Manila, Sept. 18 -- The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Thursday thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for signing into law Republic Act (RA) 12287, which allows the government to declare a "State of Imminent Disaster" before a calamity.

In a statement, OCD administrator Undersecretary Harold Cabreros said the law's passage is a "significant milestone in supporting the country's proactive approach to disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM)."

"This law establishes the institutionalization of Anticipatory Action within our current DRRM systems," he said.

Signed on Sept. 12, RA 12287, or the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act, introduces the concept of "Anticipatory Action," a proactive approach that allows authoriti...