2018 Top Leaders Forum: Strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration

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.

SM Prime’s Hans Sy delivers the welcome message.

“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.”

NRC Vice-Chair for Private Sector Edgar Chua addresses the guests at the forum.

“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”.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana describes the government’s ongoing efforts to address DRR.

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

UN SRSG Mami Mizutori, SM’s Liza Silerio and NRC’s Antonia Yulo Loyzaga with the panel for the human security session.

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

Photo opportunity with the special guests of the forum.

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.

ARISE Philippines and NRC hold Forum on Understanding Risk and Resilience

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.

Group photo of participants with the teams of ARISE Philippines, NRC and SM Prime. The participants are members of the public and private sectors, academe, professional organizations, NGOs and CSOs. Also included are Coastal Cities at Risk in the Philippines: Trans-Disciplinal Action Research Project-Masters in Disaster Risk and Resilience (CCAR-MDRR) International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Grantees.

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.

L-R: Christian Aid Climate Change Advisor for Asia and the Middle East Ms. Jessica Bercilla; SM Supermalls Vice President and ARISE Philippines Secretariat Ms. Liza Silerio; OCD Deputy Administrator for Administration Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James Purisima; NEDA Undersecretary Adoracion Navarro; MO Senior Research Fellow and Climate Change Commission National Panel of Technical Experts Member Dr. Rosa Perez; ADMU lecturer and CCAR in the Philippines: Trans-Disciplinal Action Research Project Manager Dr. Noralene Uy; NRC Executive Director Ms. Malu Erni; and SM Supermalls Disaster Risk Reduction Consultant VADM Alexander Pama.

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.

ZFF President and NRC Vice Chairman Prof. Ernie Garilao delivering the welcome remarks.

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.

OCD Deputy Administrator for Administration Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James Purisima discussing the work of OCD and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

“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.”

MO Senior Research Fellow and CCC National Panel of Technical Experts Member Dr. Rosa Perez discussing climate change adaptation.

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.

NEDA Undersecretary Adoracion Navarro presenting the Philippine government’s initiatives for disaster resilience.

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 facilitating discussion on risk and resilience.

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.

Aksyon sa Kahandaan sa Kalamidad at Klima (AKKMA) Representative Ping Fampulme sharing that community resilience, based on their experience, is defined as decreasing vulnerabilities through capacity-building. He also noted that AKKMA’s capacity-building efforts still call for equipment and institutional support.
Forum participants sharing their understanding of risk and resilience via Mentimeter, a mobile application used for real-time voting and interactive presentations.

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.

Forum participants presenting their discussion outcomes on their case studies during the afternoon session.

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.

NRC launches scorecard at LGA resilience forum

On 23 August 2018, the National Resilience Council (NRC)—a science and technology-based, evidence-informed public-private partnership (PPP) promoting disaster resilience in the Philippines—launched its first version of the Resilient Local Government Systems Scorecard at the Resilience Marketplace for Innovation Forum (#ResiliencePH) held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

UNISDR SRSG Mami Mizutori (leftmost) receives the NRC Resilient Local Government Systems Scorecard from NRC President Ms. Antonia Yulo Loyzaga (second from left) and NRC Chairman for Private Sector Mr. Hans Sy (second from right).

Organized by the Local Government Academy (LGA) of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Forum gathered a crowd of nearly a thousand made up of local chief executives, members of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (LDRRMOs) nationwide and representatives of different stakeholder groups.

UNISDR SRSG Mami Mizutori visits the NRC booth at the Resilience Marketplace for Innovation Forum.

The NRC Scorecard is described by NRC President Ms. Antonia Yulo Loyzaga as a set of localized metrics used in combination with a 3-year Resiliency Leadership Program for LGUs and their internal and external stakeholders. “While it was intensively vetted by a combination of over 600 individuals from national government agencies, LGUs, the private sector and academe, it is a live document and will continue to be refined as we do a deep dive into the risk profiles of each local government partner.”

NRC Executive Director Ms. Malu Erni delivers a presentation on the organization.

NRC Executive Director Ms. Malu Erni, meanwhile,introduced the organization and presented its work with the local government.Currently, NRC is working with eight LGUs: Bataan Province; Cagayan de Oro City; Iloilo City; Iriga City; Naga City; Ormoc City; Valenzuela City; and Zamboanga City. Under NRC’s Resilient LGU Program, LGUs are guided in their implementation and accomplishment of their Resilient Local Government Systems Scorecards. The Scorecard is composed of five pillars: Leadership and Governance; Human Development; Local Economy; Infrastructure; and Environment.The Program has a 3-year runway based on the 3 critical thematic areas that NRC deems essential to achieve resilience namely: Prepare, Adapt and Transform.

SRSG Mami Mizutori delivers a special message on behalf of the United Nations Office for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).

NRC’s work is duly recognized by the new Special Representative of the United Nations(UN) Secretary-General (SRSG) for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mami Mizutori, who was the guest of honor at the Forum. Along with the UNISDR-led Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies-Philippines (ARISE Philippines), she described NRC as a “shining example of PPP of Public-Private Partnership that deserves to be replicated in other countries.”

Photos courtesy of the Local Government Academy.