Lorenzana says a disaster resilience dept will make DND focus more on terrorism, security

July 30, 2019

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana supports the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience as it will make the Department of Defense more focused on issues like terrorism and security.

"The way you look at it, OCD (Office of Civil Defense) is under me now," Lorenzana said in a press briefing in Quezon City.

Lorenzana said once the department is created, the OCD will be separated from them.

"That will free us, defense, to focus our attention fighting terrorism and other security issues," he said.

Lorenzana expressed support with President Rodrigo Duterte's recommendation of creating a department to handle disaster response.

Lorenzana urged the 18th Congress to fast track the creation of the department after the previous Congress failed to pass it before the session closed due to multiple versions.

"The president certified our proposed bill sometime last year and this was actually brought to Congress and while in Congress a lot of representatives (created their own version)," he said.

"Hopefully this time we can focus on this administration's bill because we believe this is the most appropriate one," he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS