Administrative Order No. 21, August 30, 1962

CREATING A PRESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE ON RELIEF AND REHABILITATION

In order to meet the urgent need for a more adequate and effective coordination of the activities of the different relief organizations and implementing agencies in connection with relief operations during disasters caused by typhoons, floods, fires, earthquakes and other natural calamities, as well as during emergencies other than those caused by natural calamities, a Presidential Committee on Relief and Rehabilitation is hereby created to be composed of the following:

The Executive Secretary	Chairman
The Social Welfare Administrator	Vice-Chairman
The Secretary of National Defense	Member
The Secretary of Health	Member
The Secretary of Public Works and Communications	Member
The Secretary of Commerce and Industry	Member
The Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources	Member
The Manager, Philippine National Red Cross	Member

The Committee is hereby authorized to create such subcommittees on the provincial, city and municipal level as may be necessary to implement its relief activities and assist in the performance of its duties and functions.

I - PRIMARY DUTIES

The primary duties of the Committee shall be as follows:

(1) To provide first aid and immediate relief to victims of calamities.

(2) To provide a program for the material reconstruction of the area damaged by the calamity and the economic rehabilitation of the victims from such funds and facilities as may be authorized by law.

(3) To formulate long-range plans designed to minimize damage from calamities and to work out a blueprint for the effective dispensation of relief and rehabilitation goods to victims of calamities.

The relief and rehabilitation work should conform with the principle that immediate action be taken to save lives and health, prevent hunger and at the same time develop among the victims an attitude of self-reliance and fortitude.

II - AUTHORITY TO CALL UPON OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

The Committee is hereby authorized to call upon officials of any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the government, including government-owned or controlled corporations, for such assistance as it may need in discharging its duties and functions.

III - KINDS OF RELIEF ASSISTANCE

For the guidance of the Presidential Committee on Relief and Rehabilitation in the performance of its functions, relief assistance is hereby classified into emergency and rehabilitation.

Emergency relief shall include the immediate distribution of food, water, clothing, medicine and other material assistance, as well as the provisions for emergency shelter, necessary transportation and adequate security.

Rehabilitative relief shall include the restitution and/or repair of roads, bridges, school buildings, dams, irrigation projects, waterworks, occupational equipment and private residences; improvement of the sanitary condition and health of the calamity-stricken area; introduction of sanitary measures; establishment of self-help projects; extension of medical care; slum clearance; and furnishing of seedlings to farmers, etc.

IV -SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS

The relief agency members shall perform the following specific functions:

A. – EMERGENCY

1. The Social Welfare Administrator shall

(a) Conduct an on-the-spot survey to determine extent of damage and number of victims eligible for immediate assistance and relief;

(b) Refer cases of victims needing immediate medical care to nearby medical units;

(c) Effect immediately arrangement for emergency shelter;

(d) Distribute adequate relief in the form of foodstuffs and clothing;

(e) Dispatch an emergency relief team from the SWA Central Office to the disaster-stricken area with additional relief supplies when local SWA Units cannot cope adequately with the situation;

(f) Coordinate with local government officials and civic organizations in order to avoid duplication of services;

(g) Extend guidance, counselling and other special services to boost the morale of the victims and determine their other needs; and

(h) Prepare case records of victims, in close coordination with participating teams and agencies, to determine and ensure the necessity of further rehabilitative services.

2. The Secretary of National Defense shall

(a) Render immediate assistance to prevent loss of lives;

(b) Conduct an on-the-spot survey to determine extent of damage and number of victims eligible for immediate assistance and relief;

(c) Provide transportation, security, emergency shelter, communication facilities; and

(d) Extend assistance in the distribution of relief goods and supplies.

3. The Secretary of Health shall

(a) Establish emergency stations for the purpose of rendering first aid treatment and other medical services to those who suffer injuries as a consequence of the calamity;

(b) Prepare wounded or injured people for hospitalization in hospitals nearest to the site of the disaster; and

(c) Assist in the distribution of emergency aid, such as medicine and other relief goods.

4. The Secretary of Public Works and Communications shall

(a) Direct its field offices to mobilize all possible men and equipment;

(b) Undertake work for the restoration of damage or destroyed structures and other buildings;

(c) Formulate plan for reconstruction of damaged public works; and

(d) Cooperate with other government agencies and relief organizations,

5. The Secretary of Commerce and Industry shall

(a) Adopt and carry out effective measures for the purpose of maintaining the normal level of prices of commodities in the calamity-stricken areas, as well as of preventing the possibility of hoarding such commodities for speculative purposes.

6. The Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources shall

(a) Conduct a survey and investigation of the extent of damage to crops and livestock in the affected areas; and

(b) Help the people, especially the farmers, save whatever crops and livestock that might have survived the calamity.

7. The Manager of the Philippine National Red Cross shall

(a) Conduct on-the-spot survey of sufferers as basis for relief distribution;

(b) Effect immediately distribution of food and other basic necessities during emergency period immediately following the disaster;

(c) Locate sufferers in homes of friends, neighbors and relatives for emergency shelter, available public buildings to be used for this purpose;

(d) Render first aid treatment of disaster victims;

(e) Assist sufferers in establishing contacts with relatives in other provinces; and

(f) Coordinate with other agencies.

B. - REHABILITATIVE

1. The Social Welfare Administrator shall create local screening committees to review case records of all disaster victims and determine their eligibility for rehabilitative services, occupational equipment, building materials, etc.

2. The Secretary of National Defense shall extend rehabilitative services concerning planning, communications, transportation, legal assistance, construction, intelligence and such other measures as may adequately prevent hoarding of foodstuffs and spiraling of prices.

He shall help other agencies in the implementation of communication, legal assistance and construction requirements.

3. The Secretary of Health shall

(a) Establish emergency stations for the purpose of immunizing the residents in the affected area in order to prevent the occurrence or spread of epidemic; and

(b) Help maintain the sanitary conditions in the affected area to forestall the outbreak of diseases or epidemics.

4. The Secretary of Public Works and Communications shall assist in the reconstruction of community projects such as artesian wells, school buildings, community centers and other public structures; in the repair and installation of communication facilities; and in the reconstruction of damaged public works.

5. The Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources shall

(a) Help and guide the farmers where to secure seeds and plant materials as well as livestock with which to rehabilitate their farms;

(b) Help the people, especially the farmers, in the control of plant and animal pests and diseases; and

(c) Help the farmers in the solution of their various agricultural problems arising from a disaster.

6. The Secretary of Commerce and Industry, as Chairman of the sub-committee on Economic Rehabilitation, shall take care of providing a program for the economic rehabilitation of the victims from such funds and facilities as may be authorized by law, as well as formulate long-range plans designed to minimize damage from calamities and to work out a blueprint for the effective dispensation and use of rehabilitation goods to victims of calamities.

V - RULES AND REGULATIONS

The Committee is hereby authorized to adopt such rules and regulations on working procedures as may be necessary to carry out the aims, objectives and purposes of this order.

VI - REPORTS

At the completion of each relief work, the Committee shall render a report to the President, as well as an annual report, which shall include a summary of emergency measures, progress of rehabilitation and recommendations for necessary appropriations for the succeeding fiscal year.

VII - REPEALING CLAUSE

This Order supersedes Administrative Order No. 305 dated August 11, 1959, and all inconsistent rules and regulations.

Done in the City of Manila, this 30th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and sixty-two.

(Sgd.) DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) SALVADOR L. MARIÑO

Executive Secretary