September 16, 2014

NEDA OFFICE CIRCULAR NO. 08-14

GUIDELINES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOREIGN VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT FRAMEWORK IN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

WHEREAS, the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) developed a Foreign Volunteer Deployment Framework (FVDF) in 2007 and subsequently reviewed in 2011 to ensure that volunteer assistance is aligned with the national development goals and objectives as provided in

WHEREAS, disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) was identified in the FVDF as a priority area for a volunteer assistance;

WHEREAS, PNVSCA developed a framework for foreign volunteer engagement in DRRM that is more focused and aligned with the existing National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework (NDRRMF) of the Philippines;

WHEREAS, the said volunteer engagement framework was presented to and approved by partner International Volunteer Service Organizations (IVSOs) and the Multi-Sectoral Advisory Body (MSAB) on 04 October 2013 and 19 November 2013, respectively;

WHEREAS, the Executive Director of PNVSCA is mandated to promulgate rules and regulations for the effective implementation of the volunteer service program;

NOW, THEREFORE, to achieve the objectives of the DRRM framework for foreign volunteer engagement and to ensure alignment of volunteer assistance with the national policies, this set of guidelines is hereby adopted.

SECTION 1. Objective of Volunteer Assistance. The foreign volunteers in DRRM shall primarily aim to provide technical assistance to DRRM-related programs and/or projects of the local partner institution to achieve the national goal of having a safer, adaptive and disaster resilient Filipino communities towards sustainable development;

SECTION 2. Qualifications of International Volunteer. The foreign volunteer shall possess certain levels of expertise in DRRM essential to the implementation of the program or project and which are not readily available in the country such as skills in development planning, policy-making, budgeting and resource allocation and project management;

SECTION 3. Geographic and Program Priorities. The foreign volunteer shall be assigned in priority geographic areas and program priorities for DRRM assistance as provided for by the current Foreign Volunteer Deployment Framework;

SECTION 4. Duration of Volunteer Assistance. The foreign volunteer shall provide technical assistance for a duration specific to the program/project requirement, which could be 3 to 24 months with an option to extend as may be needed.

SECTION 5. Deployment Guidelines and Procedures. Deployment of foreign volunteers by international volunteer service organizations shall conform to the basic policies aforementioned with details described in the Foreign Volunteer Engagement Framework (FVEF) vis-a-vis National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework (NDRRMF) shown as Annex A and to the "

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. All office orders and circulars issued by PNVSCA or parts thereof contrary or inconsistent with the provisions of this circular are hereby deemed repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. These Guidelines shall take effect after fifteen (15) calendar days following its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Signed in Quezon City, this 16th day of September in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Fourteen. ETHIDa

(SGD.) JOSELITO C. DE VERA
Executive Director
National Economic and Development Authority
Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency

In consultation with the MSAB:

(SGD.) ATTY. JOSE WILFRIDO S. OCA
Chairman
National Economic and Development Authority
Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency

ANNEX A

Foreign Volunteer Engagement Framework (FVEF) in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM)

The Foreign Volunteer Engagement Framework is an adoption of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework (NDRRMF). This is to support the national goals and objectives on DRRM by aligning all volunteer efforts and outputs with the NDRRMF.

Based on the result of interviews and surveys with DRRM key stakeholders, and review of volunteer assignments and accomplishments in the last three (3) years, the following DRRM logic model is proposed reflecting 12 outcomes out of the 24 NDRRMF outcomes with corresponding performance indicators to which foreign volunteers may contribute.

ANNEX B

List of Priority Provinces, Municipalities and Cities for DRRM Volunteers

Priority 1: 5th and 6th Class Municipalities in Provinces with High Poverty Incidence and with multiple hazards

Priority 2: High poverty incidence and occurrence of 1-3 hazards

Footnotes

i. Provinces with multi-hazards cited by Aduna, A. in 2011-2016 Foreign Volunteer Deployment Framework Review (http://www.namria.gov.ph).

ii. 2012 Poverty Incidence retrieved on 15 September 2013 from http://www.nscb.gov.ph/poverty/defaultnew.asp.

iii. 5th and 6th class municipalities retrieved on 17 October 2013 at http://dbmcar.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/dbm-dilg-dswd-napc-joint-memorandum-circular-no-1-series-of-2012-dated-march-8-2012-on-bottom-up-planning-and-budgeting.pdf.

iv. Provinces with 1-3 hazards cited by Aduna, A. in 2011-2016 Foreign Volunteer Deployment Framework Review (http://www.namria.gov.ph).

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 110, No. 45, page 6870 on November 10, 2014.