Effects of Sufficiency of NDRRM Law and Enforcement thereof vis-a-vis Marawi Siege

The Marawi Seige

The war in Marawi City, in southern Philippines began on May 23, 2017, after a botched
operation of the army and the police to arrest a leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group, a group known
for banditry, kidnaping, and beheadings.

Isnilon Hapilon, the object of the arrest, had formed an alliance with Omarkhayam Maute and
Abdullah Maute, brothers who had reportedly pledged allegiance to Islamic State in Iraq and
Syria (ISIS) leader, Abu Bakar Baghdadi, and who proclaimed the Daulah Islamiyah Fi Ranao or
the Islamic State of Lanao in September 2014 (Banlaoi, 2017).

The Marawi City siege, lasting five months, is considered by analyst Greg Fealy to be the “most
significant terror event in Southeast Asia in the last 15 years” (Morallo, 2017). It gained
extensive attention due to the security threat it posed to the Philippines and its neighboring
countries and the massive destruction of life and property.

Within a month, the conflict displaced 360,000 people, including all of the city’s residents along
with many from neighbouring municipalities. The majority of these internally displaced persons
(IDPs) have taken shelter with family and friends; approximately 10% have sought refuge at 75
evacuation centres in Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Misamis Oriental provinces of
Mindanao (Humanitarian bulletin Philippines, 2017).

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDDRMC)

The Philippines has a strong set of policies, frameworks and plans for disaster risk reduction
(DRR), through which work on resilience can be grounded. The key law is the Philippine Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (DRRM Law). The DRRM Act establishes local
councils at the regional, provincial, municipal, and community levels that replicate the National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDDRMC) responsibilities.

The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 strengthens the Philippines’
implementation of actions and measures for direction and mitigation in catastrophes and is a
very important step towards achievement of an enhanced response program for disaster risk
reduction. Based on the provisions “the participation of civil society organizations (CSOs), the
private sector and volunteers in the government’s disaster risk reduction programs towards
complementation of resources and effective delivery of services to the citizenry”, the
government can direct other groups in the country to join resources towards the domain of
disaster risk and reduction management programs. This opens up institutional capacity to
bolster good relationships among response operations key players that may result to
institutional interoperability.
Objectives of the National Disaster Response Plan (NDRP)

The NDRP is the National Government’s strategic action in providing response assistance for
managing the consequences of terrorism related incidents. It aims to ensure the timely,
effective and coordinated response by the National Government including its instrumentalities
by providing support assistance to the areas that will be affected by terrorist acts. The NDRP
acknowledges and supports the principles of the Local Government Code (RA 7160) wherein all
LGUs are mandated to prepare and render response for all eventualities of disaster within their
boundaries.

The NDRP embraces all conceivable contingencies, making use of all available resources from
the government, non-government organizations, private sectors, volunteer groups and other
response operations key actors. It promotes self-reliance and mutual-help, with the full
utilization of available resources before seeking assistance from neighboring or higher entities.
Since emergency response is a joint responsibility of the national and local governments, its
effectiveness will depend largely on the level of preparedness done by the different levels of
the local government units (Province, City and Municipality) as well as that of the field offices
and attached agencies of the different national government agencies. The manner of response
that will be provided by the National Government through this NDRP heavily relies on the
capacities and capabilities of the different levels of the local government. It is important that
the LGUs are well-versed on Disaster Preparedness Plan as a foundation for effective response
operations.

A few months after returning from a U.S. government-funded exchange focused on emergency
response, Lanao del Sur official Tong Pacasum is using what he learned to improve emergency
response in Marawi and Lanao del Sur.

In September 2017, Mr. Saripada “Tong” Pacasum, Disaster Risk Reduction Officer of the Lanao
del Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, joined disaster response experts
from around Asia for a three-week International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) exchange
program in the United States on emergency response preparedness.

During the Marawi Crisis, Mr. Pacasum led the volunteer “Suicide Squad” that rescued civilians
trapped in the main battle area of Marawi City. Now, with the crisis ended, Pacasum has turned
his efforts to rehabilitation of the city and preparations for future disasters. He is applying
aspects of the “Integrated Command System” he learned about in the United States to
coordinate the operations of the Lanao del Sur Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office
with the Provincial Bureau of Fire and the Marawi City Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Office.

Pacasum has also begun leading disaster preparedness trainings for youth in Lanao del Sur with
a “Lanao Youth Disaster Preparedness” series. Conducted in partnership with the U.S.
government’s Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), Project Ogop, the Provincial
Security Forces, and the AFP, the training will introduce youth to basic disaster response first
aid and leadership skills. During the project launch in Marantao, Lanao del Sur, Pacasum’s team
trained 400 students. The program will continue in all 40 municipalities of Lanao del Sur.

A convention was held dubbed as National Conversation: ‘Promoting the Wellbeing of the
Internally Displaced Persons in Marawi Conflict Affected Areas’ held April 25, 2018 in Manila.
One of the attendees asked Sittie Joharah Pacalundo of Sowara o Miyamagoyag, Voice of the
Marawi Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs), “What happened to our dead and missing?”
Pacalundo’s concern is only one among the many questions the IDP groups brought to the
conversation. The people of Marawi have been hit by two disasters in 2017. The conflict first
broke out in May; then in December, Typhoon Vinta displaced and victimised the survivors of
the siege the second time. “Some of the IDPs died in the siege. Some died during Typhoon
Vinta…The tents provided to the IDPs were not appropriate,” Pacalundo said.

The Marawi conflict in May 2017 has displaced more than 353,000 people. Almost a year after
the siege, IDPs living in evacuation centers, home-based settings and even those in transitional
shelters are still in need of humanitarian assistance.

Even as food assistance has come to their aid, “a lot of areas are still without help,” Pacalundo
shared to some 80 representatives of donor and humanitarian agencies, INGOs, NGOs and CSOs
present during the forum. The forum discussed how 80% of the evacuees are home based.
Most assistance are given to internally displaced people (IDP) in evacuation centers.

The Voice of Marawi IDPs and the Bangon Marawi CSO Platform presented their six-point
recommendation to the government. These were gathered from series of processes facilitated
by Bangon Marawi CSO platform. Since January 2018, these recommendations were being
presented up to the senate level and across national agencies involved in Marawi response and
rehabilitation.

The recommendations were in terms of providing support for:

o An enabling and dignified survival of the IDPs including monthly cash assistance, access to
health, medical and psycho-social services, access to education of IDP children and youth,
access to government assistance while displaced and still in the recovery phase;
o Just repatriation and compensation for damages, conduct of actual damage needs
assessment with owner of the properties and just compensation and reparation;
o Livelihood recovery and access to employment;
o Options for shelter and prioritise the most vulnerable, with support packages based on
needs and preferences;
o Facilitating a peace enabling and sustainable rehabilitation of Marawi that ensures
people’s participation and transparent, accountable and culturally appropriate planning
process;
o Recognising ancestral land ownership of the Maranaos, enabling institutionalised land
dispute resolutions, and once declared safe and cleared, ensure safe return of the IDPs to
the ground zero area.

Voice of Marawi IDPs represents more than 12,000 households across Lanao del Sur, Lanao del
Norte and Misamis Oriental including Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities. Bangon Marawi CSO
platform is the largest gathering of NGOs, traditional leaders, people’s organizations, and civic-
minded communities.

Ilagan and the government’s Task Force Bangon Marawi Avelino Tolentino, Head Secretariat
shared what the government is doing within and outside the Task Force in terms of housing,
construction, social welfare, health, and peace and order.

Within these discussions, IDEALS launched the Management of the Dead and Missing (MDM)
Module and the Access to Benefits and Claims after Disaster (ABCD) Primer volume 2.

The MDM module provides relevant information to responders, the bereaved families, and
vulnerable communities on MDM response. Topics include: the organisational structure of the
cluster, how organisations coordinate, and the applicable laws that can provide protection to
the dead and missing disaster victims and survivors.

The expanded ABCD Primer is a compilation of the latest information on requirements, steps,
and eligibilities in accessing available benefits and claims from 15 government agencies that
play strategic roles in Disaster Risk Reduction.

Disaster-affected Local Government Units officials and duty bearers are guided on the
standards in delivering needed response and services. Affected individuals are made aware of
their rights and benefits available to them.

The publication and module is brought to you by IDEALS, Inc. These are part of IDEALS’ Project
VITALS or Disaster Victim Identification through Training and Learning Support funded by the
Humanitarian Leadership Academy Philippines. Christian Aid, the Humanitarian Response
Consortium and The Asia Foundation also provided support to the develop and print the
Primer.

The ABCD Primer, along with other programs of information dissemination of IDEALS such as
S’bang Ka Marawi radio program, helped disseminate news and information to survivors of the
conflict, where to go and what benefit and support they can access.

The National Conversations convened IDP leaders, government institutions, local and
international NGOs to discuss the current situation of Marawi. The forum was organized by
IDEALS and the Philippine Disaster Response Network, with support from Oxfam.
Critical Emergency Response

Key to the survival of displaced children in conflict situations is timely psychosocial intervention
and structured learning process in safe learning places. To achieve this, UNICEF and its partners
and key government agencies disseminated key child protection messages through mass media
that reached almost 400,000 in evacuation centers and host communities. The campaign
accompanied efforts to provide mothers and caregivers with basic psychosocial support (PSS)
and protection guidelines to improve child protection.

In partnership with CFSI, UNICEF provided PSS to approximately 5,300 children who participated
in therapeutic activities to help them deal with the effects of the conflict.

The first few weeks were very difficult for the children as reflected in their drawings of gloomy
figures set in dark colors, burning houses and people escaping. However, after participating in
workshops, counseling and group sharing through storytelling, the children’s drawings have
changed into colorful ones with less grim messages.

Rebuilding After The Conflict

Waiting out an armed conflict was not easy for the children and although the government has
declared some parts of the city safe, the majority of displaced families is not expected to return
to their homes until early 2018. Thus, relief efforts remain a priority.
UNICEF has identified urgent needs for psychosocial support and back-to-school and mine risk
education for children and teachers, scaling up mass measles vaccination, and increasing funding
for humanitarian assistance.

The road to full recovery for hundreds of thousands of children displaced by the Marawi siege is
challenging and may take years. As the rehabilitation phase begins, UNICEF Philippines
Representative Lotta Sylwander hopes the government and all members of the community will
continue to work together and prioritize sending the children back to school. “Schools provide
support to give children a sense of normalcy on their return, and gives easy access to children
and their families for more specific interventions and services,” she said.

Economic effects of Marawi and martial law

Government economic managers issued statements that this Marawi incident will have little
effect on the Philippine economy especially if resolved in a short time. The stock market is
holding at its present level and there have been no massive sell downs. They also said that
because of the strong macro-economic fundamentals, the country's credit rating will not be
affected. Finance Sec. Dominguez opined that Marawi and the whole Autonomous Region of
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), accounts only for .6 of 1 percent of the Philippine Gross Domestic
Product, (GDP); and the whole of Mindanao 14 percent of GDP. These support arguments that
economic realities do not warrant martial law beyond Marawi, and it would be difficult to
convince Congress and the Supreme Court to support martial law nationwide.

NDRRMC MEETS FOR MARAWI CITY INCIDENT

Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Officer-in-Charge Asec Kristoffer James E Purisima chaired the
meeting attended by Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Operations Asec Rodolfo
Demosthenes C Santillan and representatives from Member Agencies namely; DILG, DSWD,
DOH, DFA, AFP, PNP and OCD.

On 23 May 2017, a conflict between armed men and government troops transpired in Brgy
Basak Malutlut, Marawi City. Armed men were seen in the area and have taken over the Amai
Pakpak Medical Center located near Marawi City Hall. Consequently, several fire incidents
emerged in Marawi City. Civilians were advised to stay indoors during the incident. The
situation worsened and the clash lasted until this morning. The President declared Martial Law
in the whole of Mindanao last night to address the conflict.

The National Council is continuously monitoring the incident gearing up for response efforts in
the affected communities. As of 3pm, the NDRRM Operations Center has raised its alert status
to BLUE and all OCD Regional Offices in Mindanao is on RED alert status.

While the Local DRRM Councils were directed to ensure the provision of relief assistance in
conflict-affected communities, the National Response Cluster is on standby.

Resumption of Regular Waste Disposal Management Program

With the prevailing state of waste disposition in Marawi City after the siege, local line agencies
knit together to implement proper waste disposal and management as internally displaced
persons (IDPs) gradually return to their barangays.

The city’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) General Service Office,
with the coordination of City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), gave the
assurance that roads were clear and water passages and canals were clean.

Under the Brigada Marawi program, CDRRMO is ensuring that wastes from barangays will be
transported and properly disposed at Brgy. Papandayan Caniogan dumpsite.

The CDRRMO has already addressed the need for indefinite clearances so that their personnel
can enter and dispose garbage in the dumpsite. Previously, passage across the bridge of Brgy.
Rorogagus East and Brgy. Rorogagus Proper going to the dumpsite was constrained due to
security measures being implemented.
During the recent meeting of the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), it was identified that
providing and repairing the city’s road graders will help maximize practical strategies in
managing the city’s wastes.

The people of Marawi were encouraged to be proactive in their participation in supporting the
city’s system of waste minimization action plans.

In behalf of the local agencies, Pacasum said that regular involvement of residents with the help
of local agencies will have a positive impact in waste disposal behavior, which is the ultimate
cornerstone in intensifying the local government’s ordinance on proper waste disposal. (JL/PIA
TFBM ICCC)

Task Force Bangon Marawi

Task Force Bangon Marawi has deployed post-conflict needs assessment teams to Marawi City.

In a statement by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, the agency said
that five teams were deployed to 24 barangays in Marawi City to "assess the damages and
losses incurred due to the still on-going conflict" in the area.

NDRMMC said the teams would assess barangays in Zones 0 to 12 that were identified as clear
by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The teams are composed of members from the following agencies:

 Department of Science and Technology

 Department of Trade and Industry
 Department of Education
 Department of Social Welfare and Development
 Department of Public Works and Highways
 Housing and Urban Development Council
 Department of Information and Communications Technology
 National Economic Development Authority
 Department of Environment and Natural Resources
 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
 National Electrification Administration
 National Housing Authority
 Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board
 Social Housing Finance Corporation
 Local Water Utilities Administration.

Meanwhile, damage and losses assessment in Zones 13 to 17 will commence when the AFP
completes its clearing operations in the said areas.
During the height of the conflict, the task force focused on providing assistance for the
internally displaced persons. Nearly five months since war broke out, the military has recorded
about 400,000 residents displaced.

REFERRENCES

NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE PLAN (NDRP) CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT FOR TERRORISM-

RELATED INCIDENTS

UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS

(OCHA), HUMANITARIAN BULLETIN PHILIPPINES ISSUE 6, JULY 2017,

RELIEFWEB.INT/SITES/RELIEFWEB.INT/FILES/RESOURCES/OCHAPHILIPPINES_HUMANITARIAN_B
ULLETIN_NO6_JULY_2017_FINAL.PDF; DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT,
DSWD DROMIC REPORT #93 ON THE ARMED CONFLICT IN MARAWI CITY, 14 OCTOBER 2017,

U.S. Embassy Manila, 21 December, 2017

https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/opinion/2017/05/29/1705007/economic-effects-
marawi-and-martial-law

http://www.ocd.gov.ph/news/press-release/369-ndrrmc-meets-for-marawi-city-incident.html

Philippine Information Agency, by Jose Michael U. Lacre, November 15, 2017