The socialist group in Les Corts Valencianes has registered a non-legislative proposal to modify Law 13/2010 on Civil Protection and Emergency Management, with the aim of ensuring that the Consell guarantees specific training for all Valencian citizens in the face of floods and other emergency situations.
As explained by the spokesperson for the Emergency area of the PSPV-PSOE in the regional Chamber, Alicia Andújar, the approval of this initiative would imply the "obligation" of the Consell and the government of the Generalitat to "guarantee all Valencians the necessary training to face floods and all types of emergencies".
The deputy emphasized that the proposal also includes "the creation of a Valencian Resilience Fund, financed with 2 percent of the budget of the department with competencies in emergencies and civil protection in order to strengthen the response of citizens to future risks".
Andújar highlighted in a statement that the reform "recognizes for the first time the right of Valencians to be trained in self-protection". "But rights are only real when they generate obligations for public authorities," added the socialist parliamentarian, defending that this obligation falls on the Generalitat.
In this line, she indicated that the PSPV-PSOE proposes "a broad and innovative reform of the Civil Protection and Emergency Management law", with the intention of "adapting the Valencian civil protection system to the new challenges arising from climate change, the increase of extreme weather phenomena, and the evolution of European and international law regarding disaster risk management".
The socialist leader has insisted that the initiative represents "a change of approach, by placing prevention, a preventive culture, and resilience at the center of public civil protection policies, following the principles of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Directive (EU) 2022/2557 on the resilience of critical entities, and Law 17/2015 of the National Civil Protection System".
In her opinion, "the legislative initiative of the socialist group would place the Comunitat Valenciana at the forefront of civil protection policies, strengthening the preparedness of citizens and consolidating prevention as a principle of action for public authorities, while also representing a commitment to a safer, more sustainable, and resilient recovery after emergencies."
Alicia Andújar has emphasized that "the best emergency is the one that is prevented," and added that "the best society is the one that is prepared to face it."
The deputy has focused on the fact that the proposal "highlights the express recognition of the right of citizens to receive training in self-protection, prevention, and action in the face of emergencies, while also turning that right into an obligation for the Generalitat."
In this regard, she specified that the regional administration "must guarantee access to permanent training programs adapted to the specific risks of the Comunitat Valenciana, because rights are only real when they generate obligations for public authorities." These programs, she indicated, "should be aimed especially at the school population, the elderly, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups."
Andújar added that the reform "also strengthens the competencies of the Generalitat to promote a true preventive culture, promoting stable programs of information, awareness, and training for citizens, while also creating the Valencian Resilience Fund."
This fund, she detailed, "is configured as a permanent financial instrument intended to support recovery after situations of serious risk, disaster, or public calamity." Furthermore, the bill "also strengthens the competencies of the Generalitat to promote a true preventive culture, promoting stable programs of information, awareness, and training for citizens, with the participation of local entities, the educational system, universities, civil protection volunteer organizations, and economic and social agents."
Valencian Resilience Fund and preventive strategy
Regarding the Valencian Resilience Fund, the representative of the PSPV has insisted that it will have a minimum annual allocation equivalent to 2 percent of the budget of the competent department in civil protection and emergency management, "without prejudice to other state, European, or other public or private contributions."
Under the heading "REDUCE VULNERABILITY," the specific proposal is that, in 2026, with the budget currently in processing, the Fund will be nourished in its first exercise with 4.6 million euros. Its purpose, she emphasized, is that "the reconstruction after an emergency is not limited to recovering what was lost, but contributes to reducing the vulnerability of the territory and strengthening its capacity to respond to future risks."
The legislative initiative of the PSPV also includes the approval of a Valencian Strategy for Preventive Culture and Resilience, aimed at coordinating public policies for training, awareness, and preparation of the population for emergencies, aligning the different programs and instruments developed by the administrations.