The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has cited the need for the Philippines to have a specialized disaster management agency and a highly competent “Disaster Czar” to oversee the country’s disaster risk mitigation efforts.

Various sector leaders, including Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, called for the creation of such agency following the recent onslaught of storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” which wrought havoc on many communities in the entire Luzon area.

The two natural disasters left more than 700 people dead and widespread destruction of properties and infrastructure. They also put to serious question the country’s national disaster preparedness program.

Noting the number and frequency of natural disasters spawned by weather disturbances in the country, UNDP Country Director Renaud Meyer said the Philippines needs a dedicated disaster agency and an effective and efficient “Disaster Czar.”

A recent newspaper report quoted Meyer as having pointed to Presidential Economic Adviser and Albay Governor Joey Salceda as the man most fit to run such agency being “one of the country’s models to be emulated for having actually built up preparedness among every level of Albay society and government personnel.”

Meyer pointed out that Salceda has in fact developed his home province of Albay as one “that is best prepared to meet contingencies before they happen.”

“A measure of Salceda’s and other Albay officials’ success (in this regard) is the annual decline in casualties, deaths and property damage” from various natural disasters in the province, Meyer said.

The UNDP official noted that the Albay provincial government and its people not only manage the disaster when it comes and do a good job of doing rescue and relief work, but have also carefully mapped the vulnerable areas of the province and do actual year-round preparedness seminars and drills.

Aside from his key role as presidential economic adviser, Salceda is also an active campaigner on climate change adaptation. He has pioneered and coined the term “preemptive evacuation” which means “moving people out of disaster path before the actual danger occurs.” It is now an adopted disaster standard operating procedure nationwide.

Salceda’s target – ‘zero’ casualty – in every natural disaster has been the guiding rule for the local disaster councils in Albay, as well as the crisis managers and the private sector groups that support him. All of them put premium value on human life above all.