DFA: Asia-Europe meet a ‘timely action’ to discuss challenges of disasters

DFA Secretary Albert Del Rosario (center). BONG LOZADA/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said Thursday that the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) conference on disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) is a “timely action” given the “global challenge of disasters.”

“Our Asem Manila conference is a timely action to meet the global challenge of disasters. We have gathered today more than 200 participants representing government, NGOs, civil society groups, the expert community and other DRRM stakeholders,” Del Rosario said in his opening remarks.

“Your collective wisdom will be the basis of the Tacloban Declaration which we will submit to the Asem leaders for adoption,” he said.

Del Rosario said that the declaration will become the basis for crafting policies which will “spell the difference between sustainability and short-lived development, as well as between resilient communities and those that will remain unprepared for the next disaster.”

He further noted that crafting policies on DRRM should be a “critical international priority” in order to ensure that people may live a “safe and decent life.”

Delegates of the ASEM on Wednesday went to areas devastated by super typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) including Tacloban city.

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