Congressional delegates explore ways to boost PHL’s DRR role
TOKYO—An 18-member House of Representatives delegation to Japan, led by Majority Floor Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, conducted a visit from January 23 to 26 to gain a better understanding of the Asian country’s experience on disaster prevention, preparation, response and rehabilitation as Congress prepares to sharpen its budgetary and Legislative initiatives.
The Philippine lawmakers are also considering the best model for disaster resilience through, for instance, the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience (DRR), as instructed by President Duterte.
The delegation met with Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose C. Laurel V who, hailing from Batangas himself, commended their efforts to improve their knowledge on disaster-risk reduction, and shared his experience in dealing with the aftermath of a Taal Volcano eruption when he was Batangas governor.
The solons also visited the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, which
THE 18-member House of Representatives delegation to Japan at the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience
conducts research on science and technology for integrated disasterrisk reduction, from basic research to society implementation. They were briefed on NIED research on volcanic activities and its partnership with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Japanese volcanologists working with Phivolcs observed that Taal Volcano is one of the most active and complicated volcanoes in
the world. They commented that the Philippine agency has been doing a “very, very good job” in its monitoring and research efforts.
Heartened with the praises of NIED for Phivolcs, Romualdez was encouraged by the strong collaboration between the latter and Japanese institutions. He said the briefing would benefit Congress on ways it can best support disaster-risk reduction in the Philippines. DFA