Laoag City, Ilocos Norte — The Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management Philippines (A-PAD PH) successfully conducted a Microenterprises Resilience Plan (Business Continuity Plan) Training with over 60 sari-sari stores, hardware shops, and other MSME owners in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, on March 7-9, 2024.
The training, conducted in partnership with Northwestern University, K5, and the LGUs of Laoag City and Ilocos Norte Province, has focused on equipping MSMEs with resilience and BCP knowledge, strategies, and tools to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to emergencies, including disasters, economic downturns, and unforeseen disruptions. The training aims to assist MSMEs from Brgy. La Paz, Brgy. Gabu Sur, Brgy. Gabu Norte, and Brgy San Matias in formulating resilience and recovery plans tailored to their businesses and strengthening disaster preparedness capacity.
“MSMEs are the backbone of the Philippines’ economic development, fostering job creation, income generation, and poverty reduction, particularly in rural areas. Yet, they face significant vulnerability to disasters, which frequently disrupt their operations, leading to income loss, asset damage, and, in some cases, permanent closure,” said Athea M. Penaloza, Executive Director of A-PAD Philippines.
“When sari-sari stores, hardware shops, botika, and other MSMEs in the community actively engage in disaster response efforts, they not only improve their ability to recover from the current disaster, but they also strengthen their resilience against future ones,” she added.
The training sessions cover a range of essential BCP topics, including discussions and workshops focusing on understanding disasters, assessing business operations, evaluating impacts of disasters on businesses, and developing strategies for business continuity. Through these training sessions, participants gained knowledge to effectively mitigate risks and ensure the resilience of their businesses in the face of disasters.
In addition to the training sessions, A-PAD Philippines also provided tools and informational materials consisting of essential information on microenterprise resilience, a financial literacy form, and BCP worksheets to assist MSMEs in their disaster resilience.
The Microenterprise Resilience Plan (BCP) training in Laoag City represents a part of A-PAD Philippines’ broader mission to strengthen disaster response capabilities of micro-enterprises and local communities.
“We aim to build resilience and preparedness of MSMEs while also highlighting their vital role in community resilience and recovery. These businesses are not just economic engines; they are essential for sustaining daily life, providing jobs, goods, and services to local communities.”