Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has expressed delight on the achievements of the private sector-led Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), an organization created as a result of the executive order she issued for the country to better respond to disasters and other emergencies.
As this developed, Arroyo invited Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to the PDRF headquarters at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga on the sidelines of the campaign kickoff of her Hugpong Ng Pagbabago in San Fernando, Pampanga Tuesday.
Arroyo said she is glad that the PDRF has been making headway in disaster preparedness and management not only here and abroad after she was informed by PDRF President Butch Meily that many countries have adopted the system being carried out by PDRF to better respond to disasters.
“I am happy that PDRF has been carrying out the purpose by which I had envisioned it to be not only for the Philippines but also for other countries. I would like to commend the dedication and commitment of our private sector in making sure that we are better prepared to deal with disasters,” she said.
The PDRF, formerly known as Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation, was established as a result of Executive Order No. 870 which Arroyo issued when she was President in 2010. I
The EO was issued in the aftermath of typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and Frank which killed hundreds and destroyed properties in many parts of the country. Then President Arroyo issued EO 870 because she wanted greater private sector participation in the reconstruction programs of the government in times of calamities and other emergencies.
At present, the PDRF is the Philippines’ major private sector vehicle and coordinator for disaster management. It operates as the first 24/7 private sector-led Emergency Operations Center which is geared towards training for disaster preparedness and the coordination of relief and response efforts during major disasters.
Mayor Duterte, after attending the briefing at the PDRF, said she may adopt a similar project in her own hometown.
“What we do not have in Davao is something like this na yung private sector coming together and working together, but maybe we can learn something from the PDRF and do a more local thing in Davao. Doon kasi sa amin when we have a disaster, we rely heavily on the facilities, the infrastructure of government so ito yung magandang mix na kapag nag-merge yung government and private sector,” Mayor Duterte said.