PH renews call for cooperation in new disaster framework

MANILA, Philippines – The typhoon-battered Philippines will continue to be proactive in urging the international community to take climate change seriously.

“The Philippines calls on the international community to strengthen international cooperation and global partnership to assist developing countries…by providing them with enhanced means of implementation, through the provision of finance, technology transfer and capacity-building in order for them to achieve a culture of resilience in all aspects,” Senator Loren Legarda said.

On Sunday, March 15, Legarda delivered the Philippine statement at the 3rd United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) in Sendai, Japan – a once-a-decade summit that seeks to produce the successor to the 10-year-old Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).

The HFA, crafted in the last Sendai conference in 2005, is used as a basis for disaster risk reduction (DRR) and management policies of its signatory countries.

The Philippines’ experience with typhoons and natural disaster is expected to contribute to the crafting of a new international disaster framework.

Legislation

In her speech, Legarda emphasized that effective legislation remains the cornerstone of the Philippines’ DRR efforts.

She cited the passage of the landmark DRRM Act of 2010, which established the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), an inter-agency council that guides programs at the national and local levels.

“It transformed the Philippine disaster management system from a focus on disaster response towards a more holistic Disaster Risk Reduction and Management approach,” Legarda said.

With the Philippines suffering the brunt of natural disasters year after year, the government has sought to better improve its identification of impending hazards and possible risks in specific areas.

Legarda also said new tools have been developed to increase communities’ awareness and action for disaster response.

Lessons

The senator added that the Philippines has learned from Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), and has since made an effort to close the gaps in disaster risk management.

As an example, she noted how the government “demonstrated significant improvement” in preparedness and response measures when Typhoon Ruby hit the country last year.

“Our efforts were implemented with the enhanced cooperation of the government and the people. The government ensured that the enabling environment includes policies, structure, resources, and systems for DRRM are in place including early warning and logistics for disaster preparedness and response,” Legarda said.

With the crafting of the new framework to serve as the successor to the HFA, Legarda said the Philippines is calling on the international community to extend help to developing countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

She urged global partnership and cooperation in providing small island developing states, landlocked countries, and African countries with the resources to “achieve a culture of resilience.” – Rappler.com