Documentation of the work by the Albay Governor, Joey Sarte Salceda
against the 10-Point Check List
Sasakawa Award Nomination Submission
February 2011
1. Put in place organization and coordination to understand and reduce disaster risk, based on participation of citizen groups and civil society. Build local alliances. Ensure that all departments understand their role in disaster risk reduction and preparedness.
Indicator 1-1. Are local organizations (including local government) sufficiently equipped with capacities (knowledge, experience, official mandate) for climate and disaster risk reduction?
Provincial Government of Albay has three organizations tackling with Disaster: APSEMO for DRR and disaster response; CIRCA for climate risk reduction and adaptation and; AMDGO for disaster reconstruction.Institutionalization of CIRCA and AMDGO by the governor, Salceda, the comprehensive organization structure from DRR to recovery is completed.
Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO)
As a permanent Disaster Risk Management Office (DRMO)created in 1995,it is empowered to govern provincial disaster risk reduction and management programs and project to facilitate disaster risk reduction and ensure a sustainable socio-economic growth and development. As the hub of coordination, communication and emergency response in all types of emergencies and disasters, it takes responsibility but also coordinates during and after disaster as shown in the table below. Since Joey Salceda became Governor of Albay in 2007, the objective of “zero casualty” has been attained.
HFA2 / Collecting and maintain data on hazards as a data bank, and has established Early Warning System, Communication Protocol and Evacuation Procedures at the community levelHFA3 / Developed a manual for teachers which technically supports schools for disaster drills
HFA4 / Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction in the ComprehensiveLand Use Plan
HFA5 / Intensifying Hazard Awareness through Community-Based Trainings and Seminars
Disaster Response / Coordinating as secretariat during and after disasters
- CIRCA (Center for Initiatives and Research for Climate Adaptation)
The governor, Salceda,had established CIRCA (Center for Initiatives and Research for Climate Adaptation) for the environmental protection and for the rehabilitation of mangroves and eco-system. CIRCA, established in 2008, primarily focuses on research, policy formulations studies and information management of climate change and its adaptation, and climate risk reduction. This organization also contributes to “zero casualty” program, which is a combination of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction measures. With its interdisciplinary knowledge, it has objects to enhance the coping abilities of Albay residents to the threats brought about by the changing climate and to specifically develop the environmental awareness of the various livelihood sectors of the province. Some of its projects are to enhance awareness of the various sectors of the threats by a changing climate and integrating DDR and CCA into school curriculum (HFA 3); to conduct and explore concrete policy studies that will support better climate risk adaptation(HFA 3); to promote climate risk adaptation by enhancing resilience of the most vulnerable groups, such as programs for river cleanup, mangrove planting (HFA 4) and capacity development for community (HFA 5).
Albay Millennium Development Goal (AMDGO)
In July 2007,the governor, Salceda,as the Chie Executive of the Province of Albay, scaled-up the Albay Ayuda as a task unit of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) into Albay Mabuhay Task Force as oversight to the cluster approach to Albays rehabilitation. In 2009, as a step-up in recovery efforts of Albay and to bring about a sustained safe and shared development, the Albay Millennium Development Goals Office (AMDGO) was institutionalized into a program office, by virtue of Executive Order 2009-11.The AMDGO manages the social assets program of the province; oversight the MDG progress; and, coordinate MDG programs within the functional units of the government with NGAs, NGOs, and INGOs.At present, AMDGO has a staff complement of 17, with a senior staff as Program Coordinator, and an organic budget of 2Million Peso in 2010. The APSEMO coordinates disaster response efforts while AMDGO coordinates disaster recovery efforts through a cluster approach.
Reference: Innovative Humanitarian Response within a disaster risk reduction and management model, pictures in LGU Summit +3i (1st day), Province of Albay, PH: Responding to the challenge of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, Championing Climate Change Adaptation: The Albay Experience, Interview with APSEMO
Indicator 1-2. Are there partnerships between communities, private sector and local authorities to reduce risk?
Albay province has partnerships for reducing risks with a variety kind of sectors.
Early Warning Systems (HFA 2):Mobile phone sim pack was made available.
Early Warning System was established by the governor, Salceda,to provide real-time warning for flood, landslides and mudflow using rain gauges installed at the barangay and city/municipal levels. It is supported with communication equipment to make evacuation procedures become effective to realize Zero Casualty. The Governor had secured funding assistance from the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID) in the amount of12.5 million Peso to make available Provincial Radio Communication facilities with back up mobile radio with repeater system to sustain word and data communication system even during the height of calamity.
In addition, local radio stations, which are members of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) committee (Refer to 10-3), disseminate early warning through their broadcasts.
Using Knowledge to build Resilience (HFA 3): Disseminating good practice with NGO
To disseminate its good practice and make LGUs (Local Government Unite) resilient to natural disasters, the governor, Salceda, of Albay Province agreed thepartnership with Oxfam Great Britain in the Philippines, contributingto the compilation and dissemination of good practices on disaster risk management at national and local levels in the Philippines, publishing “Building Resilient Communities: Good Practices in Disaster Risk Management in the Philippines” one of which chapters introduces Albay’s Permanent Risk Management Office.This documentation was shared and widely disseminated to all LGUs in the country, and the customized adoption of a permanent Disaster Risk Management Office (DRMO) has been replicated in some provinces. And also another publication “Innovative Humanitarian Response within a Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Model: Learning from the 2009 Mayon Volcano Eruption” made available as resource documents for other LGUs.
Reducing Risk Factors (HFA 4): Cooperation from private sector for Climate Change Mitigation
The governor, Salceda, led Special Proclamation Resolution 2007-04 which stipulates that all businesses to be established in the province should be consistent with climate change adaptation otherwise it will not be granted a business permit to operate. The Energy Development Corp. has been assisting Albay in its mangrove reforestation program and other environmental projects through cooperatives and farmers’ groups in its geothermal reservation area while the Palanog Cement Factory (Business Sector) is practicing the substitution of fossil fuels by rice hull to reduce green house gas emission.
Capacity building (HFA 5): Emergency Paramedic Training Unit
Upon the initiative of the governor, Salceda, the Bicol University, Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital and APSEMO had established Emergency Paramedic Training Unit in 2008 having a total graduate now of 185 Emergency Medical Responders serving as the Albay Health Emergency Management. Members of the team work as volunteers in times of disaster. Albay has DRR/CCA Team serving as resource persons during seminars nationwide and even outside the country.
Training and Seminars all over the province to include LGUs, Business Sectors, Academe and NGOs are instrument in making Albay safe. The knowledge and skills imparted to all sectors ensure reduced risk in all sectors as they developed their individual contingency plan and improve coping mechanism making the entire province more resilient. The Governor had appropriated funding for the trainings through APSEMO and CIRCA.
Reference: Province of Albay, PH: Responding to the challenge of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, Building Resilient Communities: Good Practices in Disaster Risk Management in the Philippines, Innovative Humanitarian Response within a disaster risk reduction and management model, Championing Climate Change Adaptation: The Albay Experience, Interview with APSEMO
Indicator 1-3. Does the local government support local communities (particularly women, elderly, infirmed, children) to actively participate in risk reduction decision-making, policy making, planning and implementation processes?
The governor, Salceda had organized LGUs (Local Government Units) through meetings and conferences to establish networking as well as planning and programming to integrate DRR/CCA in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), where gender, handicap children, elderly are integral part of planning process. And APSEMO became a regular member of the Provincial Land Use Committee (PLUC) ensure that participative DRR planning consulted down to the community level before it is integrated In the CLUP of the province and policy direction as well.
Reference: Building Resilient Communities: Good Practices in Disaster Risk Management in the Philippines, Interview with APSEMO
Indicator 1-4. Does the local government participate in the national DRR planning?
The Albay leadership of the governor, Salceda, has been influencing national policy through supporting not only several bills in thePhilippines Congress but alsoAlbay hosted two separate national conferences. Experience of Albay has contributed to enactment ofRepublic Act 10121 “An Act Strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System, Providing for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework and Institutionalizing the National Risk Reduction and Management Plan” enacted in 2010. And Albay hosted two national conferences resulted in“Albay 2007 Declarations” and “Manila 2009 Declarations” which has become a tool for the early passage of the Climate Change Act and the creation of the Climate Change Commission which is the sole national-level policy-making body tasked to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the programs and actionplans of the government relating to climate change.
Reference: Province of Albay, PH: Responding to the challenge of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, Innovative Humanitarian Response within a disaster risk reduction and management model
2. Assign a budget for disaster risk reduction and provide incentives for homeowners, low-income families, communities, business and the public sector to invest in reducing the risks they face.
Indicator 2-1. Are financial services (e.g. saving and credit schemes, macro and micro-insurance) available to vulnerable and marginalised households for pre- and/or post-disaster times?
To sustain recovery efforts, the governor, Salceda,through an initial 2 million Peso budget, initiated the Bayan-Anihan in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, as a post disaster program where backyard vegetable farms in limited production areas such as the resettlement site are established as a strategy to both climate change adaptation and the combat of poverty and hunger.The governor says “these kinds of programmes are part of our climate change adaptation strategy and at the same time, a way to eradicate poverty and hunger in the Province of Albay (quoted from “Championing Climate Change Adaptation: The Albay Experience”).
In addition to normal situations, for relocation sites, livelihood programme is conducted by AMDGO which was institutionalized the governor, Salceda.More than 4,800 farmers who are in the eight kilometer danger zone of Mayon volcano have been provided assistance in the past few years, such a credit assistance, livelihood trainings and short courses on land preparation techniques, better use of fertilizers, as well as non-farm entrepreneurial courses.
Reference: Championing Climate Change Adaptation: The Albay Experience
Indicator 2-2. Are micro finance, cash aid, soft loans, lone guarantees etc available after disasters to restart livelihoods?
In the aftermath of the three devastating typhoons that hit Albay in 2006, the governor, Salceda, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office V (DSWD), accessed a 32.5 million Peso Bicol Calamity Assistance for Rehabilitation Effort (B-CARE) Fund for the implementation of the Self Employment Assistance sa Kaunlaran (SEA-K) to farmers and fisherfolks, the most vulnerable sector in the province. The program was designed to provide alternative source of income to this sector, while they are still in the process of reviving their lands for farming. The target beneficiaries were 260 farmer/fisherfolk clusters with a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 25. However, the target was exceeded by 29 clusters. Each cluster is eligible a loanable amount of 75,000.00 Peso for 15 members and 125,000.00 Peso with 25 members. The project has to be agriculture related like crop production, aquaculture, livestock raising, food processing, handicrafts and other feasible entrepreneurial activities. The interest free loan by the cluster is payable in 8 months, which amount shall be returned to DSWD. To apply the micro finance, associations or groups have to be endorsed to AMDGO by their barangay captains and Municipal Agriculture Officer. If AMDGO validates their proposal sustainable, they are qualified. But if not they are rejected. In this programme, 289 groups or 6,500 persons got the support, each person at 5,000 Peso, in total 32,500,000 Peso.
For the transport sector,the governor, Salceda,accessed funds from the Philippine Postal Savings Bank worth 50 Million Peso from Road User’s Tax. The project follows the framework and scheme of the SEA-K program.
For the Cooperatives Sector, the governor, Salceda,accessed the Credit Surety Fund program of the Central Bank of the Philippines and its partner agencies in providing for additional capitalization for active and qualified cooperatives in the province. Any qualified cooperative can apply for a loan from the program of a minimum of 1 million Peso and a maximum of 4 million Peso. This is to continuously provide for jobs/employment in the country-side.
Reference: Interview with APSEMO, AMDGO and AlbayMabuhayVillage Federation (Anislag Resettlement Site)
Indicator 2-3.Do local business associations, such as chambers of commerce and similar, support efforts of small enterprises for business continuity during and after disasters?
- Business, Bankers and Economic Sectors are recipients of DRR Training and Seminars. They represented in the membership of PDRRMC as sectoral representative. They are recognized by the Governor as support sectors both as preparedness and mitigation particularly on policy declaration and decision-making participation.Business sectors are specifically involved in community-based DRR not only to support relief but also in reconstruction and resettlements. The governor has been a resource person of business sectors both local and national where DRR and CCA are considered integral parts.
Reference: Interview with APSEMO
Indicator 2-4. Are there any economic incentives for DRR actions (e.g. reduced insurance premiums for households, tax holidays for businesses)?
- Loan deferral has been negotiated by the governor, Salceda,with local banks, etc, to suspend payment for amortization of loans by disaster stricken victims which are always granted.
Reference: Interview with APSEMO and AMDGO
Indicator 2-5. Does the local government has access to adequate financial resources to carry out risk reduction activities?
- Recognizing the importance of DRR and CCA by the governor, Salceda,Provincial Government of Albay allocated 4.37% of budget to DRR and 0.25% to CCA (in total 4.62%) in 2010 according to the record from Budget Office.
- Not only internal budget, Albay Province led by the governor, Salceda,is making efforts to get external fund for DDR, Disaster Response and Climate Change Adaptationas listed in the table below. In addition, to secure safety of more residents, APSEMO also get 500,000,000 Peso from JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) to construct another 6 Evacuation Shelter from next year.
APSEMO / CIRCA / AMDGO
Amount / 24,203,105 Peso / 400,000 US$ / 32,500,000 Peso
Fund source / AECID (Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarrollo: Spanish Government) / UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) / DSWD (Department of Social Work and Development)
Project / Evacuation Shelter Construction in Disaster Vulnerable Areas in Albay / Millennium Development Goal Fund 1656 Albay Demo / Micro Financing Program
Year / 2009 and 2010 / 2009 to 2011 / 2009 and 2010
Reference: Document from Budget Office
3. Maintain up-to-date data on hazards and vulnerabilities, prepare risk assessments and use these as the basis for urban development plans and decision. Ensure that this information and the plans for your city’s resilience are readily available to the public and fully discussed with them.
Indicator 3-1. Has the local government conducted thorough disaster risk assessments for various development sectors in your local authority?
As a data bank, APSEMO under the supervision of the governor or upon his instructions updates local hazard risk and resource maps and collects hazard maps from scientific agencies as follows.
Scientific Agency / Map TypePHIVOLCS (The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) / -Earthquake mapping
(fault and tsunami)
-Volcanic Hazard Map
PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) / -Flood Hazard Map
MGB (Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau) / -Landslide Hazard Map/Flood Hazard Map
Manila Observatory / -Mudflow (lahar) Hazard Map
And APSEMO identifies how much population would be affected by flood, landslide, mudflow/lahar, Storm surge and Tsunami, Wind, and Mayon eruption.Moreover, Albay has risk map of Typhoon, Coastal flood, Temperature Increase and Rainfall Increase with the support from donors, such as Oxfam, which risks are identified by hazard, population density and poverty incidence.
Moreover, CIRCA, institutionalized by the governor, Salceda, is conducting Capacity Development on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (Community Vulnerability Assessment) for the preparation of Barangay Contingency Plan for DDR and CCA for all of some 720 barangay officials where community officials update hazard and risk in their community based on their experience, which leads to community contingency plans.