President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr has welcomed the recommendation of the Private Sector Advisory Council-Infrastructure Sector Group (PSAC-ISG), encouraging the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to direct local government units (LGUs) to conclude pre-agreements with local construction companies for the clearing of debris and road and building repairs after disasters.
Rene Meily, president of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), made the recommendation during a meeting in Malacañang as President Marcos met with the PSAC-ISG and other concerned agencies to discuss the advisory body’s recommendations related to water and energy security and disaster resilience.
PDRF is the Philippines’ major private sector vehicle and coordinator for disaster resilience. It is an alliance of businesses dedicated to building the disaster management capabilities of the private sector in the country, working across all areas: prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation and recovery.
Meily noted that such an initiative is being implemented in Japan, where LGUs forge agreements with private companies to rehabilitate damaged roads and buildings after a disaster.
“When something happens, we don’t need to talk to each other. You just go in and fix the road. They did it in Japan, and there is no reason we can’t do it here,” Meily said.
President Marcos supported the recommendation, stating that having pre-agreements with private entities is a good idea to make government response much quicker.
Aside from recommending pre-agreements, PDRF also suggested that the DPWH prioritize the construction of flood control basins in flood-prone areas in Metro Manila, water impounding areas upstream of river basins to reduce the volume of water, alleviate flooding, and preserve water for irrigation or water treatment plants.
The foundation also recommended that the Department of Finance (DOF) direct the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to initiate parametric insurance to cover the agricultural and fisheries sectors. This would involve asking the Philippine Insurance Commission to encourage private insurance companies to offer parametric insurance and for insurance firms and microfinance companies to offer it to small businesses.
The Department of National Defense-National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (DND/NDRRMC), both frontline agencies, were also encouraged to call for a public-private partnership for disaster risk reduction.
The foundation further suggested that the DOF and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) create incentives for companies to invest in areas struck by disaster, including imposing zero taxes for a limited period for companies that open facilities in these areas, as well as on the importation of goods and materials for locators involved.
PDRF operates its own Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Clark, Pampanga, the first private sector-led national operations center in the world. The EOC uses advanced communication software and technology to monitor climate-related and natural hazards, provide alerts and updates to the PDRF network, and coordinate relief and response efforts.
Article by Presidential Communications Office
