PH disaster-ready after ‘Yolanda’, shares best resilience practices in world forum

This photo released by the Malacanang Photo Bureau shows an aerial view of Tacloban city, Leyte province in central Philippines Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, after Typhoon Haiyan ravaged the region in the Philippines. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—After the onslaught of super typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013, the Philippines has since adapted practices promoting resiliency and disaster risk reduction management (DRRM).

During the 3rd World Conference on Risk Reduction held at Sendai, Japan, Senator Loren Legarda shared how the country has since implemented programs in DRRM which could serve as models for other countries.

“Leveraging our experiences and lessons learned from Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan), we continue to improve on the gaps and challenges,” Legarda said on Sunday.

Learning the lessons from “Yolanda,” the Philippines was able to enforce a commendable risk reduction response during the onslaught of typhoon “Ruby” last year.

“The local and international community have lauded the Philippines for its commendable efforts including the pre- emptive evacuation of almost 800,000 individuals to safer grounds, pre-positioning of goods in twinned provinces outside Ruby’s track, enabling quick response to the needs,” she said.

Despite implementing laudable programs on disaster risk reduction, the Philippines asked the support of the international community to help developing nations which often experience natural disasters.

“In this regard, the Philippines calls on the international community to strengthen international cooperation and global partnership to assist developing countries, particularly those in vulnerable situations, the least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked countries and African countries, by providing them with enhanced means of implementation, through the provision of them to achieve a culture of resilience in all aspects,” she said.

Legarda spoke at the said forum in behalf of President Benigno Aquino III who attended the graduation rites of the Philippine Military Academy SINAGLAHI Class of 2015 on Sunday in Baguio City.

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