A RANKING official of the United Nations underscored the need for positive action and coordination to guard businesses against economic losses from earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, flooding and other disasters. 
 
During the Top Leaders Forum 2015 at the SMX Convention Center at Mall of Asia in Pasay City, Margareta Wahlström, UN assistant secretary-general for disaster and risk reduction, highlighted the indispensable role of the private sector in disaster resiliency.
 
Noting that the government cannot build disaster resilient societies alone, Wahlström announced SM Prime Holdings president Hans Sy, the only Filipino member of the UNISDR Private Sector Advisory Council, has been named director of the Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies.
 
Arise is a worldwide initiative spearheaded by the UN to create more resilient communities. It will provide opportunities for private organizations and business sectors to become members in concerted efforts in addressing the problems brought about by the changing weather patterns.
 
Due to the massive devastation wrought about by Super Typhoon “Yolanda,’’ the Philippines was the first country in Southeast Asia to join Arise during its launching last Monday in a bid to take positive action to make businesses and communities disaster-resilient.
 
Sy said the Arise is a big step towards taking positive action to guard not only investments but protect lives in times of disasters.
 
“The Philippines suffered so much from super Typhoon “Haiyan’’ and we are still trying to recover from its effects. However, 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.
 
He said SM has been sponsoring such kind of activities to show that businessmen too have conscience.
 
SM Prime has been hosting the Top Leaders Forum for the past several years. The forum gathers the CEOs and top managers from the Philippines and the Asian region.
 
Senator Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Climate Change committee, said the country can ensure 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.
 
Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo presented the government’s different programs in generating risk information and risk assessment in line with the agreements reached during the formulation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in March 2016.
 
The framework notes the importance of an inclusive approach to preventing and reducing risk and the roles of public and private stakeholders.
 
NDDRMC Undersecretary Alexander Pama noted that disaster reduction is good business. “Invest in it and let us work together towards a more resilient Philippines.”
 
During the forum, business leaders vowed to join ARISE which will mainly be a platform for information sharing on disaster risk information to protect investments and strategies to be carried out to reduce global disaster mortality, economic losses and damage to critical infrastructure.
 
The Philippine leadership of ARISE is an important component of the initiative since the Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. And with the continuous capital flow in the country, including hazard-prone areas, there is need to address the risks to guard economic assets.