Joselito Malig

Article (news)

After almost a year of implementation, Republic Act No. 12287, or the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act, has allowed national and local governments to undertake pre-disaster risk assessments that could indicate a highly probable disaster in certain areas.Signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sept. 12, 2025, the law seeks to shift disaster management from responding after a calamity to taking action before it happens.RA No. 12287 also covers hazards that are modeled and forecasted with enough lead time before they occur, which include, but are not limited to, floods, typhoons, droughts, heat or cold waves and storm surges.Who can declare it?<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/11/-uwan-death-toll-climbs-to-6-0804">Philippines digs out from Typhoon Uwan as death toll climbs to 18 </a> </div>Under Section 5 of the law, the President may declare a State of Imminent Disaster over a cluster of barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, or regions upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).It also said that local chief executives may also declare a State of Imminent Disaster within their respective jurisdictions through an executive order, upon the recommendation of their Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) councils.Does it mean automatic suspension of classes?RA 12287 is primarily a disaster-risk management law. It does not specifically state that a declaration of State of Imminent Disaster automatically suspends classes or work.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/29/dswd-on-red-alert-amid-prolonged-effects-of-habagat-0726">DSWD on red alert amid prolonged effects of habagat </a> </div>In an interview with DZMM Teleradyo about the late college suspensions on August 17, Atty. Noel del Prado said that the law simply allows local and national government authorities to allocate funds for anticipatory measures.It provides a legal mechanism for authorities to undertake anticipatory measures, including public advisories and other actions intended to reduce the effects of forecasted weather.Del Prado explained that while certain weather conditions may warrant automatic class suspensions, authorities must exercise judgement in situations that fall between established thresholds.Suspensions also carry educational consequences, as reduced classroom time can affect students’ learning, he added.Are there penalties for abusing the declaration?The law also imposes penalties for spreading false information about a disaster.Under section 12 of the law, it prohibits the malicious creation or spreading false hazard and risk information from demonstrably spurious sources, as well as the manipulation of assessment reports or related information to support an improper declaration.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/29/eight-million-affected-by-habagat-recent-tropical-cyclones-ndrrmc-1248">Eight million affected by Habagat, recent tropical cyclones — NDRRMC</a></div>Violators may face a fine ranging from P50,000 to P500,000, imprisonment of six to 12 years, or both, depending on the court&#x27;s discretion.If the offender is a public official or employee, the law also imposes perpetual disqualification from holding public office.What if the disaster does not happen?Under section 7 of the law, if later pre-disaster risk assessments show that the projected impacts will not occur, the relevant DRRM councils should recommend the immediate lifting of the declaration.Unused funds will accrue to the Special Trust Fund, for the LGUs, while unused national government funds revert to the National Treasury after the declaration is lifted or terminated under section 11 of the law.

After almost a year of implementation, Republic Act No. 12287, or the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act, has allowed the national and local government to undertake pre-disaster risk assessments that could indicate a highly probable disaster in certain areas.

After almost a year of implementation, Republic Act No. 12287, or the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act, has allowed the national and local government to undertake pre-disaster risk assessments that could indicate a highly probable disaster in certain areas.

How LGUs can act before tropical cyclones, moonsoon rains strike

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How LGUs can act before tropical cyclones, moonsoon rains strike

Ryan Franco Verano,

ABS-CBN News Digital Intern

Published August 29, 2026 04:10 PM PHT

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Habagat

Disaster response

LGUs

Typhoon

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