Yuchengco Group integrates business continuity, disaster risk strategy to boost resilience

The Yuchengco Group of Companies (YGC) said it is prioritizing preparedness as an organization-wide commitment by synergizing its Business Continuity Management (BCM) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) strategies to cope with the Philippines’ frequent natural calamities.

For the third consecutive year, the Philippines remains the most disaster-prone country in the world, according to the 2024 World Risk Index. On average, 20 tropical cyclones enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) every year, with eight to nine expected to hit the country and potentially transform into super typhoons. The country also has 20 active volcanoes and recurring earthquakes, with a magnitude 7.2 earthquake expected to occur anytime.

“Disruptions to communities and business operations are inevitable when disasters strike. Resilience is not a slogan that organizations use to rally everyone toward recovery. It should be a system,” said House of Investments president and chief executive Lorenzo Tan.

“By integrating business continuity with disaster risk in our management plans, we strengthen not only the conglomerate but also the stakeholders who depend on us,” he said.

YGC’s synergized approach aligns with national risk reduction efforts, offering a blueprint for how the private sector can play a pivotal role in nation-building and make resilience a core value for a sustainable future, Tan said.

“We want to make sure that every company can prepare, respond, and recover quickly from any disruption. Our synergy enables us to collaborate, train, and futureproof our processes so that resilience becomes a shared culture,” Tan said.

From the recent magnitude 6.9 Cebu earthquake alone, the NDRRMC recorded more than 62,000 destroyed houses, over 700 damaged infrastructure, at least 48 power interruptions, and almost 180,000 families affected. Classes and work were suspended, and following the declaration of a state of calamity, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) imposed a 60-day price freeze on basic necessities across the Cebu province.

Apart from its business continuity plans, YGC’s BCM program includes the formation of the Elite Emergency Response Teams (EERT), regular crisis communications and call tree exercises, situational response strategies and disaster awareness training across all affiliates. These initiatives ensure that all employees of YGC affiliates are aligned and know their roles and responsibilities when disasters strike.

YGC recently held a Disaster Resiliency Summit led by its BCM Council as part of a broader initiative to institutionalize a culture of disaster readiness and reduce disruption during emergencies, safeguard lives and ensure seamless continuity of business operations.

The summit also served as a platform to foster meaningful dialogue on emergency preparedness nationwide, bringing together experts from diverse sectors who provided a broader and more integrated approach to disaster management.