Business execs launch alliance on climate change

MANILA, Philippines – Top business executives yesterday launched an alliance aimed at pooling private sector support for global efforts to improve the resilience of communities from disasters.

The Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) is a network of private sector entities whose members committed to adopt the 15-year global roadmap for disaster risk reduction and management signed in Sendai, Japan in March 2015. It was launched during the 2015 Top Leaders Forum at the SMX Mall of Asia in Pasay.

The framework aims to curb disaster mortality and economic losses through an inclusive approach that involves both the public and the private sector. It also seeks to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risk and strengthen resilience to natural and man-made hazards.

Margareta Wahlström, special representative of the United Nations Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction; Sandra Wu, chairman of the UNISDR and Hans Sy, president of SM Prime, were among those who attended and addressed the event.

Wahlström said the economic losses from earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones and flooding now average $250 billion to $300 billion globally each year. She stressed the need for positive action and coordination to guard businesses against these calamities.

Sy said ARISE is a big step toward taking positive action to guard not only investments but also protect lives in times of disasters.

“The Philippines suffered so much from Yolanda and we are still trying to recover from its effects. We have learned some painful but valuable lessons and we hope that through this initiative, we will be able to make this world a better and safer place for all of us and the future generations,” he said.

Private sector

Sen. Loren Legarda, who delivered the special message during the forum, highlighted the role of the private sector in efforts to promote disaster risk reduction and management in communities.

“We can ensure our economic resilience by reducing disaster risks, letting investors be aware of it, and requiring business investments to take into account disaster risk reduction and management measures,” Legarda said.

“The United Nations said economic losses from disasters are out of control. We should reverse this situation. Resilience should be at the core of our development policies and strategies. In climate and disaster risks, there may be no second chances,” she said.

The participants took part in a workshop that sought to identify the challenges and opportunities in addressing various issues relevant to disaster risk reduction.

Also present during ARISE’s launch were Science Secretary Mario Montejo, Metro Manila Development Authority General Manager Corazon Jimenez, Build Change director Kate Landry and French embassy deputy head of mission Laurent Legodec.

Educate the public

Miguel Belmonte, president and chief executive officer of The STAR Media Group, who was among the business executives who attended the event, said the media group could help strengthen the country’s resilience by publishing articles that can educate the public about disasters.

“Since our newspaper group has a very wide range from all levels of society, from our English broadsheet to our business paper to our Tagalog tabloids, I said that if there is content that can help educate the reading public on environmental issues, risk management and things like that, I offer that we publish it in our papers even in the front page so that it would get attention,” Belmonte said.

“We want to play our part to help disseminate information as a media company,” he added. –With Alexis Romero