Senator Bam Aquino calls on Local Development Councils (LDC) to maintain a more active role in disaster and calamity preparedness.

Aquino said LDCs will play a crucial role in disaster preparedness, as they involve not only local government units but also people’s organizations, non-government organizations, and the private sector.

“LDCs should be strengthened and made more active because they are one of the keys in the disaster preparedness of a community. Community needs will be better diagnosed and addressed if different sectors converge and discuss more regularly,”said Sen. Aquino.

Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code mandates each local government to have a LDC at the provincial, city, municipal, or barangay level.

However, Sen. Aquino discovered that many LDCs do not meet regularly, minimizing the participation of non-government, people’s organizations, and the private sector in planning, local governance, and disaster preparedness.

To resolve this, Sen. Aquino has filed Senate Bill No. 1843 to ensure that LDCs will have an active role and make NGOs and POs active partners in the pursuit of socio-economic welfare in the local autonomy.

The bill mandates LDCs to convene at least four times in a year, preferably every March, June, September, and December.

The leagues of LGUs are further mandated to monitor such meetings through the Oversight Committee on Local Government.

The measure also seeks to provide punitive actions to local executives who fail to execute such laws.

The bill calls for a 30-day suspension for the first violation. Subsequent violations will be slapped a 90-day suspension.

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