Forum to focus on disaster risk

MANILA, Philippines -The Anti-Terrorism Council is holding an intensive two-day forum to help companies become more resilient against business disruptions triggered by the impact of climate change.

Protect 2010, the fifth in a series of international conference with specialized exhibits to be held at the New World Hotel Makati on April 15-16, will focus on disaster risk reduction. The Protect series is co-organized by the Anti-Terrorism Council and Leverage International (Consultants). Its conference, “Doing Business Amidst New Threats,” is a continuing annual series since 2005.

The Department of Finance estimated that in 2009 alone, the private sector bore more than 90 percent of the $4.4-billion estimated economic damage and losses due to typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

Protect 2010 is a unique opportunity for senior executives to draw on and share the research insights of experts for a better understanding of how to reduce risks from the increasing effects of climate change as the country faces increasing severity and frequency of flashfloods, typhoons, health hazards, landslides, droughts, tsunamis and other natural disasters.

Amidst prevailing environmental concerns, the Protect 2010 conference agenda will be devoting significant attention to risks from natural disasters, recognizing that such are as destructive as and should be managed like threats arising from terrorist and man-made attacks.

Interested parties may contact the secretariat at 810-1389; 818-6828 or fax 810-1594 or e-mail [email protected] to join the forum.

The forum will discuss major business considerations resulting from disasters – their impact on insurance, banking and taxation. Experts have also been invited to discuss the major concerns of business during disasters: securing sensitive and critical physical facilities, securing information files, managing outsourcing risks, and ensuring business continuity.

Break-out sessions by industry groupings of sectors for which emerging challenges from natural and man-made disasters can significantly affect their operations are part of the conference.

Among these are banks, BPOs, call centers, IT companies, schools, hospitals, hotels, malls, tourist resorts, pharmaceutical companies, telecommunications, critical infrastructures, government and others. A special session is organized for LGUs (local government units).