[ ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 32, April 24, 2025 ]
CREATING THE NATIONAL TASK FORCE KANLAON
WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 10121 or the "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010" declares it a policy of the State to adopt a disaster risk reduction and management approach that is holistic, comprehensive, integrated, and proactive in lessening the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of disasters, and promote the involvement and participation of all sectors and stakeholders at all levels;
WHEREAS, RA No. 9154 or the "Mt. Kanlaon National Park Act of 2001" declares it a policy of the State to ensure the protection and conservation of Mt. Kanlaon, including communities therein and their culture and way of life;
WHEREAS, RA No. 9154 established Mt. Kanlaon, located in the Cities of Bago, La Carlota, and San Carlos and in the Municipalities of La Castellana and Murcia in Negros Occidental, and in the City of Canlaon and Municipality of Vallehermoso, both in the Province of Negros Oriental, as a protected area under the category of a national park;
WHEREAS, on 09 December 2024, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) - Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the Alert Level of Mt. Kanlaon to Alert Level 3 (Magmatic Unrest) based on the reports of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) that explosive eruptions occurred at the summit vent of Mt. Kanlaon;
WHEREAS, according to NDRRMC, Mt. Kanlaon.s seismic activities has affected around 12,360 families or 48,528 individuals, and has caused P129 Million worth of damages and losses to agriculture;
WHEREAS, based ion recent monitoring and analysis by NDRRMC and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Mt. Kanlaon continues to exhibit significant volcanic activities which pose serious threat to lives, livelihoods, infrastructure, and overall safety of communities within the Negros Island Region;
WHEREAS, there is a need to ensure a coordinated government action and response to reduce the impact of Mt. Kanlaon's volcanic activities and expedite the recovery and redevelopment of affected communities;
WHEREAS, Section 17, Article VII of the Constitution vests in the President the power of control over all Executive departments, bureaus and offices;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR., President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and exiting laws, do hereby order:
Section 1. Creation and Composition of the National Task Force Kanlaon. The National Task Force Kanlaon ("Task Force") is hereby created. The Task Force shall be composed of the heads of the following agencies:
| Chairperson | : | Department of National Defense (DND) |
| Members | : | DOST |
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| Department of Environment and Natural Resources
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| Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development |
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| Department of Public Works and Highways |
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| Department of Social Welfare and Development |
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| Department of Labor and Employment |
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| Department of the Interior and Local Government |
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| Department of Health |
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) shall serve as Secretariat of the Task Force, and shall be tasked to provide the necessary technical, administrative and operational support to the Task Force.
The Chairperson and members of the Task Force may designate their respective alternates, with ranks not lower than Assistant Secretary or its equivalent, who are fully authorized to decide for or on their behalf.
Section 2. Duties and Functions. The Task Force shall have the primary duty of overseeing and coordinating all government programs, activities and projects to reduce the impact of Mt. Kanlaon's volcanic activities and further accelerate the recovery, redevelopment and resilience-building of affected communities.
For this purpose, the Task Force shall perform the following duties and functions, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations:
a. Oversee the implementation and monitoring of all government programs, activities and projects for the resettlement, recovery, rehabilitation and redevelopment of communities affected by Mt. Kanlaon's volcanic activities. This may include, among others, the Kanlaon Recovery and Development Plan, conduct of a comprehensive risk assessment on areas within the Mt. Kanlaon 14-kilometer danger zone, continuous provision of relief and other forms of assistance to the displaced population, and the establishment of sustainable resettlement areas with adequate housing, infrastructure and livelihood opportunities.
b. Operationalize and coordinate effective and timely execution of disaster risk reduction and management efforts in communities affected by Mt. Kanlaon's volcanic activities. For this purpose, the Task Force shall ensure that all government programs, activities and projects for the resettlement , recovery, rehabilitation and redevelopment of communities affected by Mt. Kanlaon's volcanic activities are anchored on policies and frameworks approved by the NDRRMC;
c. Study and implement measures and ways forward to further assist affected communities within Negros Island Region, as well as to rebuild and strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure;
d. In cooperation with the NDRRMC, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils, and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices, ensure that the programs, activities, and projects of various government agencies at the national, regional and local levels, are consistent with the Kanlaon Recovery and Redevelopment Plan under Section 3 hereof;
e. Invite, collaborate and establish institutional partnerships with concerned government agencies and the private sector, including non-government organizations and other stakeholders to ensure the effective performance of its duties and functions; and
f. Perform such other functions as may be directed by the President and/or the Executive Secretary.
Section 3. Kanlaon Recovery and Development Plan. Pursuant to its mandate under RA No. 10121 to serve as the overall policy-making body on disaster risk reduction and management, the NDRRMC, in coordination with the National Economic and Development Authority and other concerned government agencies and stakeholders, is hereby directed to formulate the Kanlaon Recovery and Development Plan, which shall serve as the strategic framework for the recovery and development of communities affected by Mt. Kalaon's volcanic activities.
The Kanlaon Recovery Development Plan shall contain short-term and long-term strategies and concrete action plans with emphasis on the following areas of concern: (a) housing and resettlement; (b) infrastructure; (c) social welfare; (d) livelihood and business development; and (e) governance. For this purpose, the NDRRMC is hereby authorized to form technical working groups responsible for coming up with detailed strategies, action plans, and timelines for the abovementioned areas of concern.
Section 4. Convergence. All concerned government agencies are hereby directed, and all local government units within Negros Island Region and the private sector are hereby encouraged, to render full support to and cooperation with the Task Force and NDRRMC to ensure the effective implementation of this Order.
Section 5. Reporting. The Task Force, through the OCD, is hereby directed to prepare and submit to the Office of the President, through the Office of the Executive Secretary, annual reports on the implementation of this Order.
Section 6. Funding. The funding requirements for the implementation of this Order shall be charged against the existing appropriations of the member-agencies of the Task Force and such other available funding sources as may be identified by the Department of Budget and Management, including the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, subject to relevant budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations. Thereafter, the subsequent funding requirements for the purpose shall be included in the budget proposal of concerned agencies, subject to the usual budget preparation process.
Section 7. Separability. If any part or provision of this Order is held invalid or unconstitutional, the provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 8. Repeal. All orders, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Order, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Section 9. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately upon the publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
DONE, in the City of Manila, this 24td day of April, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Four.
(SGD.) FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR.
By the President:
(SGD.) LUCAS P. BERSAMIN
Executive Secretary
