ORDINANCE NO: 2014-345 (Author: Hon. Troy B. Asugas) "AN ORDINANCE DECLARING AND OBSERVING THE 16th DAY OF AUGUST AS THE PAGADIAN CITY TSUNAMI COMMEMORATION DAY" WHEREAS, on August 16, 1976, the City of Pagadian was devastated by a "tsunami" which claimed the lives of over a thousand people with many others missing, rendering residents of the coastal areas homeless aside from wreaking damage to personal properties/belongings; WHEREAS, records disclose that under R.A. 10121 also known as Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 provides for the development, promotion, and implementation of a comprehensive National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP) that shall strengthen the capacity of the national government and the Local Government Units (LGUs); establishment of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (LDRRMOs) in every province, city and municipality, and Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Committees (BDRRMCs) in every barangay which shall be responsible in directing, developing, implementing and coordinating disaster risk management programs within their territorial jurisdiction; WHEREAS, in relation to the implementation of the Act, Section 21 thereof provides that the present Local Calamity Fund shall now be known as the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) to which at least five percent (5%) of the estimated revenue from regular sources shall be set aside as the LDRRMF to support disaster risk management programs such as pre-disaster preparedness activities, among others; WHEREAS, in consonance with the city's drive to strengthen the capacity and thrust of the CDRRMC in coordination with the BDRRMC in mitigating and preparing for, responding to and recovering from the impact of disasters using the allocated 5% Calamity Fund, it is therefore fitting and proper to enact the above titled ordinance that such significant events in the history of Pagadian, particularly the tsunami incident, be appropriately commemorated, celebrated and observed to instill the importance of vigilance and preparedness for eventualities; WHEREAS, as a first step towards this objective, it is thus imperative to install and/or construct a commemorative marker to always remind the public of the ill-fated occurrence of August 16, 1976, alongside the necessity to hold periodic disaster preparedness activities to create awareness for Tsunami Warning and Education and to institutionalize arrangements and measures for reducing disaster risks, including projected climate risks, and enhancing disaster preparedness and response capabilities at all levels. NOW THEREFORE, be it ordained by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (11th City Council) in session assembled that: Section 1. TITLE. - This Ordinance shall be known as "AN ORDINANCE DECLARING AND OBSERVING THE 16TH DAY OF AUGUST AS THE PAGADIAN CITY TSUNAMI COMMEMORATION DAY", otherwise known as "TSUNAMI COMMEMORATION OF PAGADIAN". Section 2. PURPOSES. To improve tsunami detection, forecasting, a strong warning system, notifications, outreach, and mitigation to protect life and property in the City of Pagadian as this ordinance is designed to help coastal barangays reduce the potential for disastrous tsunami-related consequences; To enhance and strengthen the authority of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in coordination with the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in their assessment efforts to improve tsunami detection as it is imperative that public awareness on the causes and effects of this natural phenomenon must be strengthened and basic preparations adopted to avoid fatalities and minimize damage; To improve and increase education and outreach activities and ensure that those receiving tsunami warnings and the at-risk public know what to do when a tsunami is approaching particularly residents of coastal barangays of Pagadian City; To hold awareness and preparedness activities before the Tsunami Commemoration Day, to promote the involvement and participation of the residents in coastal barangays and schools of primary and secondary level, especially people living at Barangay Sta. Lucia, San Pedro, Santiago, White Beach that were devastated by the tsunami and lost lives of over a thousand of people and wreaking damage to personal properties/belongings as records disclose from the history of Pagadian; and To build the disaster resilience of communities, and to institutionalize arrangements and measures for reducing disaster risks, including projected climate risks, and enhancing disaster preparedness and response capabilities at all levels. Section 3. DECLARATION OF THE STATE. In accordance to R.A. 10121, it is the policy of the State: To uphold the people's constitutional rights to life and property by addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities to disasters, strengthening the country's institutional capacity for disaster risk reduction and management and building the resilience of local communities to disasters including climate change impacts; Adopt a disaster risk reduction and management approach that is holistic, comprehensive, integrated, and proactive in lessening the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of disasters including climate change, and promote the involvement and participation of all sectors and all stakeholders concerned, at all levels, especially the local community; Adopt and implement a coherent, comprehensive, integrated, efficient and responsive disaster risk reduction program incorporated in the development plan at various levels of government adhering to the principles of good governance such as transparency and accountability within the context of poverty alleviation and environmental protection; Recognize the local risk patterns across the country and strengthen the capacity of LGUs for disaster risk reduction and management through decentralized powers, responsibilities, and resources at the regional and local levels; Recognize and strengthen the capacities of LGUs and communities in mitigating and preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the impact of disasters; Develop and strengthen the capacities of vulnerable and marginalized groups to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the effects of disasters; and Provide maximum care, assistance and services to individuals and families affected by disaster, implement emergency rehabilitation projects to lessen the impact of disaster, and facilitate resumption of normal social and economic activities. Section 4. DEFINITION OF TERMS. - For purposes of this Ordinance, these terms are defined as follows: Tsunami - a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, generally an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions (including detonations of underwater nuclear devices, landslides, glacial calvings, meteorite impacts and other disturbances above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami. Natural disaster - a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the earth. Examples include floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other geologic processes. A natural disaster can cause loss of life or property damage and typically leaves some economic damage in its wake, the severity of which depends on the affected population's resilience, or ability to recover; Disaster Prevention & Mitigation - avoid hazards and mitigate their potential impacts by reducing vulnerabilities and exposure and enhancing capacities of communities. Disaster Preparedness - restore and improve facilities, livelihood and living conditions and organizational capacities of affected communities and reduce disaster risks in accordance with the "building back better" principle. Disaster Response - assist component City/Municipal Local Government Units (C/MLGUs) in providing life preservation and meet the basic subsistence needs of affected population. Rehabilitation and Recovery - Restore and improve facilities, livelihood and living conditions and organizational capacities of affected communities and reduced disaster risks in accordance with the "building back better" principle Disaster Risk Reduction?(DRR) - the systematic approach to identifying, assessing and reducing the risks of disaster. It aims to reduce socio-economic vulnerabilities to disaster as well as dealing with the environmental and other hazards that trigger them. Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction & Management or "CBDRRM" - a process of disaster risk reduction and management in which at risk communities are actively engaged in the identification, analysis, treatment, monitoring and evaluation of disaster risks in order to reduce their vulnerabilities and enhance their capacities, and where the people are at the heart of decision-making and implementation of disaster risk reduction and management activities. Disaster - a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources. Disasters are often described as a result of the combination of: the exposure to a hazard; the conditions of vulnerability that are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential negative consequences, Disaster impacts may include loss of life, injury, disease and other negative effects on human, physical, mental and social well-being, together with damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of services, social and economic disruption and environmental degradation. Disaster Risk - the potential disaster losses in lives, health status, livelihood, assets and services, which could occur to a particular community or a Society over some specified future time period. Disaster Risk Reduction and Management - the systematic process of using administrative directives, organizations, and operational skills and capacities to implement strategies, policies and improved coping capacities in order to lessen the adverse impacts of hazards and the possibility of disaster. Warning System - the set of capacities needed to generate and disseminate timely and meaningful warning information to enable individuals, communities and organizations threatened by a hazard to prepare and to act appropriately and in sufficient time to reduce the possibility of harm or loss. Emergency - an unforeseen or sudden occurrence, especially danger, demanding immediate action. Hazard - a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihood and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage. Fire drill - the method of practicing the evacuation of a building for a fire or other emergency. Usually, the emergency system (usually the fire alarm/smoke detector sounds and the building is evacuated as though a real fire had occurred. Usually, the time it takes to evacuate is measured to ensure that it occurs within a reasonable length of time, and problems with the emergency system or evacuation procedures are identified to be remedied. Section 5. IMPLEMENTING OFFICE. - The City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) in coordination with the Barangay Risk Reduction Management Council (BDRRMC) shall be constituted to plan and oversee the celebration in accordance to an approved theme and undertake post-activity evaluations to further improve future activities to be conducted. The Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) not less than five percent (5%) of the estimated revenue from regular sources shall be set aside as the LDRRMF to support disaster risk management activities such as, but not limited to, pre-disaster preparedness activities. The Information Linkage (INFOLINK) is hereby designated as a partner Non-Government Organization in the implementation of this Ordinance. Section 6. SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES. - Appropriate activities, as may be determined by the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) in coordination with the Barangay Risk Reduction Management Council (BDRRMC) to hold Tsunami Warning and Education at coastal barangays of Pagadian in participation of all residents of coastal barangays and schools of primary and secondary level, especially people living at Barangay Sta. Lucia, San Pedro, Santiago, White Beach and other coastal areas. Topics on the tsunami outreach activity includes, evacuation planning, effective public response, the need for exercises such as fire/tsunami/earthquake drills and public education to provide the basic foundation for Tsunami preparedness and for coastal barangays of Pagadian City to become tsunami resilient and to provide for the development of policies and plans and the implementation of actions and measures pertaining to all aspects of disaster risk reduction and management, including good governance, risk assessment and early warning, knowledge building and awareness raising, reducing underlying risk factors, and preparedness for effective response and early recovery needs to be appropriately commemorated, celebrated and observed. Section 7. EFFECTIVITY. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval. ENACTED AND APPROVED by the 11th City Council of Pagadian City during its 36th Regular Session held on 13 May 2014 at the Sangguniang Panlungsod Session Hall, Pagadian City.