UN lauds Phl over landmark calamity declaration

The United Nations has lauded the Philippines' approval of a law that allows the declaration of a state of calamity even before disasters strike.

- By PIA LEE-BRAGO

The approval of the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Bill has made the Philippines the first country in the world to adopt the landmark legislation.

"I want to congratulate President Marcos for the recent approval of what we call the Anticipatory Action Bill, which actually is the declaration of early emergency, up to 72 hours before a disaster can occur. This new law will definitely save many lives," UN Resident Coordinator Arnaud Peral told The STAR on Tuesday.

"The Philippines is at the forefront of this new approach, actually the first country in the world to adopt this kind of law, and it might become a landmark and reference for many other countries affected by climate change and natural disasters," he said.

The UN, he said, supports the law setting early protocols.

The Philippines passed in September the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Bill, a groundbreaking measure that institutionalizes anticipatory action as part of the country's Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework.

The bill was developed by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), with technical support from the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and other partners. It empowers government authorities to act earlier based on forecasts and pre-disaster risk assessments, helping save lives before disasters strike.