DAVAO CITY, Philippines — A trans-national disaster aid alliance is set to be launched here that aims to foster collaboration among different sectors and organizations to implement swift and effective disaster response in the region.
Danilo Gumanao, Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD) Regional Coordinator for Mindanao, explained that Davao Region was chosen as one of its pilot areas due to its vulnerability to disasters.
“Davao[Region] is also one of the vulnerable regions in the Philippines, as what we had experienced with Typhoon Pablo, [and] Sendong in Iligan and Cagayan,” Gumanao told reporters during the Kapehan sa SM on Monday.
The province of Compostela Valley and the nearby province of Davao Oriental was hammered by Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) back in 2012. Billions of properties were damaged and thousands of lives claimed, in one of the worst typhoons to hit Mindanao.
“A-PAD will be operating in collaboration with local government units, from the regional level, like the Office of the Civil Defense, up to here in Davao city, including the Chamber of Commerce, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, and Central 911,“ Gumanao said.
A-PAD, is an organization established back in 2012 based on a framework created by governments, private companies, and non-government organizations in five countries in Asia Pacific Region including Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Langka, Indonesia and Philippines.
A-PAD Philippines serves as a framework for collaboration, cooperation and pooling of efforts and sharing of resources between humanitarian organizations, civil society organizations, private sector, and government units in delivering emergency response and early recovery services, as well as undertaking projects for rehabilitation, disaster risk reduction, and addressing the vulnerabilities of the community.
In 2015, the formation of A-PAD Philippines was led by one of its founding members which is the Citizen’s Disaster Response Center. At present, it already established regional platforms in Bicol, Ilocos, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Socsksargen.
A-PAD programs for disaster management include: expanding and strengthening of private sectors and other organizations’ participation in the National platform; creating a pre-agreement on services and resources with partners; facilitate disaster response and the acceptance of disaster relief in the country; capacity-building; establishing appropriate measures for distribution, implementation, monitoring, and reporting in respect of support received from other National Platforms and/or regional disaster relief platforms; and Sharing of experience, information, research, and other resources.
A-PAD will have the official launching of its regional platform in Davao Region on Jan. 24 in Grand Menseng Hotel, Davao City. (davaotoday.com)