Soliman: Make disaster risks easily understandable

MANILA, Philippines – ‘Communicate. Coordinate. Collaborate.’

These were the key reminders from Department of Social Welfare and Development secretary Dinky Soliman at the opening of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management on Thursday, June 5.

The conference brought together government officials, disaster managers, business leaders, scientists, and members of non-government agencies from around the world.

During the gathering, Soliman shared what she learned in disaster management from her post and the experience of addressing the aftermath of last year’s super typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda).

Soliman said the ‘new normal’ recognizes poverty itself as a disaster. She said poverty reduction is part of disaster risk reduction management, to ensure that citizens, especially the poor, are resilient.

Soliman said it is important to have a science-based DRRM framework that informs people of hazards and risks in a way that could be easily understood.

The welfare secretary also stressed the need for a relief highway, prepositioned assets for local government units in high risk areas, and the clean up of debris in disaster areas within the first 24 hours.

Watch the opening ceremony of ASEM here.

Watch Soliman’s speech below.

– Rappler.com