Good afternoon, Mr. President and to my distinguished colleagues.  Mga kaibigan, mga kababayan, magandang hapon sa ating lahat!

 It is my great privilege to stand before you today in support of the institutionalization of youth participation in the country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council or NDRRMC, as I sponsor the Responsive, Empowered and Service-Centric Youth or RESCYouth Act of 2015, or Senate Bill No. 2789, under Committee Report No. 161, entitled An Act Including The National Youth Commission Chairperson As A Member Of The National Disaster Risk Reduction And Management Council, Amending For The Purpose Republic Act No. 10121, Otherwise Known As The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction And Management Act Of 2010.

Our beloved country is one of the most vulnerable nations to the threat of climate change.

According to the Long Term Climate Risk Index (CRI), which ranks countries affected by extreme weather events, the Philippines ranked fifth in the world. And in the 2013 Climate Risk Index (CRI), our country is ranked the number one most affected with over 24 billion US Dollars in losses that year.

As we all know, in 2013, Typhoon Yolanda or Haiyan, the deadliest typhoon in our history, affected over 14 million people and took over 6,000 lives in Eastern Visayas. To this day, we are still trying to recover from the tragedy.

 Mr. President, as we are in the receiving end of vicious typhoons, brutal storm surges, earthquakes, and other adverse calamities, we have taken steps and have made leaps in preparing for such occasions.

We have the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) project led by our very own world-renowned scientist Dr. Mahar Lagmay.

Just last week, the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) released the Valley Fault Atlas containing large scale maps of the areas traversed by the West Valley Fault – a starting point in preparing for a potential earthquake in Metro Manila.

The NDRRMC has also released the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP) for 2011 to 2028, which identifies the capacities we need to develop and the roadmap to follow in order to become truly resilient in the face of catastrophe. This plan not only focuses on preparedness and response, but also on prevention and rehabilitation before and after a crisis.

Moreover, we are seeing movements on the ground.  National agencies, local government units and the private sectors have constantly coordinated to be better prepared for disasters by educating our fellow Filipinos, acquiring more equipment for rescue and first aid, and institutionalizing relief operations and quick response teams, among other efforts.

Not surprisingly, the youth is playing a vital role in our pursuit for overall disaster resilience.  They have served as a beacon of hope and catalyst of action. 

Student councils lead schools to become depositories of donations and efficient centers for packing and deployment of relief goods, never running out of willing volunteers.

 In addition, social media turns from a platform of selfies into a nerve center for information, tips and news monitoring during typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic movements.

Mr. President, our youth organizations have also created innovative solutions to help their communities become more resilient, adaptive to the changing climate.

 Sa Cauayan City, Isabela, ang ating Ten Accomplished Youth Organization Awardee na Red Cross Youth and Junior Rescue Team ay nakalikha ng Disaster Management Eco-rafts mula sa recycled plastic bottles para sa mga nakatira sa malapit sa ilog at mga lugar kung saan madalas na binabaha.  

Tuwing may bagyo at umaakyat ang tubig, ginagamit ang mga eco-raft na ito ng mga pamilya roon upang makaligtas sa sakuna.

Mahalaga na may alam at kasanayan ang ating mga kababayan sa basic life support, first-aid training at rescue operations lalo na sa panahon ng kapahamakan. Naranasan ito mismo ng Hayag Youth Organization ng Ormoc, Leyte.

Isang araw, habang sila ay nasa isang mangrove planting activity, biglang tumaob ang kanilang bangka. Nalaman nilang wala sa kanila ang marunong lumangoy! Buti na lang, hindi lampas-tao ang tubig na kanilang nahulugan.

Dahil sa karanasang ito, isinagawa nila ang “Swim for Safety” o “Langoy Para sa Kaluwasan” na isa nilang advocacy sa disaster preparedness.

Mr. President, noong 1991, nagkaroon ng isang matinding flash flood sa Ormoc at libo-libo po ang namatay. Noong tamaan ng bagyong Yolanda ang Ormoc, lahat ng miyembro ng Hayag na tinuruang lumangoy ay naligtas sa delubyo.

Ang Rescue Assistance Peacekeeping Intelligence Detail o RAPID ay malaki rin ang naitulong at marami na ang nailigtas sa kanilang 56-hour training program kung saan itinuturo ang emergency response, first aid, bandaging, evacuation at iba pang kaalaman at kasanayan na kakailanganin tuwing may sakuna.

Ang mga nagtapos sa training program ng RAPID ang mga ilan sa first responders noong typhoon Yolanda, lindol sa Bohol, at pati sa lumubog na barko ng 2Go kung saan isinigawa ng mga trainees ang kanilang natutunan na cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR upang mailigtas ang sanggol na 8-months old pa lamang!

Napakarami na ngayong mga youth groups na nagtuturo ng mga kasanayang ito at kumukuha ng mga volunteers para mas maparami ang may kaalaman sa disaster response and rescue – mula sa Hayag Youth Organization sa Ormoc, Leyte, sa Rescue Assistance Peacekeeping Intelligence Detail (RAPID) sa Cebu, hanggang sa Muntinlupa Junior Rescue Team at The Responders sa South Central Mindanao.

Mr. President and esteemed colleagues, all over the country, young Filipinos are dedicating their time, energy, and skills to build a strong and resilient Philippines ready to take on overwhelming tragedies.  

They are involved in the whole process of disaster reduction and mitigation efforts – from education and prevention, to rescue and first response, to relief and rehabilitation efforts.

The Filipino youth has proven to be key partners in nation building. Let us empower them further by institutionalizing youth involvement in disaster risk reduction and management.

Right now, local government units are already working with the youth, usually as volunteers. The RESCYouth Act of 2015 raises this level of participation and includes the youth in the planning process, identifying strategic efforts, mobilizing communities, and making risk preparedness and disaster resiliency as part of Filipino culture.

This Act includes the National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairman in the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and subsequently, involves youth representatives in the local levels by their inclusion in the Regional, Provincial, City, Municipal, and Barangay Disaster Coordinating Councils.

Mr. President, sa RESCYouth Act of 2015, mapakikinggan na sa bawat komunidad – barangay man, lungsod, o probinsya – ang mahalagang boses ng kabataan upang mapabuti ang ating paghahanda para sa kalamidad.

We have received tremendous support for this legislation – from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Local Government Units (LGUs) to the NDRRMC and the National Youth Commission.

Our stakeholders acknowledge the value of involving the youth in disaster risk reduction from the planning stage down to execution.

The NDRRMC, government agencies and local government units, schools, disaster management units, scientists and members of the academe, local businesses and the private sector, youth volunteers and youth groups – all of us, together, can make significant progress in our country’s ability to face calamity head on.

It is in trusting each other’s abilities and uniting all sectors, including the youth, that we can develop a Philippines that is well informed, incredibly prepared, and exceptionally resilient to disaster.

Let’s formally enlist our bright, impassioned, determined, resourceful, and brave young Filipinos by passing the RESCYouth Act of 2015.

Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat, maraming maraming salamat at mabuhay ang kabataang Pilipino!