PREPARE. ADAPT. TRANSFORM.
The National Resilience Council and Zuellig Family Foundation met with the core group from Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) for an orientation on the Resiliency Leadership Program and the BPSU runway as an NRC academic partner for Bataan Province. As an academic partner, BPSU undergoes capacitating activities of the NRC so it can pave the way for a localized and contextualized approach to implementing NRC’s program in the provincial government.
National Resilience Council (NRC) Executive Director Ms. Malu Erni represented the organization at the ISDR-Asia Partnership (IAP) Forum and the Regional Consultative Workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies, both held in Bangkok, Thailand.
The 2018 IAP Forum, held from 11-12 December 2018, served as a platform to assess the implementation of the Sendai Framework and Asia Regional Plan. With the help of members from the UN, international, national, regional and intergovernmental organizations that work on disaster risk reduction, the event also paved the way to discuss better opportunities for pushing the DRR agenda. At the event, Ms. Erni paneled for a discussion on localizing the Sendai Framework.
The December 13-14 consultative workshop, meanwhile, gathered DRR practitioners to focus on attaining the Sendai Framework Target ‘E’ through development of national and local DRR Strategies. Given NRC’s work in the Philippines, Ms. Erni introduced the NRC Resilient Local Government Systems Scorecard and showcased its localized and contextualized approach to addressing disaster and climate resilience.
On 30 November 2019, Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) visited Iloilo City as part of its ongoing partnership with the local government unit. The visit follows a signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between NCDR and Iloilo City, where the city is set to adopt Taiwan’s risk assessment platform and to gain new automatic weather systems. As a partner of Iloilo City, the National Resilience Council also participated in the discussions.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) in the Philippines, in partnership with SM Prime and the National Resilience Council (NRC), held the 7th Top Leaders Forum on 29 November 2018 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
“Disasters derail progress,” said SM Prime Executive Committee Chairman and NRC Co-Chair, Mr. Hans Sy, as he welcomed guests at the forum. “Active disaster risk reduction (DRR) collaboration will help bring about stronger communities and cities.”
In her message, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, Ms. Mami Mizutori, described the Philippines as a global frontrunner in pushing for the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, a non-binding agreement encouraging multi-stakeholder collaboration in reducing and managing disaster risks. “You have UNISDR’s full commitment in building a resilient, sustainable place for all.”
“The private sector has factored the cost of disruption, damage, relief and rehabilitation as part of the cost of doing business in the country.” Makati Business Club Chairman and NRC Vice-Chair Mr. Edgar Chua described the disaster resilience in the context of the private sector. “But with the increasing intensity of disasters and growing awareness that things can only get worse, a number of groups and stakeholders decided that it cannot be business as usual.” He added that the end view should then be becoming better and building better.
APEC Emergency Preparedness Capacity Building Center (EPCC) Executive Director Dr. Wei-Sen Li also commended the Philippines for its DRR efforts, mentioning the Taiwanese government’s ongoing collaboration—through its technical adviser, the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR)—with Iloilo city as the local government unit (LGU) prepares to adopt Taiwan’s disaster risk assessment platforms and establish automatic weather stations, also with the help of the Taiwanese government. The forum aimed to highlight the role of PPPs in disaster risk reduction and resilience efforts in the Philippines, as illustrated in its central theme entitled “Changing the Game: Building a Culture of Resilience through Public-Private Partnership”.
For Defense Secretary and NRC Co-Chair for Government Delfin Lorenzana, this is especially relevant to the country “as it calls for a change in our mindset and our behavior, particularly in addressing the problem piece-meal and leaving the responsibility on the shoulders of a few or of a particular sector of our society.”
Senator Loren Legarda also underscored its message of finding importance in creating a culture of resilience. “We do not only act when natural hazards are about to strike, but all our actions are already geared towards resilience.”
The forum was split into four plenary sessions that tackled resilience in the contexts of local government, small and medium enterprises, human security and disaster risk reduction investments.
Local Government
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Dr. Renato Solidum, Jr. began the first session with a presentation of the Philippine Risk Profile. Six NRC local government partners represented by their respective local chief executives (LCEs) to showcase their initial gains which focused on certain aspects of their resilience strategy such as: resilient human development systems; science-based governance; environmental sustainability; resilience building partnerships and development through climate-related hazards management; sustainable livelihood and human security.
UNISDR Regional Office for Asia & the Pacific Bangkok Chief Ms. Loretta Hieber Girardet, the session reactor, acknowledged the country’s level of understanding risk, although there is still an incomplete picture of losses at the local level. She also pointed out the importance of utilizing both the government and private sector in pushing further the resilience agenda, and sharing the country’s experiences beyond its waters for others need to know its efforts. Zuellig Family Foundation Executive Vice President Mr. Austere Panadero moderated the discussion between the speakers and the guests.
SM’s BCP
Following the local government session, SM Prime—represented by SM Supermalls Vice President and ARISE Philippines Secretariat Ms. Liza B. Silerio—also launched its Business Continuity Program (BCP) for Small and Medium Enterprises, an initiative that will provide SM tenants access to private data storage and protect critical business data.
Small and Medium Enterprises
The second plenary session invited international and local resilience experts to discuss the critical role small and medium enterprises play on disaster risk reduction and management and on the development of a sustainable local economy. ARISE Private Sector Co-Chair Mr. Dale Sands shared his experience in leading the small business study conducted in New Orleans 11 years after Hurricane Katrina. World Bank Risk Resiliency Program Consultant Ms. Elisea Gozun then moderated a discussion between the speaker and the panel, which comprised of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya; Zamboanga City Administrator, Concurrent Local Economic Investment Promotions Officer & NRC Focal Person for Local Economy Ms. Marie Angelique “Apple” Go; and Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) Executive Director Veronica Gabaldon.
Human Security
Disasters play a part in how conflict plays out in communities. The panel on human security, moderated by NRC President Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, consisted of: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Country Director Martin Thalmann; SM Supermalls Consultant for Disaster Risk Reduction VADM Alexander Pama; Joint Task Force Zamboanga City Chief Col. Leonel Nicolas; and CCAR in the Philippines Project Leader, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Master in Disaster Risk Reduction (MDRR) Professor and Co-Director and Manila Observatory Science Research Fellow Dr. Emma Porio. The third discussion had panelists explore the link between disaster risk and risk governance in specific sub-national, national and international contexts.
Disaster Risk Reduction Investments
The last session had local experts share their organizations initiatives that support the Sendai Framework priority to invest in DRR for resilience. The discussion, moderated by PDRF Chief Resilience Officer Mr. Guillermo M. Luz, was joined by Office of Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Administration Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James Purisima, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, SM Supermalls Vice President and ARISE Philippines Secretariat Ms. Liza Silerio, Iloilo City Councilor Dr. Candace Magdalane Tupas and PDRF President Mr. Rene Meily.
On 18 October, a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) was signed between the Taiwanese Government—through the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR)—and Iloilo City, in partnership with the National Resilience Council (NRC) and the Manila Observatory (MO). The MoC will provide Iloilo City an opportunity to learn about and adopt Taiwan’s best practices on disaster risk reduction. This also includes guidance in developing capacity-building tools and systems that can aid in information analysis, risk assessment and policymaking.
Also through NCDR, Taiwan’s technical adviser on disaster prevention and reduction, the Taiwanese government will grant the establishment of 20 automatic weather stations (AWS) in Iloilo City.
For Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III, the partnership will contribute to the city’s existing programs. Although there is an existing 24/7 operation center, he said the city is also planning to set up a command center to complement Taiwan’s AWS donation. City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) chief Donna Magno said a command center for disaster response and management will be greatly needed, especially with the city adopting Taiwan’s risk assessment platform. Taiwan will also be a big help in terms of gathering data at the community level because its technologies. Currently, Iloilo could only access regional data.
Iloilo City was chosen through NRC, a science and technology-based public-private partnership working towards disaster resilience in the Philippines. The city is one of the eight LGUs undergoing NRC’s Resilient LGU Program designed to capacitate LGUs in developing and implementing comprehensive programs for disaster risk reduction through a Resilience Scorecard that covers five pillars: Leadership and Governance, Human Development Systems, Local Economy, Infrastructure and Environment.
NCDR Director Hongey Chen also cited the city’s commendable knowledge-based programs on disaster risk reduction and management as reason for its interest.
With MO—a Jesuit scientific institution focused on advancing its mission in environmental and pre-disaster science—onboard, the initiative will produce new scientific researches.
Following the MoC, Iloilo City will send a representative to Taiwan for a field visit. NCDR, in turn, will hold inspections at the city’s flood areas where the AWS can be installed.
Fifty-eight representatives from the government, private sector, academe, professional organizations, non-government and civil society organizations gathered at the Forum on Understanding Risk and Resilience last 12 October 2018 at the SMX Convention Center Aura in Taguig City.
The Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) in the Philippines, SM Prime and the National Resilience Council (NRC) organized the event in celebration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, annually celebrated on 13 October. With the participants coming from different backgrounds, the Forum brought about diverse insights on disaster risk and resilience.
The Forum also served as a platform to promote the seven Sendai Framework for Disaster Reduction Global Targets, which the international community has been doing since 2016. This year, the focus was on Target C: Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.
Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) President and NRC Vice Chairman Prof. Ernie Garilao welcomed the participants with an important reminder that understanding risk is first and foremost, before responding effectively to this year’s promotion of the Sendai Global Target C. He also urged leaders to take on a whole-of-government approach to ensure a resilient LGU where all pillars work together through collaboration, and community members to become partners for development.
“We are bringing forth our whole of nation or whole of society approach to DRRM by building strong partnerships with all sectors of Philippine society.” Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Deputy Administrator for Administration Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James Purisima highlighted in his remarks the importance of partnerships in the disaster resilience advocacy. “Today’s forum is proof of that enduring and lifesaving partnership,particularly as we celebrate the International Day for Disaster Reduction.”
On building a resilient Philippines, Manila Observatory Senior Research Fellow and Climate Change Commission (CCC) National Panel of Technical Experts Member Dr. Rosa Perez set the tone through a discussion on the consideration of hazards, exposures and vulnerabilities(HEVs) in assessing risks, the importance of prioritizing DRR in both the national and local context and the complexities of climate change.
National Economic and Development Authority(NEDA) Undersecretary Adoracion Navarro, meanwhile, discussed the Sendai Global Target C and how the country assesses disaster-related physical damages and economic losses through international and local methodologies, especially since the Philippines is a member of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Group (OIEWG). She also elaborated on the incorporation of the Philippine Development Plan(2017-2022) to the Sendai Framework, highlighting the government’s initiatives in measuring DRR efforts.
Christian Aid Climate Change Advisor for Asia and the Middle East Ms. Jessica Bercilla engaged the participants in a discussion on resilience. The participants also underwent a workshop and formed groups in the afternoon to tackle risk, where they were asked to identify hazards, exposures, and vulnerabilities of different case studies of disasters.
Participants also shared their realizations from the latest disasters like the landslide in Itogon, Benguet, the tsunami in Palo City, Indonesia and the aftermath from Typhoon Ompong. They pinpointed improved policies, capacity-building activities,government systems, integrated risk assessments, resettlement strategies, livelihood alternatives, partnership between government and private sector and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns on disaster risk as possible ways to prevent or lessen disaster risk.
Co-facilitating were Ateneo de Manila University Lecturer and Coastal Cities at Risk (CCAR) in the Philippines: Trans-Disciplinal Action Research Project Manager Dr. Noralene Uy, who discussed the spheres of vulnerability, and SM Supermalls Disaster Risk Reduction Consultant VADM Alexander Pama, who talked about the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (2011-2028) and the framework for safer, adaptive Filipino communities for sustainable development. Ending the event were presentations of workshop outputs from the participants, and a closing message from VADM Pama.
Photos courtesy of SM.
From 8-12 October 2018, the National Resilience Council’s (NRC) eight partner local government units (LGUs) and six partner academic institutions participated in the 1st phase of the Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment (CDRA) Certificate Course for the NRC Resilient LGU Program.
Held at the Manila Observatory (MO) in Quezon City, the 5-day event aimed to guide LGUs in establishing baselines and targets through resilience scorecards, while allowing stakeholders to create resilience road maps from prepare, adapt and transform stages. With risk governance in mind, these stages encompass identified pillars and sub-pillars of human development, local economy, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and human security.
It was also designed to build among the NRC partners an understanding of the tools used towards disaster resilience, to capacitate them in conducting comprehensive assessments that cut across several factors of climate and disaster risks and integrate the physical and social variables in analyzing hazards, exposures, vulnerabilities and risk indexing (HEVRI). This capacity is essential in enabling their LGUs to accomplish their Scorecard for Resilient Local Government Systems.
There were two types of participants from NRC’s LGU and academic partners. From the LGUs, these were the Focal Person, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Officer, the Pillar Champions and the designated technical staff. Focal Persons for Leadership and Governance and Science & Technology, on the other hand,represented the academic partners.
The 1st phase of the certificate course started with a 2-day orientation introducing CDRA as a comprehensive analysis that integrates complex and dynamic data—which makes use of space-based methods such as remote sensing and geographic information systems (RS-GIS)—with social variables for a holistic approach to risk assessments. The orientation, attended by all of the participants, consisted of introductory lectures on CDRA, the different tools for analysis and the importance of social dimensions to risk assessments.
This was followed by a 3-day workshop—which only involved the LGUs’ designated technical staff and the academic partners’ Science and Technology Focal Persons—on the application of CDRA where MO research staff guided the participants in using the GIS tools for integrated risk mapping.
By the end of the event, the participants produced their own risk maps and started their CDRA proposals. Overall, the participants found the training useful as the activities complemented and helped them improve their knowledge and skills.To complete the certificate course on CDRA, participants would also undergo two more phases: coaching and mentoring; and production of their own integrated risk maps.
The CDRA training for the certificate course is an initiative of NRC, a science and technology-based evidence-informed public-private partnership capacitating the local government in disaster resilience, in partnership with MO, a Jesuit scientific institution focused on advancing its mission in environmental and pre-disaster science, and Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), a private Jesuit research university.
LGUs in attendance were Bataan Province, Cagayan de Oro City, Iloilo City, Iriga City, Naga City, Ormoc City and Zamboanga City. Meanwhile, the academic institutions were: Ateneo de Naga University; Ateneo de Zamboanga University; Bataan Peninsula State University; University of the Philippines Visayas; Visayas State University; and Xavier University.
Photos courtesy of the Manila Observatory.
By Amb. Roberto R. Romulo
Of the 95 fatalities so far reported as a direct result of Typhoon Ompong that slammed into Northern Luzon last week, 16 people perished from the wind and flooding that it brought. The majority of those who perished – 79 so far – was the result of a landslide that buried a small settlement of miners and their families in Itogon. The relatively low number of casualties in other parts of Luzon can be attributed to the pro-active and pre-emptive actions by the government – at all levels – in evacuating residents at risk to safer areas. Conversely, the high number of casualties in Itogon was as a result of the absence of such preparedness by government.
Cause of deaths
It is not the landslides’ fault that people died. This seems rather harsh to say but not if you consider that disasters happen when hazards intersect with people resulting in the loss of lives or and destruction of property. A landslide in a remote, unpopulated area would be characterized as a natural phenomenon. But the people in Itogon were working and living in harm’s way. They lived on the slopes where they were engaged in small scale mining as their only or main source of livelihood. Limestone is known to be both porous and powdery. One needs to ask why communities were permitted to live beneath them. The same question might be asked of people living in Naga, Cebu and Itogon, Benguet.
What was missing
Overall risk governance was missing. Why were the people left exposed and vulnerable? Apparently there were many warnings from both DILG and the private sector of the need to vacate the landslide prone area. Instead of heeding these, small scale mining was permitted implicitly or explicitly by the mayor in dangerous slopes. The lure of gold that benefit the miners and the local government led the latter to overlook the risks that the local chief executive should have known and who should have designed and implemented the appropriate policies and interventions – including designating no-build danger zones.
Need
Hazard science is needed at Ground Zero. Watching attempts to locate those buried in Itogon and Benguet brought back memories of the rockslide that buried the town of Guinsaugon, Southern Leyte in February 2006 claiming the lives of over 1,300 people. Had there been base maps that showed where people and buildings actually were before it happened, a more effective search and rescue plan could have been undertaken.
Availability?
Disaster forensics is needed to inform future action on prevention on resilience. Thanks to advances in scientific research in the DOST and in academe, there is a considerable amount of good hazard science already available. But is anyone in charge of analyzing the hazard data against the exposure and vulnerability of communities and sectors, such as agriculture? Why are people in harm’s way, in the first place? Why won’t people move during a preemptive evacuation? Risk analyses and new metrics are essential to addressing the complexity of evolving risks and achieving a multi-stakeholder, whole-of society collaboration for resilience.
New metrics needed to guide a multi-stakeholder resilience roadmap. The clear directions coming from the top that I praised in part one of this column were largely undone by poor operational know-how and commitment on the ground. It is with this realization that the National Resilience Council is working on improving the risk governance capabilities of LGUs. Local chief executives and their teams will use a resilience scorecard and undergo a three-year program on science-based leadership and governance which will enable them to develop innovative public-private initiatives to reduce risk in their jurisdiction.
Aside from poverty, it can be said that those killed in disasters are victims of organizational failure particularly at the local government level to address past, current and future risks. They should be held accountable for such misgovernance and not pass the buck.
“Towards a digital future”
On Nov. 7, the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation for Peace and Development will host this conference in cooperation with PLDT and others. I have always expressed concern that the Philippines, once the leader in ASEAN information technology, is now the laggard. On the relatively new challenge of the 4th Industrial Revolution, we urgently need to focus on this from a government and private sector perspective. In a modest way, that is the raison d’etre for the conference.
Two key invitees are the Secretary of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Secretary of Information Communication Technology (DICT). In today’s STAR, the column of DR. Sicat discussed the challenge of the 4th Industrial Revolution. He described the DOST presentation at a recent PIDS conference as “lame”. He also expressed concern that DICT was focused solely on the plans for a third telco.
On the subject of DOST, I believe that Secretary de la Pena will acquit himself satisfactorily at the conference. During my last meeting with him, I was very impressed with his programs which is a manifestation of his competence.
On the subject of DICT, I sympathize with Secretary Rio because he is under pressure from the Palace on the issue of a third telco even as I express my belief that there is an urgent need for an e-government portal where all government services can be transacted. I also cite the provision in the law for the creation of a CIO Council. Perhaps the absence of such a council is the reason for no focus on e-government. I hope the Secretary will accept my invitation. The conference is the appropriate venue for discussion of these two topics.
SOURCE:
Romulo, R. (2018, September 28). Lessons from Typhoon Ompong, Filipino Worldview. Retrieved from https://www.philstar.com/business/2018/09/28/1855247/lessons-typhoon-ompong
On 18 September, the National Resilience Council (NRC) met with Iriga City’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) to validate its performance indicators following an internal workshop with the city’s pillar champions and teams.
The following day, the teams gathered for Iriga City’s first stakeholders meeting and resilience initiative launch, where Iriga City Mayor Madelaine Alfelor was present to give the welcome remarks and participate in the discussions.
Coastal Cities at Risk (CCAR) Project Head Dr. Emma Porio gave a brief introduction to the National Resilience Council, citing the importance of collaboration in the resilience initiative. CCAR’s Dr. Noralene Uy, SM’s Ms. Simonette Lat and NRC’s Ms. Marilou Suplido facilitated the afternoon workshop along with the Iriga CDRRMOfficers.
After the discussions by pillar, pillar representatives gave updates on their respective programs and presented their actions plans during the scorecard revalidation.