Advocacy for better disaster laws and policies needs more voices coming from the community level, and so the Philippine Red Cross – IFRC Disaster Law Programme has teamed up with a consortium of Partner National Societies led by Finnish Red Cross and supported by EuropeAID to create an IEC (information, education and communication) material on key messages for disaster law and inclusive community planning. This also forms part of the PRC-IFRC Disaster Law Programme’s strategy for community engagement.

The brochure /IEC material (“Disaster Law Key Messages for Inclusive Community Participation“) explains in a layman-friendly language the basic features of the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act of 2010. In addition to legal provisions on community participation and representation at Local DRRM Councils, the brochure (or information and education material) highlights the rights and roles of vulnerable and marginalized groups in community DRRM, gender sensitivity and the link between DRR and climate change adaptation. The brochure was published in early 2017 and is about to be disseminated to communities through Philippine Red Cross Chapters this year (2017).