An alliance of big business groups urged all industries to boost disaster mitigation programs and preparedness against the economic effects of climate change.
In a recent virtual townhall discussion organized by Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute (ADRi) on “Best Practices for a Proactive Approach to Climate Resiliency”, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation President Rene Meily said, “The private sector has a role to play in terms of fighting the effects of climate change and helping reverse it - mitigate its effects.”
“We’re one of the countries with the most typhoons in the world. We are number two in terms of the number of displaced people in the world. We had something like 4.4 million people just last year displaced by disasters,” Meily said.
PDRF is an alliance of top Philippine business groups supporting programs to boost disaster management capabilities in areas of prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation and recovery.
In a statement, PDRF co-chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chairman of Ayala Corporation said, “Corporate executives should have a strong understanding about the implications of climate change, as well as have the opportunities to dialogue about these issues at the highest levels to enable officers and the company as a whole to make informed and sustainable strategic decisions.”
“Now, more than ever, everyone must play a role in building resilience and mitigating risks as more devastating calamities arise in the future. I think we should be contributors of resilience and help minimize the contributions we make in worsening the situation,” Zobel de Ayala said in an Ayala Group summit last year.
Zobel said, “Climate change is an existential threat to everyone, whether you are a business, a government institution, or just an individual.
“Its far-reaching effects and implications have an impact on long-term resilience, sustainability, and longevity,” Zobel said.
A statement by Ayala Group affiliate, Globe Telecom said that the company supports the national government in its rescue operations by deploying emergency equipment and Globe personnel to disaster areas by land and air.
“Communications systems are even more critical during a crisis, especially since our subscribers rely on our products and services for key day-to-day activities. Our continued investments in risk management systems have assured that our network will be up and running when needed the most,” Globe Chief Risk Officer Rizza Maniego-Eala said.
For his part, Stratbase ADRi President Prof. Victor Andres Manhit stated that, “It is vital that multi-sector engagements and best practices be discussed and more widely adopted to proactively address climate risks before they even happen. With these, the vulnerability of communities to physical, social, and economic shocks will be lessened.”
