Government prepares crisis management manual

NATIONAL security officials recently bared government efforts to achieve crisis preparedness and management through a national crisis management manual.

National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Secretary Fernando Mesa, together with NSC officials, briefed members of the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Council on the components of the national crisis management manual.

Lieutenant Colonel Ranulfo Sevilla of the NSC crisis management support secretariat discussed the components of the manual which includes the creation of a local crisis management committee which would handle terrorism, coastal borders, disaster risk management and energy and fuel shortages.

Sevilla said the manual, which they are now presenting to regional and local stakeholders for consultation, is ready pending an issuance of an executive order from President Benigno Aquino III.

He said there is no truth the country is unprepared for events such as fuel shortages and oil crises, saying the government has contingency plans in place for such occurrences.

Mesa, meanwhile, stressed other possible sources of crises such as border conflicts in the West Philippine Sea, North Korea’s planned rocket launches are also being looked upon by the council.

The National Crisis Management Manual, according to Mesa, is a product of consultations with several government agencies and local government units.

The manual is a result of past failed crises preparedness efforts of the country following events like the Manila hostage crisis which resulted into a tragedy. There was a seeming lack of preparedness and delineation between the roles of crisis managers and law enforcers were not clearly defined.

Several protocols have been identified by the manual for local governments and law enforcers to follow based on standards set by the United States Federal Emergency Management Administration.

Through the manual, Sevilla said focus will also be given to post-assessment evaluation of actions. (JM Agreda)