Envoy: People-centered approach to disaster-risk reduction bolstered
GENEVA—THE Philippines reiterated its determination in ensuring that people and vulnerable communities are at the heart of its programs and policies on disaster-risk reduction with the implementation of the National Disaster-risk Reduction Management Plan, as well as its regional and international pacts.
In a meeting on May 6 with Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-general for Disaster-risk Reduction and Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDDR) Mami Mizutori, Permanent Representative Evan P. Garcia expressed the Philippines’s recognition of the role of the global organization in coordinating international efforts on disaster-risk reduction.
The Philippines is a consistent donor of the UNDDR, and has actively advocated for broadening the base of support for the organization’s agenda. Garcia said: “While the Philippines’s voluntary contribution is modest, we believe in shoring up the support of the whole international community; not just traditional
donors, but also developing and middle-income countries.”
Garcia stated that the Philippines is willing to cooperate in moving forward projects and programs on addressing the impact of climate change, building resilient infrastructure, scaling up stakeholder engagement, building capacities through technical cooperation, and responding to displacement as a result of unfortunate events.
“The Philippines’s disasterrisk reduction policies give priority to people’s welfare and security,” the Filipino ambassador shared. He also highlighted the country’s science-based and innovation-driven approaches, then cited Georisk Philippines as one of the models of impactful and people-centered innovations.
The permanent representative noted that national initiatives are complemented at the regional level, through the Asean Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management and the Asean Vision 2025 on disaster management.
Finally, the ambassador assured that the Philippines is continuously working toward achieving goals of the Sendai Framework for Disaster-risk Reduction 2015-2030, and stated that the country is ready to actively participate in the upcoming Global Platform in Disaster-risk Reduction in Bali, Indonesia from May 23 to 27.