The Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) secured some $4.5 million in grants from international organizations.
PDRF executives presented this accomplishment and other milestones during the recent PDRF board meeting.
The new grants from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Canadian International Development Agency, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center and PepsiCo will support initiatives in disaster preparedness, recovery, private sector engagement in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and gender-inclusive DRR.
PDRF president Butch Meily highlighted PDRF’s numerous achievements in 2024 during the meeting led by co-chairmen Manuel Pangilinan and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.
Over the past year, PDRF’s disaster response initiatives have reached more than 500,000 individuals in 12 regions, mobilizing P47 million in cash and in-kind aid.
Meily shared progress and significant milestones in its flagship programs, including airport readiness, energy security, area-wide business continuity, forecast-based early action and emergency communications.
Under the Climate Resilient Cities Project, PDRF has installed six emergency operations center (EOC) packages and launched the first-of-its-kind Private Sector Engagement Playbook.
Meily also announced new partnerships with organizations and government agencies like UNICEF, Deloitte, GSMA, Direct Relief and PDRF’s international recognition through participation in forums and benchmarking visits at the EOC.
One notable visit was in August 2024, when the Ecuadorian delegation visited PDRF to learn how the organization engages the private sector in disaster management and how they can replicate it in their own country.
Meily emphasized their report on DRR strategies to the Private Sector Advisory Council of President Bongbong Marcos.
PDRF chief resilience officer Guillermo Luz noted the renewal of the PDRF EOC lease in Clark, Pampanga, with plans to upgrade its facilities. This signifies a strengthened partnership between PDRF, Clark Development Corp. and Bases Conversion Development Authority, as well as more impactful programs towards disaster resilience.
Board members acknowledged these developments as part of PDRF’s commitment to strengthening disaster resilience and fostering collaboration across sectors.