Legarda supports legislation on disaster prevention in Vietnam,
shares PHL measures to build disaster resilience

Hanoi, Vietnam -- Senator Loren Legarda, the UNISDR Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) for Asia and the Pacific, yesterday encouraged the immediate passage of a disaster risk reduction and management law in Vietnam during the 2nd National Forum on DRR and CCA at the Sheraton Hotel, Ha Noi.

"Like the Philippines, Vietnam has compelling reasons to develop an enabling institution, law, and policy environment for more effective and sustainable DRR and CCA programs. Yet accomplishing these requires the concerted effort of key stakeholders and the unrelenting commitment of leaders to bring about needed change," Legarda said.

Extreme weather events, stronger typhoons, heavier rains, more severe floods, and devastating droughts have become recurring events, a common concern for both the Vietnam and the Philippines.

"It is often said that the Philippines regularly exports some of its typhoons to Viet Nam and that the weather events in Manila serve an effective early warning for Hanoi," she added.

Legarda noted that Vietnam's disaster risk management legislation is pending in the Parliament. "The two new Philippine laws that I had shared with you are a product of passion and perseverance. I do hope that the legislature of Vietnam would find them useful," she said.

The Philippine Climate Change Act of 2009 provides the strategic framework for a comprehensive program and action on climate change at national and local levels.

The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 strengthens the country's institutional mechanisms for disaster risk reduction and management and lends great importance to disaster prevention and mitigation.

"Building linkages and promoting common understanding and cooperation among stakeholders are ways of consolidating forces, expertise and resources to succeed in reducing disaster and climate risks. The Philippines resorted to these ways when the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Commission on Climate Change entered into a Memorandum of Agreement to do certain initiatives together. Similarly, the ministries of Vietnam may consider taking the same path to effectively build resilience to disasters," Legarda concluded.