Office of Civil Defense
Office of Civil Defense
Office of Civil Defense
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has the primary task of coordinating
the activities and functions of various government agencies and
instrumentalities, private institutions and civic organizations for the
protection and preservation of life and property during disasters and
emergencies. It serves as the operating arm and secretariat of the national
disaster coordinating council and maintains the National Disaster
Management Operations Center.
The Office of Civil Defense, apart from being an attached bureau of the
Department of National Defense (DND), is also the operating arm and the
secretariat of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), which is the
highest policy-making, coordinating and supervising body at the national
level for disaster management in the country (Presidential Decree No. 1566
dated 11 June 1978).
LOI 19 dated December 31, 1972 mandates the OCD to carry out the
following functions:
1. Establish and administer a comprehensive national civil defense and
assistance program;
2. Formulate policies for the protection and welfare of the civilian
population in time of war directly involving the Philippines or other
national emergencies of equally grave character;
3. Estimate the total material, manpower and fiscal requirements for
carrying out the national civil defense and civil assistance program and
allocate to the provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays such aid
in facilities, materials and funds as may be made available from the
national government;
4. Develop and coordinate a program for informing, educating and
training the general public and volunteer workers on civil defense and
civil assistance measures and activities;
5. Furnish guidance to the various provinces, cities, and municipalities in
the planning, organization and operation of their civil defense
organizations;
6. Advice the Secretary on matters concerning civil defense and make
recommendations from time to time as may be deemed appropriate or
as the Secretary may require; and
7. Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.
Under PD 1566 dated 11 June 1978, OCD shall have the following additional
functions:
1. Coordinate the activities and functions of the various agencies and
instrumentalities of the National Government and private institutions
and civic organizations to implement the policies set by the National
Disaster Coordinating Council relative to Disaster Management;
2. Provide secretariat services to the National Disaster Coordinating
Council;
3. Prepare and disseminate disaster control manuals and other
publications related to measures on disaster prevention, control and
mitigation; and
4. Advise the Chairman on matters concerning Disaster Management.
Vision and Mission
Agency Vision
While systems and mechanisms have been set in place from the national,
regional and local levels to address disasters and emergencies, OCD
continuously strive to enhance them to be more responsive in dealing with
disasters. OCD aims for the following:
A service-oriented organization
A prepared population
A safe nation
Strategic Leadership
The OCD has taken the national leadership in the continuous development of
measures to reduce risk to communities. This involves providing national
strategic leadership by working with stakeholders to identify issues of
national importance, develop and implement strategies to address them to
include national approaches to disaster mitigation, education, training,
research, consequence management and disaster information management.
Disaster Mitigation
Disaster Mitigation measures such as land use planning, building codes and
standards, community awareness, structural measures, warning systems,
planning and training prevent or reduce the impact of hazards on
communities. Effective mitigation represents an investment, with both short-
term and long-term benefits for the local, regional and national economy, the
environment and the community at large.
OCD’s role is to strengthen partnership with ever-expanding organizations to
promote a greater investment on mitigation and work on projects that will
build mitigation capability by, for example, developing and delivering
training courses for local government and planners, supporting research to
better understand the costs of disaster and the benefits of mitigation, and
developing best practice guidelines.
Planning for Emergency and Disaster Response
The ability to respond to emergencies requires careful planning. Contingency
plans shall be in place to meet LGUs’ request for national government
assistance arising from any type of disaster. This plan details procedures for
provision of national assistance in the event of a major disaster.
OCD maintains a number of hazard-specific contingency plans. It has the
responsibility to develop a process of soliciting feedback from LGUs on the
utilization and effectiveness of their contingency plans, and to review the
Implementing Plans of all NDCC member agencies in accordance with the
National Calamities and Preparedness Plan.
Consequence Management
Consequence management is a developing concept and is about protecting
public health and safety, restoring essential government services and
providing emergency relief to businesses and individuals affected by the
consequences of natural, technological and human-caused disasters.
International Engagement
OCD is responsible for interfacing with international stakeholders assisting in
emergencies, and in maintaining close links with emergency management
agencies throughout the world. Through international linkages, assistance in
the field of training and capacity building, as well as planning for post-
disaster are extended to the country. In addition, the country’s membership
(through OCD) in international organizations such as ADRC, ACDM, UNDAC
and UN-ISDR is providing the avenue wherein concerted effort in disaster risk
management is being achieved in international and local fronts.
Response Coordination
OCD is responsible for the coordination of disaster assistance provided by
the national and foreign governments. In times of disasters of great
magnitude, when the local government units are unable to cope, the OCD,
through its regional offices, works in close collaboration with other
government and non-government agencies for the efficient provision of relief
and financial assistance and optimum utilization of available resources.
Coordinated response in order to save lives, protect properties and deal with
the immediate damage/impact of disaster is this Office’ primary concern.
History
Commonwealth to Post-Commonwealth Era
During the Commonwealth days, two (2) executive orders were issued by the
late President Manuel L. Quezon, namely, Executive Order Nos. 335 and 337.
Executive Order No. 335 created the Civilian Emergency Administration
(CEA), which was tasked primarily through the National Emergency
Commission (NEC) to formulate and execute policies and plans for the
protection and welfare of the civilian population under extraordinary and
emergency conditions.
The NEC, which was established to administer the CEA, was composed of the
following official members:
1. Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) Manager
2. Director of Publicity and Propaganda
3. Food Administrator
4. Industrial Production Administration
5. National Welfare Warden
6. Director of Communications
7. Fuel and Transportation Administration
8. Other officials as may be appointed from time to time
Local emergency committees from the provincial, city and municipal levels
were likewise organized with the following structure:
Chairman - Provincial Governor/City/Municipal Mayor
Members - Provincial/City/Municipal Treasurer
- Ranking Teacher or Principal
- Chief of Police
- Sanitary Officer
- Provincial/City/Municipal Agriculturist
- Representative of the Municipal Council Local Units
- Volunteer Guard
- Air-raid Protection
- Protection of Utilities and Industries
- Food Administration
- Evacuation
- Public Welfare and Morale
- Transportation and Fuel Administration
- Medical and Sanitary
- Publicity and Propaganda
- Other services as may be authorized from time to time
The organization and training of volunteer guards and air-raid protection
units were given much emphasis by the government during that time with
the issuance of Executive Order No. 337 which empowered the volunteer
guards to assist the maintenance of peace and order in the locality, to
safeguard public utilities and to provide assistance and aid to the people
during natural or man-
made disasters.
Japanese Occupation
During the Japanese occupation, the puppet government under President
Jose P. Laurel issued Executive Order No. 36 which created the Civilian
Protection Service (CPS) which was empowered to formulate and execute
plans and policies for the protection of civilian population during air raids and
other national emergencies. The Civilian Protection Service functioned
through a Civilian Protection Administration (CPA) which was composed of
three members, namely, the Civilian Protection Administrator, the Chief of
the Air Warden and the Chief of the Medical and First Aid Service.
Executive Order No. 36 also provided for the establishment of the Provincial,
City and Municipal Protection Committee with the Provincial Governor, City
and Municipal Mayor as Chairman, respectively. Members of the local
protection committees included the highest local official of the Treasurer's
Office, Justice, Engineer's Office, Schools, Health and the Police.
It should be noted that the above executive orders had mandated the
formulation of plans for the protection of the people during a national
emergency but literatures on this regard were absent which revealed the sad
state of the country's disaster preparedness program even during those
times. This could have also been one of the reasons why we were caught
unprepared on December 8, 1941.
1954 - 1968
Our experience during World War II, the country's vulnerability to all types of
disasters particularly typhoons and floods, and the nuclear arms race of the
three superpowers in the 1950's, have prompted the government to
promulgate a law - Republic Act 1190, otherwise known as the Civil Defense
Act of 1954.
Under this law, a National Civil Defense Administration (NCDA) was
established which was tasked primarily to provide protection and welfare to
the civilian population during war or other national emergencies of equally
grave character. To support the NCDA in carrying out its mission, RA 1190
also provided for the establishment of civil defense councils at the national
and local levels, namely: the National Civil Defense Council (NCDC) and the
provincial, city and municipal civil defense councils, respectively:
The NCDC was composed of the following:
○ NCDC Administrator-Chairman
○ Chairman, Committee on National Defense and Security of both Houses of
Congress-Member
○ Chief, Philippine Constabulary-Member
○ Commissioner of Social Welfare-Member
○ Manager, Philippine National Red Cross-Member
○ Manager, Philippine National Development Company-Member
○ Manager, Price Stabilization Council-Member
On the other hand, the organization of the local civil defense council was not
specifically provided for in the locality but designated the Provincial
Governor, City and Municipal Mayor as the Provincial, City and Municipal Civil
Defense Director, respectively.
The municipalities and cities which were directly under the supervision of the
Provincial Civil Defense Director relative to civil defense services, were the
main basic operating units for the purpose.
The operating services of the national and civil defense organizations were
as follows:
Warden Service;
Police Service;
Fire Service;
Health Service;
Rescue and Engineering Service;
Emergency Welfare Service;
Transportation Service;
Communication Service;
Evacuation Service;
Air-raid Warning Service; and
Auxiliary Service.
The National Civil Defense Administration, as a planning body under the
Office of the President, has been constrained to carry out its functions
effectively due to budgetary constraints and the apathy and indifference by
the public and the government itself to NCDA's disaster preparedness and
prevention programs. But the government's lack of interest to said programs
was somewhat reversed when the Ruby Tower building in Manila collapsed in
1968 to a powerful earthquake, and created a National Committee on
Disaster Operation through Administrative Order No. 151 issued on
December 2, 1968. The composition of the Committee was as follows:
○ Executive Secretary-Chairman
○ Secretary of Social Welfare-Vice-Chairman
○ Secretary of National Defense-Member
○ Secretary of Health-Member
○ Secretary of Public Works and Natural Resources-Member
○ Secretary of Commerce and Industry-Member
○ Secretary of Education-Member
○ Secretary of Community Development-Member
○ Commissioner of the Budget-Member
○ Secretary-General, Philippine National Red Cross-Member
○ Executive Officer - A Designated National Coordinator-Member
Under this Order, the national committee was created to ensure effective
coordination of operations of the different agencies during disasters caused
by typhoons, floods, fires, earthquakes, and other calamities.
To carry out its functions effectively, the Committee Chairman issued a
Standard Operating Procedure which prescribed for the organizational set-up
for disasters from the national down to the municipal level, their duties and
responsibilities and the preparation by concerned agencies of their
respective SOPs for the same purpose as the national SOP.
Formulation of the Disaster and Calamities Plan (1970)
On October 19, 1970, as an aftermath of Typhoon "Sening" which ravaged
the Bicol Region, the flooding of Metro Manila for almost three months, a
Disaster and Calamities Plan prepared by an Inter-Departmental Planning
Group on Disasters and Calamities, was approved by the President. The Plan
has provided, among others, the creation of a National Disaster Control
Center which was composed of the following:
• Secretary of National Defense-Chairman
• Executive Secretary-Overall Coordinator
• Secretary of Health-Members
• Secretary of Public Works and Communications-Members
• Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources-Members
• Secretary of Commerce and Industry-Members
• Secretary of Education-Members
• Secretary of Community Devt.-Members
Birth of Office of Civil Defense (1973)
NCDA was abolished and transferred its functions and personnel and those of
the NDCC to a newly-created agency - the Office of Civil Defense (OCD),
which was entrusted the mission of ensuring the protection and welfare of
the people during disasters or emergencies. Under Letter of Implementation
No. 19, Series of 1972, the missions and functions of OCD are enumerated.
Presidential Decree 1566 and the Formal Establishment of the
NDCC, RDCC and Local DCCs (1978)
On June 11, 1978, PD 1566 was issued to strengthen the Philippine disaster
control capability and to establish a community disaster preparedness
program nationwide.
Among the salient provisions of the Decree are the following:
1. State policy on self-reliance among local officials and their
constituents in responding to disasters or emergencies;
2. Organization of disaster coordinating councils from the national
down to the municipal level;
3. Statement of duties and responsibilities of the National Disaster
Coordinating Council (NDCC), RDCCs and LDCCs;
4. Preparation of the National Calamities and Disaster Preparedness
Plan (NCDPP) by OCD and implementing plans by NDCC member-
agencies;
5. Conduct of periodic drills and exercises; and
6. Authority for government units to program their funds for
disaster preparedness activities in addition to the 2% calamity
fund as provided for in PD 474 (amended by RA 8185).
The National Disaster Control Center, which was created on October 19,
1970, is the forerunner of the National Disaster Coordinating Council created
under PD 1566. It serves as the highest policy-making body for disasters in
the country and includes almost all Department Secretaries as members. The
original composition of the NDCC was as follows:
• Minister of National Defense-Chairman
• Minister of Public Works and Highways-Members
• Minister of Transportation and Communications-Members
• Minister of Social Services and Development-Members
• Minister of Agriculture-Members
• Minister of Education, Culture and Sports-Members
• Minister of Finance-Members
• Minister of Labor and Employment-Members
• Minister of Trade and Industry-Members
• Minister of Local Government and Devt.-Members
• Minister of Health-Members
• Minister of Natural Resources-Members
• Minister of Public Information-Members
• Minister of Budget-Members
• Minister of Justice-Members
• Presidential Executive Assistant-Members
• Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Phils.-Members
• Secretary-General, Philippine National Red Cross-Members
• Administrator, Office of Civil Defense-Member and Executive Officer
The disaster coordinating councils (DCCs) from the regional, provincial, city
and municipal level, on the other hand, are composed of representatives of
national government agencies operating at these levels and local officials
concerned.
Legal Basis Of the NDCC
The legal bases of our disaster management system are Presidential Decree
No. 1, s-1872, as implemented by Presidential Letter of Implementation No.
19, s-1972, and Presidential Decree No. 1566 dated June 11, 1978. PD No.1
was the Integrated Reorganization Plan of 1972, which was implemented
through LOI No. 19. The said LOI defined, among others, the organization,
mission and functions of the Office of Civil Defense as a bureau under the
Department of National Defense. PD No. 1566, on the other hand, provided
for the strengthening of the Philippine disaster control capability and
establishing a community disaster preparedness program nationwide.
Consequence Management
• Comprises essential services and activities required to mitigate
damage, loss, hardship or suffering resulting from disasters or
catastrophes, either natural or man-made
• Includes all emergency measures to restore government services to
business, communities and individuals affected by life threatening or
destructive events
• Such services include damage and needs assessment, emergency
medical service, population evacuation and relief, fire suppression, and
search and rescue.
Essential Elements of an Effective Response Operation in Consequence
Management
Rehabilitation
• refers to the process by which the affected communities/areas or
damaged public infrastructures are restored to their normal level or
actual condition prior to the occurrence of the disaster or calamity.