MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered strict compliance of laws on disaster mitigation as he underscored the need to "prioritize" measures that would address the impacts of climate change.
The President made the directive amid concerns aired by the Climate Change Commission that some other government agencies failed to enforce policies to address climate change.
"The President has long been mentioning climate change because he has been studying it closely," Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Tuesday.
"Because of this, he is closely focused, especially on the effects of climate change, as we increasingly see and experience the harsh force of nature," Castro said during a press briefing.
She said the Philippines has several laws and policies intended to address flooding and climate change, but their effectiveness could be undermined when they are not consistently enforced because of the “palakasan system” or corruption.
"That will no longer happen because the issue of climate change will be prioritized, which is precisely what the President emphasized during yesterday's meeting," Castro said.
The President on Monday convened a meeting with officials from the Department of National Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Budget and Management to discuss flooding in Central Luzon, the Metro Manila health response, and updates from the participating agencies.
"The President emphasized the importance of our countrymen's preparedness due to the impacts of climate change," Castro said during a press briefing. According to experts, climate change is one of the reasons for the relentless heavy downpours.
She said Marcos urged the public "not to be complacent," noting that many other countries are also experiencing intense monsoons, major storms, and severe flooding, including Nepal, China, Laos, Pakistan, India, and Kenya.
Flooding has also hit Japan and South Korea, while the Grand Canyon in the US experienced flash floods. "We must take the threat of climate change seriously. Preparedness is the key to overcoming its dangers," she said.
"The President is pushing for the public to fully understand the effects of climate change because the intense rain, sudden downpours, and flooding we experienced aren't the only things that can happen as a result of climate change," she said.
"So, we must prepare for this, and all policies and laws must be implemented—that is what the President wants," Castro added.
The master plans dating back to 1941 for Metro Manila and 1936 for Cebu were not followed, the Palace press officer said.
"Had these been implemented, many areas where infrastructure was built should have remained untouched, and flood-prone zones should have been kept clear of structures to serve as natural catchments for rainwater," she said in Filipino.
Castro also urged the public to practice proper waste disposal, noting that improperly discarded garbage can clog waterways and contribute to flooding.
The Department of Education was also encouraged to incorporate disaster preparedness and resilience lessons into children’s education at an early age.
