ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Bureau of Muslim Settlements has two (2) divisions:

1. SETTLEMENT DIVISION
2. RELIEF ASSISTANCE AND DISASTER COORDINATION DIVISION

MUSLIM SETTLEMENT DIVISION (SD)

• Undertake and coordinate development programs and projects including designing, implementing and maintaining settlements for the advancement of Muslim Filipinos communities especially the homeless and displaced Muslim families;
• Provide assistance on legal and technical services for the survey, adjudication, titling and development of Muslim Filipino ancestral lands and settlements proclaimed by the government for the Muslim Filipinos;
• Assist the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in conducting census on the actual population of Muslim Filipinos nationwide; and
• Assist in the relocation of Muslim Informal Settler Families in urban areas especially living in the waterways and 3 meters danger zone.

How to Avail of the Informal Settler Families (ISF) Program

RELIEF ASSISTANCE COORDINATION DIVISION (RACD)

mandated to extend relief/medical assistance with   emphasis   on   providing   support   to   Muslim communities affected by natural and manmade calamities/disaster and primarily in-charge to look into the general welfare and of Filipino Muslims during times of crisis and emergencies, relief operations and legal assistance for Muslim inmates, medical and dental mission and feeding activities.

The BMS is headed by a Bureau Director who is tasked with the following:

• Ensure unity among all levels of government and all elements of a community;
• Create and sustain broad and sincere relationships among individuals and organizations to encourage trust, advocate a team atmosphere, build consensus, and facilitate communication; and
• Synchronize activities of all relevant stakeholders to achieve a common purpose and flexibility in using creative and innovative approaches in solving disaster challenges.
• Serve as alter ego of the Secretary in all gatherings and meetings with various line agencies of the government whenever secretary is not available and his/her presence is inevitable.

BMS OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

RELIEF DISTRIBUTION

1. Feeding Program
2. Medical and Dental Mission
3. Clean and Green Community
4. Relocation and Settlement
5. Identify and provide safe places for children, pregnant women and the elderly in case eventualities.

Who may avail of the service – Muslim Communities that are affected and limited to the following calamities:

1. Natural and man-made calamities
2. Urban Muslim Informal settler families (MISF)
3. Indigent Muslim Communities
4. Muslim Internally Displaced Persons (MIDPs)

How to Avail of the Service

DISASTER AND RELIEF OPERATIONS

The BMS Director is the overall team leader/manager of the Relief Disaster Operation, while the Regional Director in every respective region hit by disaster/calamity will act as Disaster Response Manager for his area of responsibility.  He should alert the Chief of the Relief Assistance and Coordination Division to deploy his men in the field.  All staff of the Bureau of Muslim Settlement and staff of the Settlement Division of the Regional Offices must be automatically members of the relief operation and they should be properly trained and ideally possessed the following qualifications:

• Relief workers should be willing to do the job and have patience, love, kindness, gentleness, and self-control.
• Relief workers must follow the directions of those in charge; simply obey his superior and the community leaders affected by the calamities.
• Relief workers must be flexible in every situation before and during their services.
• Relief workers should understand the individual differences of the victims; he should listen to them and show comfort, and possibly make them happy through actions and words.
• Relief workers must work as a team; he must be ready to help his co-workers if necessary, and refer any particular victim/s to others who has the skill and capability to the situation.

The Director of BMS is mandated to focus on the relief operations (in addition to Muslim Settlements) with emphasis on providing support to Muslim Communities during times of natural or man-made disasters.  Its personnel under the Relief Assistance and Coordination Division are mandated to conduct and operate relief operations in the different Muslim Communities.

DISASTER RELIEF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Disaster situations are complex and the management and coordination of response activities are rarely unproblematic.  Disaster management or emergency management is the discipline of avoiding and dealing with both natural and man-made disasters.  It involves preparedness, response and recovery plans made in order to lessen the impact of disaster.  Thus, preparedness training and planning must be done to reduce, control or mitigate the effects of emergency situation.

The course will provide students and participants with theoretical understanding of the need for management and coordination in complex and unpredictable disaster situations, as well as, the theoretical models and practical tools for effective management.

The objectives upon completion of the course/training, students and participants will be able to:

• Identify and discuss key components of and approaches to disaster management using a comprehensive theoretical framework;
• Explain and discuss practices in disaster response in relation to theories of leadership, decision-making, and disaster management system;
• Critically reflect upon the inter-relationship between disaster management and context (social, political, economic, environmental and demographic) in which the disaster response takes place;
• Critically analyze the inter-dependencies among humanitarian actors/stakeholders in disaster situations and relate them to effective coordination of disaster response; and
• Design, prioritize needs, and implement, in an interdisciplinary team environment, a disaster response plan.

The BMS must conduct yearly/annual trainings for the Bureau staff and personnel from the central office down to the regional offices.  Volunteers from among NCMF employees, who are very much willing to serve anytime during disaster and relief operations, must also be invited to participate in the training.  The following trainings/courses must be conducted:

• Planning for Disaster Preparedness
• Disaster Risk Reduction Management Training Course for NCMF Employees
• Disaster Management Course Training of Trainers
• Standard Disaster Management Training
• Basic Disaster Management Training
• Basic First-Aid Training
• Disaster Response Team Training
• Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction Management Training
• Modular Training in Disaster Management
• Community Organizing Training

MUSLIM DISASTER RESPONSE PROGRAM

Creating Muslim Assistance and Disaster Response Center (MADRC) and Muslim Disaster Response Unit (MDRU)

The Bureau of Muslim Settlement with the approval of the NCMF Secretary and the Commissioners en banc shall create the MADRC to provide quick action, information and coordination to effectively address calamities and disasters.

Preparing for disasters before they happen, and responding quickly when they do is the program of the BMS Relief Assistance and Coordination Division (BMS-RACD).  Quick response to disaster relief right after natural calamities vital to saving human lives and alleviation of corresponding damage in disaster areas are the utmost goal.  The services of the BMS-RACD include relief operation, deployment of Disaster response team, organization of barangay disaster action team, and preposition of relief supplies.  The MDRU will be created in all NCMF Regional Offices.

MRDC Organizational Chart, Operational Activities, and Composition

• MDRU Operational Activities
• The Regional Offices with the BMS-CO recommendation and NCMF Secretary’s approval will create the MDRU in the respective regional offices.
• MDRU Desk will be established in the regional offices which are primarily responsible in monitoring, gathering information, and reporting disaster/calamities in their respective area of responsibility.
• Report to BMS-CO the occurrence of disaster/calamities in their respective area of responsibility.
• MDRU should survey and come out with a Master List of Muslim Communities/Areas affected and the names of its residents who are victims of calamities.
• Prepare and submit programs to effectively address and provide assistance to the victims of calamities.
• Coordinate with GOs and NGOs to provide emergency relief assistance to the victims of calamities.

Composition of MDRU:

• Team Leader/Manager has the overall ground control and oversees all aspects of the operation.
• Disbursing Officer is in-charge with the financial requirements and the purchase of relief goods.
• Registration Personnel must ensure that proper registration and documentation of beneficiaries are done.
• Crowd Control Team must ensure that the beneficiaries of the relief stay in order and follow distribution procedures.
• Security Personnel/Marshall must ensure the safety of both the relief personnel and the beneficiaries/victims.
• First Aid Personnel must provide medical/first aid assistance in case of emergency.
• Relief Distribution Personnel must distribute relief goods smoothly and fairly.
• Documentation Team must have proper documentation of any data gathered in relation to the disaster/calamity and must be certain before giving out information.

RELIEF OPERATION PHASE

Coordination with concerned partner agencies and other stakeholders.

To provide Comprehensive Relief Assistance, the BMS-RACD may coordinate and secure support and assistance from government organizations (GOs) and non-government organizations (NGOs), such as:

1. National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)
2. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
3. Department of Health (DOH)
4. Local Government Units (LGUs)
5. Philippine Red Cross (PRC)
6. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)
7. International Relief Organizations (IRO)
8. Non-Government Organizations (NGO)
9. Other Donors

Creating Muslim Assistance and Disaster Response Center and Unit (MADRC and MDRU)

1. The NCMF Central Office through the BMS will establish Muslim Assistance and Disaster Response Center (MADRC) and the Regional Offices will establish and create a Muslim Disaster Response Unit (MDRU) composed of NCMF employees;
2. The Regional Director may notify BMS for the occurrence of the calamity;
3. The Regional Muslim Disaster Response Unit will assess and gather information and data on the occurrence of the disaster;
4. The MDRU Team will coordinate and communicate with lead agencies (DSWD, LGU, RDMC, DOH, NGOs) relative to disaster/calamities.
5. The Regional Director will make a report to the Secretary through BMS and make/submit a proposal for the relief assistance and financial plan to conduct relief operation;
6. The BMS will review and evaluate the proposal and recommend for the approval by the Secretary; and
7. BMS will coordinate with Regional Director for the proper implementation of the relief operation.
8. Relief implementation/operation proper:

• The relief team must arrive on time.
• The team manager must assign each relief personnel to identify individual roles and tasking to have a division of labor and identification of work assignment to avoid overlapping of work.
• Proper procedure and process must be precisely informed and made known to both personnel and beneficiaries/victims.
• Ensure that the distribution system shall proceed as originally planned.
• Immediately evaluate if there are deviations from the original distribution plan.
• Claim stub or coupon must be given to the recipients/victims for fair and equal distribution of relief goods.
• Ensure that operators/coordinators and recipients follow instructions on how the distribution is to be done.
• Team members assist and participate in the operation without prejudice to break time and intermissions.

Relief Distribution and Legal Assistance to Muslim Inmates

1. The BMS-Relief Assistance and Coordination Division (RACD) will identify the Jail to visit;
2. The BMS Director will communicate/coordinate with the Jail Warden to identify the Muslim inmates;
3. Interview the leader of the inmates and identify the problems encountered and their material needs;
4. The BMS-RACD will make and submit Work and Financial Plan relative to the relief and legal assistance to the inmates;
5. The BMS will request the NCMF Bureau of Legal Affairs to assist on the legal needs of the inmates;
6. The BMS-RACD will submit to the Secretary through the BMS Director the program of activities together with the budget requirement;
7. The BMS Director will recommend and forward the proposal to the Secretary for approval;
8. Organize the relief team;
9. Repacking of goods;
10. Visitation proper;
11. Submit report to the management.

Medical and Dental Mission

1. Relief Assistance and Disaster Coordination Division (RACD) will prepare the Program and Financial Plan to conduct Medical and Dental Mission;
2. Identify the target community/ beneficiaries;
3. Coordinate with GOs and NGOs to be NCMF-BMS partner in the conduct of Medical and Dental mission;
4. The program and financial plan for medical and dental mission will be recommended by the BMS for approval of the NCMF Secretary/CEO;
5. BMS-RADC will organize the team;
6. Coordinate with the leader of the target community relative to the conduct of Medical and Dental Mission;
7. Make available the financial requirements and purchase of relief goods/medicines;
8. Packing of medical equipment/medicine;
9. Operation and conduct of mission as scheduled; and
10. Post-activity report.

Post Reporting (Evaluation and Recommendation)

The Relief Assistance and Coordination Division should prepare a report before, during and after the operation and evaluate the relief operation done with appropriate recommendations for improvement of future relief operations.  The following are vital in ensuring a comprehensive post-activity report, to wit:

1. There must be proper documentation of the event.
2. There should be proper feedback from the partner agencies and coordinators.
3. There must be a post operation evaluation meeting.
4. Make some recommendations to improve the next relief operations to be done.