Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio examine maps during a visit to the private sector-led Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation headquarters at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga last Tuesday. DuterteCarpio said a similar project to better respond to disasters and emergencies may be adopted in her hometown. Joining them during the briefing were PDRF president Butch Meily (left) and other PDRF officers and local officials.

Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has lauded the achievements of the private sector-led Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), an organization created as a result of the executive order she issued for the country to better respond to disasters and other emergencies.

This developed as Arroyo invited Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to the PDRF headquarters at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga on the sidelines of the campaign kickoff of the latter’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago in San Fernando, Pampanga last Tuesday.

The congresswoman said she is glad that PDRF has been making headway in disaster preparedness and management not only here but abroad after she was informed by PDRF president Butch Meily that many countries have adopted the system being carried out by PDRF to better respond to disasters.

“I am happy that PDRF has been carrying out the purpose by which I had envisioned it to be, not only for the Philippines but also for other countries. I would like to commend the dedication and commitment of our private sector in making sure that we are better prepared to deal with disasters,” she said.

PDRF (formerly known as Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation) was established as a result of Executive Order 870 which Arroyo issued when she was president in 2010.

Issued in the aftermath of typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and Frank which killed hundreds and destroyed properties in many parts of the country, EO 870 encouraged greater private sector participation in the reconstruction programs of the government in times of calamities and other emergencies.

Today, PDRF is the Philippines’ major private sector vehicle and coordinator for disaster management. It operates as the first 24/7 private sector-led Emergency Operations Center geared towards training for disaster preparedness and the coordination of relief and response efforts during major disasters.