In response to the growing challenges posed by climate change, Senator Loren Legarda has introduced Senate Bill 2927, known as the Magna Carta for Public Disasters Risks Reduction and Management (DRRM) workers. The bill aims to acknowledge and enhance the welfare of DRRM workers in the Philippines, a nation frequently ranked highest on the World Risk Index due to its vulnerability to natural disasters.
Legarda emphasized the critical role of DRRM workers in a country that faces a variety of natural and human-induced hazards, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The proposed legislation seeks to institutionalize protections and benefits for these workers, focusing on improving their working conditions, professional development, and overall well-being.
Key aspects of the bill include the provision of better employment terms, enhanced working environments, and comprehensive benefits such as hazard pay, mandatory insurance, overtime compensation, night differential, and retirement benefits for eligible workers. The bill also aims to professionalize the DRRM workforce through capacity-building initiatives.
Legarda, a UNDRR Global Champion for Resilience, stressed the importance of recognizing the sacrifices made by DRRM workers who risk their lives to protect others. She hopes that the passage of this bill will not only improve the conditions for these workers but also inspire more individuals to join this vital field.
The senator has a history of legislative efforts to bolster disaster preparedness in the Philippines, having co-sponsored the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 and authored the PAGASA Modernization Act of 2015, which have significantly improved the country’s readiness for annual typhoons.