Authors of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) measure in the House of Representatives urged President Arroyo Friday to sign the bill into law if she wants the government to be fully prepared in addressing the onslaught of natural calamitieslike the current El Niño weather phenomenon.

Co-authored by three administration critics who are running for senator, House Bill 6985 is an enrolled bill submitted to Malacañang for approval by President Arroyo.

Reps. Satur Ocampo, Teofisto Guingona III and Ruffino Biazon said the early effects of the El Niño dry spell has made it imperative for Arroyo to sign the bill.

“We are now facing the threat of El Niño,” Guingona said, “and we must be more prepared and able to reduce risks than we have been in the past.”

Ocampo warned that the Philippines could suffer the same fate as Haiti if government fails to take immediate preparations to counter the effects of natural calamities such as earthquakes and typhoons.

“The bill will mandate the government to assess its capabilities to lead and implement disaster relief campaigns. The country is naturally disaster-prone, but preparedness should be a top priority for the government,” said Ocampo.

Ocampo called for the creation of an efficient early warning and communication system with a feedback arrangement to enable LGUs to undertake pre-disaster preparatory activities.

"This early warning system should be based on information from our meteorologists and seismologists and can be immediately accessed by residents and the rest of the public. Latest research shows that there are early warning systems that are capable of monitoring major seismic changes that provide at least 24 to 48 hours lead-time. This lead-time can be utilized to save lives, and protect infrastructure and personal property," he said.

For his part, Biazon asked Mrs. Arroyo to heed the appeal of lawmakers for the immediate enactment of the DRRM, saying the implementation of the law could help Filipinos combat the ill effects of the drought.

The El Niño phenomenon is the warming of the surface water of the eastern and central Pacific Ocean. It occurs every four to 12 years and brings about unusual weather patterns throughout the globe.

According to Biazon, the provisions of the bill allows the government to allocate additional funds for disaster preparedness programs.

The DRRM is among the five bicameral committee reports approved by Senate and the Lower House before last week’s adjournment.

One of the bicameral conference committee reports approved is the Philippine Red Cross Act which recognizes the Philippine National Red Cross as an independent and autonomous non-governmental society auxiliary to the authorities of the Republic of the Philippines in the humanitarian field.

Others were the Organic Agriculture Act, which seeks to propagate the practice of organic agriculture in the country and Health Worker’s Day Act declaring May 7 as special working holiday to be known as Health Workers’ Day.

Rep. Edgardo “Sonny” Angara (LDP, Aurora), one of the authors of HB 6514, said the re-establishment of May 7 as the Health Workers Day gives due respect and appreciation to the services of health workers, who are the main pillars of the country’s health care system.