Section 6Sec./Art. 6

Powers and Functions of the NDRRMC. - The National Council, being empowered with policy-making, coordination, integration, supervision, monitoring and evaluation functions, shall have the following responsibilities:

(a) Develop a NDRRMF which shall provide for a comprehensive, all-hazards, multi-sectoral, inter-agency and community-based approach to disaster risk reduction and management. The Framework shall serve as the principal guide to disaster risk reduction and management efforts in the country and shall be reviewed on a five(5)-year interval, or as may be deemed necessary, in order to ensure its relevance to the times;

(b) Ensure that the NDRRMP is consistent with the NDRRMF;

(c) Advise the President on the status of disaster preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response and rehabilitation operations being undertaken by the government, CSOs, private sector, and volunteers; recommend to the President the declaration of a state of calamity in areas extensively damaged; and submit proposals to restore normalcy in the affected areas, to include calamity fund allocation;

(d) Ensure a multi-stakeholder participation in the development, updating, and sharing of a Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Information System and Geographic Information System-based national risk map as policy, planning and decision-making tools;

(e) Establish a national early warning and emergency alert system to provide accurate and timely advice to national or local emergency response organizations and to the general public through diverse mass media to include digital and analog broadcast, cable, satellite television and radio, wireless communications, and landline communications;

(f) Develop appropriate risk transfer mechanisms that shall guarantee social and economic protection and increase resiliency in the face of disaster;

(g) Monitor the development and enforcement by agencies and organizations of the various laws, guidelines, codes or technical standards required by this Act;

(h) Manage and mobilize resources for disaster risk reduction and management including the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund;

(i) Monitor and provide the necessary guidelines and procedures. on the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) releases as well as utilization, accounting and auditing thereof;

(j) Develop assessment tools on the existing and potential hazards and risks brought about by climate change to vulnerable areas and ecosystems in coordination with the Climate Change Commission;

(k) Develop vertical and horizontal coordination mechanisms for a more coherent implementation of disaster risk reduction and management policies and programs by sectoral agencies and LGUs;

(l) Formulate a national institutional capability building program for disaster risk reduction and management to address the specific' weaknesses of various government agencies and LGUs, based on the results of a biennial baseline assessment and studies;

(m) Formulate, harmonize, and translate into policies a national agenda for research and technology development on disaster risk reduction and management;

(n) In coordination with the Climate Change Commission, formulate and implement a framework for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and management from which all policies, programs, and projects shall be based;

(o) Constitute a technical management group composed of representatives of the abovementioned departments, offices, and organizations, that shall coordinate and meet as often as necessary to effectively manage and sustain national efforts on disaster risk reduction and management;

(p) Task the OCD to conduct periodic assessment and performance monitoring of the member-agencies of the NDRRMC, and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (RDRRMCs), as defined in the NDRRMP; and

(q) Coordinate or oversee the Implementation of the country's obligations with disaster management treaties to which it IS a party and see to It that the country's disaster management treaty obligations be incorporated in its disaster risk reduction and management frameworks, policies, plans, programs and projects.