MANILA, Philippines – The Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) Manila Conference has adopted the Tacloban Declaration, a new framework for disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) that crystallizes lessons from 2013’s Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

The Tacloban Declaration “captured the commitment of the conference’s participants to advance DRRM cooperation and collaboration, drawing on the best practices developed and lessons learned after Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan),” a statement from ASEM organizers said.

The 5-page Tacloban Declaration contains 35 points that say ASEM delegates, among other things:

• “affirm the central role of national governments (states) in DRRM”

• “affirm the important role of the local government as first responders and builders of local resilience”

• “affirm the need to build back better during the recovery and reconstruction phases of disasters”

• “recognize the important role of women in DRRM”

• “support a people-centered approach to DRRM”

(Read the full Tacloban Declaration below)

(The summary of the 3-day proceedings follows)

The ASEM gathered from June 4 to 6 up to 280 participants, and was preceded by a visit to Yolanda-ravaged Leyte province. (READ: Int’l delegates check Yolanda-hit Leyte)

While international delegates praised the Philippines for its perceived progress after Yolanda, problems such as a recent tent fire in Tacloban hounded this key disaster conference. (READ: ‘Horrible’ tent fire hounds int’l conference) – Rappler.com