Section 4Sec./Art. 4

Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

(a) Disaster refers to a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic, or environmental loses and impact, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources. Disasters are often described as a result of the combination of: the exposure to a hazard; the conditions of vulnerability that are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential negative consequences. Disaster impacts may include loss of life, injury, disease, and other negative effects on human, physical, mental, and social well-being, together with damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of services, social and economic disruption, and environmental degradation;

(b) Disaster mitigation refers to the lessening or limitation of the adverse impacts of hazards and related disasters. Mitigation measures encompass engineering techniques and hazard-resistant construction of of structures as well as improved environmental policies and public awareness;

(c) Disaster preparedness refers to the knowledge and capacities developed by governments, professional response and recovery organizations, communities, and individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from the impacts of likely, imminent, or current hazard events or conditions. Preparedness action is carried out within the context of disaster risk reduction and management and aims to build the capacities needed to efficiently manage all types of emergencies and archive orderly transistions from response to sustained recovery.

Preparedness is based on a sound analysis of disaster risk and good linkages with early warning systems, and includes such activities as contingency planning, stockpiling of equipment and supplies, the development of arrangements for coordination, evacuation and public information, and associated training and field exercises. These must be supported by formal, institutional, legal, and budgetary capacities;

(d) Disaster prevention refers to the outright avoidance of adverse impacts of hazards and related disasters. It expresses the concept and intention to completely avoid potential adverse impacts of hazards and related disasters. It expressed the concept and intention to completely avoid potential adverseimpacts through action taken in advance such as construction of dams or embankments that eliminate flood risks, land-use regulations that do not permit any settlement in high-risk zones, and seismic engineering designs that ensure the survival and finction of a critical building in any likely earthquake;

(e) Electric cooperative (EC) refers to a distribution utility created and operating pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 269, otherwise known as the "National Electrification Administration Decree", as amended, and other existing laws;

(f) Emergency response plan refers to the written and formal plan developed based on the results of the Vulnerability and Risk Assessment. I contains the organizational structure and steps which will enable the EC to restore its system in a safe and timely manner after a fortituious event or force majeure;

(g) Force majeure refers to an event that is a result of elements of nature that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, such as typhoon, storm, tropical depression, flood, drought, volcanic eruption, earthquake, tidal wave, or landslide;

(h) Fortuitous event refers to an act of war (declared or undeclared), sabotage, blockade, revolution, riot, unsurrection, civil commotion, or any violent or threatening action;

(i) Joint Congressional Power Commission (JCPC) refers to the Commission created under Republic Act 9136, otherwise known as the "Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001";

(j) National Electrification Administration (NEA) refers to the government agency created under Presidential Decree No. 269, otherwise known as the "National Electrification Administration Decree" as amended;

(k) National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Funds refers to the calamity fund appropriated under the annual General Appropriations Act which us used for disaster risk reduction or mitigation, prevention and preparedness activities, and disaster rehabilitation and recovery as provided under Republic Act No. 10121, otherwise known as the "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010";

(l) Resiliency Compliance Plan refers to a list of projects and programs of an EC, including the financial requirements, funding sources, and timeline of implementation, necessary to protect and mitigate the disaster vulnerability of all its infrastructure while tasking into account the results of Vulnerability and Risk Assessment;

(m) Restoration or rehabilitation refers to the actions or activities undertaken by the ECs to rebuild, replace or repair the necessary facilities to provide reliable electric service to member-consumers after a fortuitous event or force majeur, taking into consideration the designs, materials, or equipment that will make the infrastructure more resilient; and

(n) Vulnearbilityand Risk Assessment refers to the EC's identification of critical assets and the development of disaster preparedness, and disaster prevention and mitigation measures to protect, restore, or strengthen critical assets prior to the onset of a fortuitous event or force majeure.

CHAPTER II

CREATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES EMERGENCY AND RESILIENCY FUND AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NATIONAL ELECTRIFICATION ADMINISTRATIION AND THE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES