President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday (October 15, 2024) highlighted the Philippines' resiliency amid several calamities battering the country annually.
The President's statement follows a UN official's recognition of the Philippines as a "lighthouse to the rest of the (Asia-Pacific) region and to the world" regarding disaster risk reduction.
At the opening ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR), which Manila is hosting for the first time, Marcos cited the Philippines' vulnerability to calamities.
"While nature has gifted us with natural wonders, it repeatedly reminds us of its formidable power. Unfortunately, our beautiful country is located along the Pacific typhoon belt amid the Pacific Ring of Fire," Marcos said.
"We are visited by more than 20 tropical cyclones and experience around 500 magnitude 4.0 and above earthquakes in one year. We also have 24 active volcanoes," he said.
However, despite the challenges caused by disasters, the Philippines remains Asia's engine of growth, according to Marcos.
Marcos then emphasized the need for inclusivity, innovation, collaboration, and open dialog, among others, to accelerate the reduction of disaster risks.
He also called for more robust international legal frameworks to guide disaster prevention and response as thousands of representatives from 69 countries began the ministerial meeting.
"The Philippines is proud to lead the initiative towards developing an international legal instrument for protecting persons in the event of disasters. This endeavor aims to fill critical gaps in international disaster response laws, uphold the rights and dignity of affected persons, establish clearer obligations, and enhance humanitarian coordination," the President said.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro shared how the Philippines has strengthened its horizontal and vertical coordination mechanisms in dealing with disasters.
"We have sought to empower our local government units, which are in many ways in a better position to address the needs of their communities. We have also enhanced cooperation among government agencies, leveraging their respective functional expertise in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery," Teodoro said.
Echoing the Philippines' unique approach to managing calamities, Kamal Kishore, special representative of the United Nations secretary general for disaster risk reduction and head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, said it is critical to take two actions to address mounting disaster risks and ensure continued prosperity.
"First, investing in disaster prevention must be a priority for all countries in the region. This means dedicated funding for disaster risk reduction in national budgets and dedicating a larger proportion of overseas development assistance to prevention and not simply response. Second, countries must implement local and inclusive approaches to disaster risk reduction," Kishore said.
Kishore, who earlier lauded the Philippines' three-pronged approach to disaster risk mitigation, emphasized the uncertainty of the future.
"As we learn from last year's midterm review of the Sendai Framework, disaster risks are increasing worldwide. They're becoming more complex. At the same time, we are lagging in meeting the Sendai Framework's targets," he said, referring to a global agreement to reduce disaster risk and losses by 2030.
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