The establishment of the National Disaster Coordinating Council is embodied in Sec. 2 of PD 1566. The Secretary of National Defense heads the NDCC with the heads of 18 departments/ agencies as members. These include the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines; Secretary-General, Philippine National Red Cross; Philippine Information Agency; Executive Secretary and the Administrator, Office of Civil Defense who is the Executive Officer of the Council.

It is through the NDCC member-agencies that disaster preparedness, prevention, mitigation and response carry out its corresponding tasks and responsibilities under the NDCC system.

The NDCC, unlike other department coordinating bodies, does not have its own regular budget to disburse. It operates through the member-agencies and its local networks, which are the regional and local disaster coordinating councils.

The members of the council are the following:

•  Secretary, DND Chairman
• Presidential Executive Secretary Member
• Secretary, DILG Member
• Secretary, DBM Member
• Secretary, DPWH Member
• Secretary, DOJ Member
• Secretary, DOTC Member
• Secretary, DOH Member
• Secretary, DSWD Member
• Secretary, DA Member
• Secretary, DepEd Member
• Secretary, DOF Member
• Secretary, DOLE Member
• Secretary, DTI Member
• Secretary, DENR Member
• Chief of Staff, AFP Member
• Secretary-General, PNRC Member
• Director, PIA Member
• Administrator, OCD Member & Executive Officer

NDCC Functions

At the national level, the NDCC serves as the President’s adviser on disaster preparedness programs, disaster operations and rehabilitation efforts undertaken by the government and the private sector. It acts as the top coordinator of all disaster management and the highest allocator of resources in the country to support the efforts of the lower DCC level. In the discharge of its functions, the NDCC utilizes the facilities and services of the Office of Civil Defense as its operating arm.

Tasks of NDCC Chairman and Member-Agencies

The Chairman and members of the Council have the following tasks, namely:

a. Chairman - Convenes the Council as often as necessary and calls on all other departments/bureaus/agencies, other instrumentalities of the government and the private sector for assistance when the need arises.

b. Administrator, Office of Civil Defense - Coordinates the activities, functions of the various agencies and instrumentalities of the government, private institutions and civic organizations to implement the policies and programs of the NDCC; disseminates materials relative to disaster prevention, control and mitigation; advises the Chairman on matters concerning disaster management.

c. Secretary of Interior and Local Government - Oversees the organization of DCCs, the establishment of Disaster Operations Centers of all local governments, and the training of DCC members in coordination with OCD, DSWD, PNRC, and other appropriate agencies.

d. Secretary of Social Welfare and Development - Extends relief assistance and social services to the victims as necessary.

e. Secretary of Health - Provides health services during emergencies as necessary, and organizes reaction teams in hospitals, clinics and sanitary and other health institutions.

f. Director-General, NEDA - Responsible for the determination and analysis of the effects of disasters and calamities on the socio-economic plans and programs of the country, and development of damage assessment scheme.

g. Secretary of Labor and Employment - Provides emergency employment opportunities to disaster victims, implements the industrial civil defense programs and measures, and organizes and trains Disaster Control Groups in all factories and industrial complexes.

h. Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports - Provides assistance in the public education and campaign regarding disaster preparedness, prevention and mitigation, makes available school buildings as evacuation centers, and organizes and trains disaster control groups and reaction teams in all schools and institutions of learning.

i. Secretary of Trade and Industry - Maintains normal level of prices of commodities during emergencies, and organizes Disaster Control Groups and Reaction Teams in large buildings used for commercial and recreational purposes, maintains normal level of prices of commodities during emergencies.

j. Secretary of Agriculture - Undertakes surveys in disaster areas to determine the extent of damage of agricultural crops, livestock and fisheries and renders technical assistance to disaster victims whose crops or livestock have been destroyed.

k. Secretary of Budget and Management - Releases funds required by the departments for disaster operations.

l. Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources - Responsible for reforestation and control of areas which tend to cause flooding, landslides, mudflow and ground subsidence, provide seeds, seedlings and saplings and technical assistance regarding mines, forests and lands, formulates rules and regulations for the control of water and land pollution.

m. Secretary of Finance - Issues rules and regulations with the relevant agencies concerned for the funding by local government of the requirements for organizing, equipping, and training of their disaster coordinating councils and reaction teams.

n. Secretary of Public Works and Highways - Restores destroyed public structures such as flood control, waterworks, roads, bridges, and other vertical and horizontal facilities/structures and provides heavy and light equipment for relief, rescue and recovery operations.

o. Secretary of Tourism - Organizes and trains disaster control groups and reaction teams in hotels, pension houses, restaurants and other tourist-oriented facilities.

p. Secretary of Transportation and Communications - Restores destroyed communication and transportation facilities such as railroads and vertical structures, and organizes emergency transport services from the national down to the barangay level; and restores destroyed communication and transportation facilities such as railroads and vertical structures.

q. Director, Philippine Information Agency - Provides public information service through dissemination of disaster mitigation measures.

r. Secretary-General, Philippine National Red Cross - Conducts disaster leadership training courses, assists in the training of DCCs at all levels; and assists in providing emergency relief assistance to disaster victims.

s. Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines - Responsible for the provision of security in disaster area and provision of assistance in the reconstruction of roads, bridges and other structures and transportation facilities for rapid movement of relief supplies and personnel and for the evacuation of disaster victims.