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Cebuana Lhuillier, an advocate of disaster resiliency

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Cebuana Lhuillier continues to reinforce disaster resilience advocacy as they launch “2018 READY Disaster Resilience Forum — Disaster Resilience Begins with Me,” to push disaster preparedness among Filipinos.

President and CEO of PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies, Mr. Jean Henri D. Lhuillier and First Vice President and Group Head of Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions, Cebuana Lhullier Foundation, Inc., and Cebuana Lhullier Business Solutions, Mr. Jonathan D. Batangan pose with the signed manifesto of this year's disaster resilience forum. Bianca Grajo

Cebuana Lhuillier gathered the country’s industry experts in disaster management, risk reduction and post-disaster rehabilitation last July 4 at Shangri-la the Fort Manila for their disaster resilience forum.

“When we started the disaster resilience forum two years ago, our mission was to build a nation of resilient countrymen armed with information…during times of disasters and calamities,” Jean Henri Lhuillier, the President, and CEO of PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies said.

On its third year,  the theme focuses on the need for everyone including first responders; communities and families; and individual Filipinos to be ready and fully equipped to take an active role in disaster resilience.

“This year, we would like to encourage each and every Filipino to take on a more proactive role in building disaster resilient communities by highlighting personal readiness and security to alleviate massive losses and damages during disasters,” Lhuillier said.

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Disaster Resilience Begins With Me

The forum was divided into three-panel discussions where each seeks to increase awareness on the role of microinsurance as a disaster-risk finance tool to make every Filipino resilient against the impacts of disasters and calamities.

The first session, entitled “First Things First: How Resilient are Our First Responders” explored the resilience of the country’s responders against any type of disaster and tackled swift response, trainings and inter-agency coordination. Among the speakers were Restituto F. Padilla Jr., Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, J5 of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; Rene “Butch” S, Meily, president of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, Inc.; and Maniel “Nong” C. Rangasa, chairman and executive director of Local Climate Change Adaptation for Development, Inc.

“Moving Forward: How do we Strengthen our Communities’ Resilience?” featured Maribeth L. Marasigan, first vice president and chief operating officer of Weather Philippines Foundation; Jorge S. Ebay, associate professor in Community Development at the University of the Philippines-Visayas; and Dr. June Caridad Pagaduan-Lopez, convenor of Citizen’s Network for Psychosocial Response where it revolved around how to improve the communities’ attitudes when facing disasters.

Lastly, 'On the Next Step: How can Every Filipino be Ready and Help?', talked about the ways on how Filipinos should be resilient when facing any type of disaster and the important things to remember in the midst of one. The speakers in the said panel were Stacy de Jesus, head of Community and Digital Communications of Rappler, Inc. and Pebbles Badillo Sanchez-Ogang, executive director of YESPinoy Foundation, Inc.

In line with the company’s advocacy, Cebuana Lhuillier launched OurHelp, a donation site where donors can ensure individuals or communities who do not have access to or means to get insurance coverage for as low as one dollar or 53 pesos. OurHelp is an offshoot of the company’s National Pilipino Protektado Day, a monthlong campaign that helped insure one million Filipinos in 2016.

Donees of the website get microinsurance which covers accidental death or dismemberment and disability, unprovoked murder or assault, and other causes of death, except suicides. Cash assistance in case of fire disasters are also covered.

Cebuana Lhuillier partnered with the Regulatory Framework Promotion of Pro-poor Insurance Markets in Asia (RFPI Asia) and the Mutual Exchange Forum on Inclusive Insurance Network (MEFIN) to organize the event.

“2018 READY Disaster Resilience Forum — Disaster Resilience Begins with Me” served as a platform to discuss measures on the disaster resilience of first responders such as members of the army and local policemen against any type of disaster.

Various local government and civil societies were also present at the venue to share learnings and best practices in order to strengthen and improve other communities’ disaster resilience capabilities.

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