President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. on Monday issued an executive order (EO) directing the formation of a Disaster Response and Crisis Management Task Force (DRCMTF).
Executive Order No. 24 dated April 30 and signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin stated the task force will be in charge of "disaster preparedness and response during natural disasters" and will "lead the government's efforts in confronting challenges brought by natural disasters, using the evidence-driven and science-based approach in crisis management."
Before or during the imminent impact of the disaster, the DRCMTF is also tasked to organize quick response groups that will support regional and local disaster risk reduction and management councils.
The task force will be comprised of members from the following government agencies:
- Office of the Executive Secretary (OES)
- Department of National Defense (DND)
- Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
- Department of Health (DOH)
- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
- Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
- Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
- Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
- Department of Transportation (DOT)
- Office of Civil Defense (OCD)
"The above members may designate a senior official within their respective agencies as their permanent representatives to the Task Force, who are fully authorized to decide for and on behalf of the department or agency, and to fully perform the functions as hereinafter provided," the order reads.
The chairperson and vice chairperson of the task force will be named by Marcos.
"The Task Force shall directly report to the President, and shall be convened upon order of the President or the Chairperson of the Task Force," it said.
The funding for the newly-formed group will be "sourced from existing appropriations of the member agencies of the task force and/or, as may applicable, the contigent fund" or "other funding sources that the Department of Budget and Management may identify subject to existing budgeting, accounting, and auditing laws, rules and regulation."
