MANILA— The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has issued the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 12287, or the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act, allowing the government to take preventive measures before a disaster strikes.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos signed RA 12287 on September 12, 2025. The law institutionalizes anticipatory action, enabling the government to declare a State of Imminent Disaster based on scientific forecasts and pre-disaster risk assessments.

Under the IRR, the President may declare a State of Imminent Disaster through an executive order in areas expected to face severe and highly probable hazards.

Such a declaration may be made upon the recommendation of the NDRRMC or local chief executives, based on the advice of regional disaster risk reduction and management councils.

The rules cover hazards projected to have catastrophic impacts and classified as “severe,” or its equivalent, based on forecasts and the results of a pre-disaster risk assessment.

Once a State of Imminent Disaster is declared, appropriate anticipatory measures may be implemented before the expected hazard strikes or immediately after the declaration.

The IRR directs disaster risk reduction and management councils at all levels, through mandated government agencies, to ensure that advisories and other information are issued and disseminated in an inclusive, timely, accurate and coordinated manner.

Authorities are also tasked to mobilize and strategically preposition critical supplies and operational assets ahead of an anticipated disaster.

The rules provide for pre-emptive evacuation and infrastructure protection, including evacuation protocols, camp coordination and management, and protection of internally displaced persons.

They also provide for the mobilization of Accredited Community Disaster Volunteers, civil society organizations, the private sector and other volunteer groups to support anticipatory action measures.

For monitoring and evaluation, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) was tasked to monitor areas declared by the President to be under a State of Imminent Disaster.

Concerned government agencies must submit reports to the OCD within 45 days after the lifting of the declaration. The reports must include the status of declarations at the local level, the utilization of anticipatory action funds, and estimated economic and social costs.

National government agencies are required to integrate anticipatory action measures into their regular programs, projects and activities and finance these through their regular agency budgets.

Local government units may also include anticipatory action measures in their Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan and Local DRRM Plan Investment Plan. They may allocate not more than 10% of the 70% portion of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund for such measures.

The IRR was signed on September 14 by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who also chairs the NDRRMC.