Officials endorse DRR plan to APEC leaders

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  – Senior disaster management officials of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation have agreed to endorse the Disaster Risk Reduction Framework to their respective APEC leaders.

The approval of the DRR framework endorsement was done during the APEC’s 9th SDMO Forum held at the Iloilo Convention Center in this city from September 22 to 23, marking another milestone in building disaster resilience across the Asia-Pacific region.

Civil Defense Undersecretary Alexander Pama, chair of the SDMO Forum, said building sustainable and resilient communities is one of the priority topics of the Philippines’ hosting of APEC, which will culminate with the Economic Leader’s Summit on November in Manila.

“Adopting this framework is our move to help translate into concrete action what our leaders and ministers have agreed on and repeatedly articulated over the years,” said Pama.

The DRR framework, as APEC’s strategy for adaptive and resilient economies, has been aimed at addressing the so-called “new normal.”

There are two phenomena that described the “new normal”: 1) increasing frequency, magnitude and scope of natural disasters, and 2) the resultant disruption on the increasingly integrated and interlinked production and supply chains.

Pama said this “new normal” disrupts the free flow of trade and investments across economies; and presents tremendous challenges and serious threats to the sustainability of growth and development in the region.

Based on World Bank estimates, the APEC economies have incurred disaster-related losses of over $100 billion every year for the last ten years.

The DRR Framework of APEC consisted of four inter-operable and mutually reinforcing pillars: 1) prevention and mitigation; 2) preparedness; 3) response; and 4) rehabilitation and build back better.

These further corresponded to the four elements vital for ensuring and attaining adaptive and disaster-resilient APEC economies, the officials declared.  (FREEMAN)