bill No. 2999, otherwise known as An Act Establishing a Mechanism on the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster, was...
As the rainy season begins, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) announced that it has mobilized its volunteers and prepositioned essential resources nationwide to ensure a swift response to potential emergencies—including floods, landslides, and other weather-related disasters. “The Philippine Red...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has proposed formally adopting and expanding regulatory relief measures for banks affected by disasters, which would include a six-month grace period for loan repayments and the temporary exclusion of these loans from bad loan classifications. According to a...
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) expressed support for a proposed legislation at the Senate that aims to establish a legal framework for declaring disasters before they occur. Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, administrator of OCD, said Senate Bill No. 2999 now known as the Declaration of State...
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday, May 23 lauded the signing into law of the PHIVOLCS Modernization Act of 2025 or Republic Act No. 12180 saying the newly-enacted law will help the Philippines strengthen its disaster risk management programs. “By modernizing PHIVOLCS, we are making a bold...
Senator Loren Legarda has called on Filipinos to challenge the status quo in disaster risk reduction as the negative effects of climate change and disasters continue to threaten human existence. Legarda, pointed this out during her keynote address at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) on...