Philippines passes landmark legislation on anticipatory action to protect communities before disasters strike

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

Anticipatory action means acting ahead of a predicted hazard to prevent or reduce humanitarian impacts before they fully unfold. It uses early warning information and pre-arranged financing to help communities safeguard their houses, assets, and livelihoods.

"The passage of Republic Act No. 12287, or the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act is a significant milestone in supporting the country's proactive approach to disaster risk reduction and management. This national policy will be beneficial for our country in times of emergencies, especially for the most vulnerable members of our society," said OCD Administrator Undersecretary Harold Cabreros.

Once recommended by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to the President, or by regional disaster councils to local chief executives, a declaration of imminent disaster allows for the early release of government funds to mitigate potential risks. This marks a strategic shift from reactive response to a proactive, risk-informed approach.

"With the Philippines facing an average of 20 typhoons each year, this legislation represents a pivotal step toward strengthening disaster risk management, particularly for climate-related shocks. Anticipatory Action not only helps to save lives, but it can also significantly reduce the costs of emergency responses," said WFP Philippines Representative and Country Director Regis Chapman.

Since 2015, WFP has supported the Philippine Government in embedding anticipatory action into national and local disaster risk management systems, ensuring relevance, ownership, and sustainability of early action measures. WFP engages with local governments, communities, and humanitarian partners to implement anticipatory cash assistance ahead of a typhoon in the Bicol, CARAGA, and Eastern Visayas (Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar) regions, subject to triggers and thresholds. Anticipatory action is also being localized in Jabonga (Agusan del Norte), Legazpi City (Albay), New Bataan (Davao de Oro), and Palo (Leyte)-targeting typhoons, floods, storms, and landslides as primary hazards.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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