IN the light of the widespread devastation in several cities and towns in Central Visayas brought about by Yolanda, top business leaders, architects, investors, consultants and related activities gathered at the SMX Convention Center on Friday to discuss how and where to build dwellings, buildings and other infrastructure that could withstand the wrath of nature.

The message of the participants is that private companies must lead in investing their money in buildings that are resistant or able to withstand nature’s fury, or what they call “disaster resilient.”

“Investment in disaster resilience among private companies is now a humanitarian imperative,” SM Prime Holdings President Hans Sy said during the forum.

Sy noted that local communities had to struggle to prepare for natural calamities because many of them were built in areas that are prone to disasters, such as landslides and liquefaction.

He said disaster resilience is no longer prioritized to protect commercial interests but should be available to everyone. Heavy investments in disaster resilience, he said, not only ensure the longevity of company-owned assets, but also the safety of communities where the company operates.

He cited as an example SM Marikina, which was built on concrete stilts.

He said he was criticized for building in an area prone to flood.

An engineer by profession, Sy went about constructing the mall and the building stood naked without walls, and he said people were laughing at him, asking “what kind of building is that.”

SM Prime Holdings Inc. and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Private Sector Advisory Group hosted the forum for the second year, this time focusing on the private sector’s role in disaster mitigation.

More than 30 chief executive officers and top managers from different sectors and industries from the region discussed the challenges posed by changing climate and how to capitalize and optimize incentives for disaster resilient business practice.