At a recent gathering, a United Nations official called on the Philippine private sector to play a dynamic role in coping with disasters, even as a government representative at the same event said that public institutions “can only react” in response to calamities.
With disasters hitting the country at an ever-increasing rate, it has become evident that cooperation among sectors is crucial. “No one can do this alone,” said Margareta Wahlström, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction. “We need all of society to engage.”
This was the key thrust of this year’s Top Leaders Forum, entitled “Multi-stakeholder Collaboration for Disaster Risk Reduction.” The forum was hosted by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and the SM Prime Holdings, Inc.
“The government need not be alone in building more resilient infrastructures and communities,” said Senator Loren Legarda.
Building back better
“Following Haiyan, the Philippine government has clearly seen the importance of embracing the concept of building back better. Building better, however, will only be meaningful if the standards we use comply with resilience benchmarks. Building better, but still below the standards, is building less. The private sector has a crucial role here.”
According to Legarda, Secretary Arsenio Balisacan of NEDA said that “increased public spending will be supplemented by private sector investments through PPP.”
“Such partnership, in the light of the concept of ‘building better’ and in the face of our society’s deep need for effective disaster risk governance, is indispensable,” she added.
‘Government can only react’
In his speech, Undersecretary Danilo Antonio from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery outlined the reasons why we need non-government participation in times of disaster.
“Government can only react. Government has certain bureaucratic processes they have to protect or they have to follow,” Usec. Antonio said.
On the other hand, he said that the private sector can move to offer assistance immediately after a disaster strikes. Combined with the fact that businesses already exist in affected areas, he said that this puts the private sector in a better position to offer aid soon after a disaster hits.
According to Antonio, it is also easy for the private sector to plan for continuity and for the long-term. He pointed out that, in politics, officers’ terms are limited; the longest term is only six years. This makes it difficult for government officials to ensure the continuance of a project, especially a large one.
“In this 21st century, disaster risk reduction is prioritized not only to protect the longevity of the business. It has become a basic humanitarian imperative and a commitment to contribute to the economic development of the country and ensure safety of its people,” said Hans Sy, president of SM Prime Holdings, Inc.
Business initiatives
Among the speakers present were representatives from businesses that offered their services for free during the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda. DHL provided disaster response teams to help airports handle the sudden influx of donations from other countries while SM pledged to construct permanent housing for the survivors.
The first Top Leaders Forum, held in 2012, focused on concrete measures that could be taken to make business more resilient in the face of disasters. The following year, approaches to increase private sector resilience by developing incentives for risk-informed business practices and investments were discussed. — TJD, GMA News