Sen. Grace Poe. Screengrab from INQUIRER.net video
The “unfortunate reality” that the Asia Pacific region is vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme weather must be taken into account in planning development initiatives, presidential bet Senator Grace Poe said on Monday.
“Any future development must be climate-resilient. If not, then it’s useless. Disasters can wipe out decades and decades of development so moving forward, let’s always include climate resiliency and sustainability in all our plans,” Poe said in a statement.
The senator issued the statement ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ summit here in Manila this week.
Poe pointed out a recent research by risk analysis firm Verisk Maplecroft, which showed that eight of the 10 world’s most disaster-prone cities are in the Philippines. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines is considered the most risky country.
“Given these challenges, we should make sure that the country’s disaster management program must be comprehensive, inclusive, and needs-sensitive. Let us remember that people’s lives are in danger,” she said.
The senator then proposed the creation of an independent and centralized Disaster Risk Management Authority. Chaired by the President, Poe said, the agency will be in charge of policy implementation, quick deployment and execution.
For a proactive disaster preparedness strategy, she said a Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment will be done to pre-position resources and aid as well as help focus government actions after a disaster.
“Recovery and rehabilitation must also be community-based,” the senator added. TVJ