A senior official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) highlighted the Philippines’ approach to disaster resilience, citing several key national programs aimed at reducing disaster risks and losses, especially for the most vulnerable population.
Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) represented the Philippine Government in a plenary session titled “Leave No One Behind: Realizing the Guiding Principles of the Sendai Framework,” during the Eighth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025) held in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday (June 4).
“During the commemoration of the 11th anniversary of Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) which caused the displacement of more than 918,000 families, equivalent to 4.5 million individuals, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., emphasized the need for intensified efforts to help the country adapt to the challenges of climate change and build disaster-resilient communities,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said in her speech.
In her message, Asst. Secretary Dumlao mentioned two major disaster resilience programs of the Philippines under the DSWD—the Panahon ng Pagkilos: The Philippine Community Resilience Project (PCRP) and the Project LAWA at BINHI or Local Adaptation to Water Access and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished.
According to Asst. Secretary Dumlao, the Panahon ng Pagkilos: PCRP targets 500 municipalities identified as highly vulnerable due to a combination of high poverty incidence, significant exposure to environmental and natural hazards, elevated rates of childhood stunting, and a substantial Indigenous Peoples population.
“Through participatory resilience planning, communities are empowered, enabling them to proactively address risks rather than simply reacting to disasters,” the DRMG official said.
The Project LAWA at BINHI, as mentioned by Asst. Secretary Dumlao, targets two salient areas of disaster vulnerability: water insecurity and food insufficiency.
The project is designed to maintain agricultural productivity during dry periods and to manage excess water during periods of heavy rainfall associated with La Niña.
“These multi-layered interventions constitute a paradigm shift towards resilience-building from disaster recovery. By providing knowledge, tools, resources, and livelihood opportunities, the State establishes spaces where displacement does not equal prolonged suffering,” the DRMG official pointed out.
In concluding her speech, Assist. Secretary Dumlao affirmed the Philippines’ commitment to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
“The Philippines is a great example of how inclusive, integrated, and forward-looking approaches under the Sendai Framework are truly able to “leave no one behind” in the journey towards disaster resilience,” Assist. Secretary Dumlao said.
In a side event of the GP2025 dubbed as “Displacement in Disasters – Participation and Innovation for Resilience,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said the Philippines, as one of the world’s most hazard-exposed countries, is shifting from reactive responses to anticipatory action.
“We are no longer content to wait for the next storm, the next eruption, the next wave of displacement. We are choosing to act—decisively, inclusively, and sustainably. The Philippines remains ready to work with all of you—with governments, civil society, the private sector, and the communities we serve—to build a future where resilience is not the exception, but the norm,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said. (YADP)