The Philippines, in partnership with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, hosts the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024 from October 14 to 18 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila.
The APMCDRR seeks to monitor, review and enhance cooperation for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 at the regional level. It brings together governments, intergovernmental and international agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, academia and other stakeholders to consider evolving trends and dynamics in reducing disaster risk.
The APMCDRR emphasizes building on experiences to reduce systematic risk through identifying financing opportunities, building resilience, climate and disaster resilience, risk-informed development and humanitarian response preparedness.
Civil society organizations (CSOs) have long proven their worth in disaster risk reduction with their efforts not just in urgent relief and subsequent rehabilitation but in community disaster preparedness.
It is ironic for the Marcos Jr government to be hosting APMCDRR when it is at the forefront of growing attacks on CSOs including disaster response organizations. Redtagging and vilification of civil society continues, with a marked increase in the number of trumped-up terrorism and terrorism financing cases against human rights defenders and humanitarian organizations.
This is directly contrary to the APMCDRR’s efforts to ensure that people are at the center of disaster risk governance. The Marcos Jr. administration is attacking CSOs that it finds disagreeable which limits the voices heard, as well as undermines the abilities and capacities of communities to contribute not just to disaster response but to genuine economic development.
The Marcos Jr government has for instance frozen the bank accounts of the Leyte Center for Development (LCDE) and its staff since May 2024 on fabricated charges of terrorist financing. LCDE has played a crucial role in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) programs and emergency response in the Eastern Visayas region for 36 years. Its relief and medical missions, livelihood and early recovery, and disaster risk reduction capacity building services have benefited at least 270,000 families or over 1.35 million individuals from 373 barangays in 41 municipalities in the six (6) provinces of the region. During Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in November 8, 2013, LCDE program areas with Disaster Preparedness Committees had zero (0) casualties because of their preparation and ability to conduct organized evacuations.
An inclusive, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to progressive disaster response requires the government to recognize the role of civil society in strengthening the capacity of the Filipino people and communities to participate in decision-making processes.
The Council for People’s Development and Governance emphasizes that an inclusive policy on disaster risk response is important to implement the Sendai Framework and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The vilification, redtagging, and continuous harassment of development workers and human rights defenders only hinder people’s right to development. The impunity must end for a people-centered response on disaster risk governance to be possible.
“It is not enough for government leaders to come together like in this APMCDRR,” said Ms. Jazminda Jerusalem of LCDE, stressing “A parallel mass movement of people is needed for climate action and they have to be decisive in policies that will put people above profit.”