Collaboration during disasters underscored

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – Ranking officials and convenors of the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD) platforms stressed the significance of multi-sectoral collaboration on disaster management during a recent symposium.

Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad, administrator of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), joined delegates from A-PAD platforms in the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Indonesia at the International Symposium on Strengthening Community Resilience and Humanitarian Response Through Localized Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Platform in Manila last Feb. 28.

Jalad appreciated the initiative of AAPAD Philippines in spearheading the symposium. He credited the Philippine platforms for collaborating and coordinating with government agencies for a more efficient disaster management and humanitarian response.

“A-PAD Philippines platforms remind us that the government is not a sole responsible for disaster resilience in which the collaborative efforts from the private sectors, business sectors and also our partners from overseas are big help to achieve the disaster resilience from the national down to the grassroot level,” said Jalad.

Atsushi Kobayashi, the second secretary of the economic section of the Japanese embassy in the Philippines, assured his country’s continuing assistance to A-PAD platforms in the Philippines and other countries.

A-PAD founder Kensuke Onishi of Japan; and A-PAD officials: Rene Meily and Jazmin-Aguisanda Jerusalem of the Philippines platform; Faisal Djalal of Indonesia; Jangwoo Lee of South Korea; Hashim Mohammed Firzan Jaward of Sri Lanka; and Professor Quizi Quamruzzan of Bangladesh; discussed the successful collaborative humanitarian efforts during calamities in the presentations.

A-PAD Philippines’ partners committed to contribute and collaborate with stakeholders for humanitarian response through localized DRRM platforms.

A-PAD Philippines has organized regional DRRM platforms in Ilocos, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Davao and Soccsksargen.

A-PAD Philippines is convened by the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC) and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), with support from the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It is a transnational disaster aid alliance that facilitates cooperation and understanding between governments, private companies, and NGOs, in the Asia Pacific Region. (Freddie G. Lazaro)