PASAY CITY, (PIA) — Experts at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction emphasized the crucial role of local communities in disaster response and the need to scale up localization efforts.
The conference, held at the Philippine International Convention Center from Oct. 14-18, focused on building stronger national resilience through local-level humanitarian efforts.
Maria Socorro Abalahin, deputy executive director of the Caucus of Development NGO Networks, defined localization as “sharing power with communities by making them partners in humanitarian efforts.”
In the Philippines, the Start Network supports the Philippine Hub, a platform for locally led groups to address humanitarian needs. The hub adapts capacity-building activities to ensure relevance to local communities and encourages ownership of disaster response.
Edimar Cabaya, municipal planning and development officer of Calamanuigan, Cagayan, highlighted the importance of localization for local government units.
He cited the Start Network’s Start Fund Anticipatory as crucial in reducing the impact of Typhoon Egay (internationally known as Typhoon Doksori).
The conference brings together delegates from across Asia and the Pacific to discuss disaster risk reduction efforts, share innovative solutions, and commit to improving disaster resilience by 2030 in one of the world’s most disaster-prone regions.
Other contributors to the discussion included representatives from various NGOs and international organizations.
The event aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which emphasizes the role of communities as first responders in disaster situations. (GLG/PIA-NCR)
