San Fernando City, Pampanga — The Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management – Philippines (A-PAD Philippines) has called on stakeholders in San Fernando City, Pampanga to raise awareness about the roles each sector can play in building resilience, and and to enhance partnerships and networks for future collaboration in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM).
During a forum on February 22, 2024, titled “Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience: Roles of Multi Sectors,” A-PAD Philippines brought together 17 representatives of organizations from various sectors, including media, government, health, civil society, faith-based organizations, academia, and business.
The event aimed to promote collaboration among sectors to strengthen disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) efforts in the region. Athea Penaloza, Executive Director of A-PAD PH, stressed the importance of multi-sectoral partnerships in DRRM. “This forum marks a crucial step towards uniting different sectors in our shared goal for a resilient region. By investing in disaster risk reduction, we are paving the way for a safer, more prepared community,” said Penaloza.
The Local Government Unit (LGU) of San Fernando City, through the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), expressed its commitment to disaster resilience.
The forum included a session by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and San Fernando City DRRM Office discussing the region’s Disaster Risk Profile and governance structure for disaster management. The forum comes in response to the recent Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, emphasizing the critical need for a unified approach to disaster risk management.
A-PAD Philippines hopes that participants will gain a deeper understanding of their individual roles and how they can work together to strengthen the whole-of-society approach in building community resilience.