SAKOna: A Primer


The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is the government agency that is mandated to advise the President on matters concerning the safety of the country during calamities such as the status of its mitigation and preparedness programs, disaster response and rehabilitation. By virtue of RA 10121 signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the NDRRMC replaced the NDCC that was created through PD 1566 of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

Aside from its advisory functions, the NDRRMC has the tasks of ensuring multi-stakeholder participation to disaster risk reduction and management planning, managing and mobilizing resources, spearheading capacity-building program and monitoring and evaluating performance of attached agencies.

The NDRRMC's approach can be delineated nto four parts: disaster preparedness, disaster response, disaster prevention and mitigation, and disaster rehabilitation and recovery. The Secretary of National Defense serves as the chairman of the Council with the secretaries of Interior, Social Welfare, Science and Technology, and Socioeconomic Planning as vice-chairpersons.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is an independent, voluntary, autonomous, non-governmental organization. An enabling law in recognition for its unique role in the Philippine society was signed in 2009 (RA 10072). The PRC cooperates with public authorities in mitigation of human suffering in times of peace and armed conflict, natural or man-made disaster. It also conducts its emergency relief operations.

During the onslaught of the Habagat to the National Capital Region last August, these two institutions showed the vitality of their existence. Both had the goal of saving lives, reaching and helping the victims of the torrential rains. Due to the difference of their background (state and society), our group became interested with the power relations that they exhibit.

The NDRRMC was visible in the television providing updates about the status of the affected area. The agency conducts press briefings about the situation. They are providing the people reminders for safety.

Meanwhile, the PRC mobilized volunteers and deployed them to areas where help is immediately needed. They used their vehicles such as the amphibian, rubber boats and trucks to reach trapped families. The PRC also made several efforts to distribute relief goods.

As seen in the short film, the NDRRMC and Red Cross play different roles in times of disasters. But, however different the roles are, their activities still converge at the end of the day. The NDRRMC works more efficiently with the help of the civil society. On the other hand, the structural composition of Red Cross is not void of Statist elements. There is a positive, dyadic power relations between the NDRRMC and Red Cross in times of disasters. This only resonates the notion that the State and Civil Society are inseparable and should work hand-in-hand. The group maintains its hope that this type of power relationship be applicable to other national phenomena or issues.