THE Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) researchers urged municipal and city governments to integrate barangay disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) plans into their development plans.
PIDS senior research fellow Sonny Domingo and research specialist Arvie Manejar made this call in a webinar featuring their study titled "Policy, Institutional and Expenditure Review of Bottom-up Approach Disaster Risk Reduction and Management."
According to the researchers, cities and municipalities are "not optimally" using the barangay DRRM and development plans when creating their development and land use plans.
"In many cases, inputs from barangay (villages) are not given the much-needed space in upper-level planning," noted Domingo in a statement.
Hence, he advised municipal and city governments to improve the inclusion of barangay DRRM plans in their development plans.
The researchers also pointed out that the country's DRRM system is "still largely top-down," with scant evidence of community involvement through civil society representation.
Domingo added that whereas regional and global policies promote bottom-up engagement, the procedures "remain ambiguous or difficult."
The study found "weak reporting, accounting, tracking and feedback on DRR resources" regarding LGUs' (local government units) use of DRRM funds.
According to the report, the Full Disclosure Policy Portal for LGUs "is a good platform for transparency and validation."
Still, standards and quality checks for the inputs must be in place.
These problems, Domingo said, highlight the necessity of educating LGUs on DRR policy and fiscal management.
"We need to empower them in using what is available in terms of assets and resources instead of waiting for many years to capitalize on them," explained Domingo.
The researchers also emphasized a better monitoring and assessment system for plans, programs, resources and expenditures.
"We need to enhance reporting efforts and transparency platforms by compelling LGUs to come up with yearly reports on disaster-related initiatives and impacts of disasters on their communities," mentioned Domingo
The researchers also added that the government should strengthen institutional avenues for more community and stakeholder participation by engaging micro, small and medium enterprises, and implementing more participatory programs and activities.
"Be very explicit in allocating resources for participatory-related initiatives," suggested Domingo.
