ASIA PACIFIC ALLIANCE FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT

PAGASA was invited as a stakeholder to the launch of the Philippine platform (perspective) which also serves as an International Symposium for the Members of Asia-Pacific Alliance for Disaster Mgt. (APAD) on 3 March 2016 at Hotel Jen along Roxas Blvd.

The Phil. initiative is under the joint efforts of Phil. Disaster Resilience Foundation and the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center. Operative Word for the Philippine platform transcends beyond Response, Recovery and Rebuilding> RESILIENCE in the face of Disaster. Representative-panelists from Member-nations Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines shared best practices at this Symposium. In the picture with PAGASA’s STC are (L-R) Andre Arriola of the Alliance of Civil Society Organizations of Manila (ACSOM), Rolley So-Pres./Fire Brigade & Communications Group, Roberto Castillo-Pres./ACSOM, STC and Aida Enriquez-Treas./ACSOM.

In most countries, NGO’s would have some form of networking and coordination with supermarket groups to assure quick delivery of relief goods in times of calamity. However, most countries agree that the carry-out for relief operations (in general) should be brief and that the goods donated should be relevant (useful to Asian member-nations). Experience also shows that the most significant help came from the communities/private sector within the disaster area.