23 July 2014 - The Philippines underscored the central role of national governments in the crafting of a more responsive and concrete post-2015 disaster risk reduction framework at the opening of the First Session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom1) of the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) on July 14 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
“The Philippines strongly believes that national governments should play the central role in disaster risk prevention and management,” Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organizations and head of the Philippine Delegation to PrepCom1, Ambassador Cecilia B. Rebong, emphasized when she delivered the Philippine statement.
The Philippines stressed that the post-2015 DRR framework should put national governments in a command and control role to reinforce the responsibilities and accountabilities of, as well as synergistic cooperation among, all stakeholders. It should enhance risk governance, transparency, responsibility and accountability and integrate risk reduction and management provisions in legal frameworks.
The increased engagement and role for the finance, planning and foreign affairs and other relevant agencies should also be underscored. The private sector, a vital stakeholder and partner for DRR, should be more closely engaged.
To further ensure transparency and accountability of all stakeholders, a financial tracking mechanism should be developed to safeguard the funds and resources provided for DRR and resilience from all sources.
The framework should also include migrants and vulnerable groups in resilient efforts. “Migrants are vulnerable to disasters and should be accounted for in resilience efforts of States and the international community. We should ensure the inclusion and participation, including positive contributions of migrants in disaster activities and processes,” Ambassador Rebong said.
In the same manner, the new framework must underscore the need for protection and em-powerment of vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and persons with disabilities and the important role of women and youth in DRR.
Ambassador Rebong also cited that innovation and new technologies in DRR should be made available, accessible and affordable to national governments and local communities of developing countries. Moreover, best practices, comparable data and research on disaster risk prevention and reduction, disaster losses and vulnerabilities should be shared through open sources and networking.
The other members of the Philippine Delegation included Undersecretary Lesley Jeanne Cordero of the Office of the Presidential Assistant on Recovery and Rehabilitation, as co-head, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Maria Zeneida Angara Collinson, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for the United Nations and Other International Organizations Jesus R.S. Domingo, Deputy Permanent Representative Noralyn Baja of the Philippine Mission to the UN and other International Organizations, Third Secretary Sharon Johnnette M. Agduma, and Attache Hossana de la Cruz.
PrepCom1 is part of the consultations and activities being organized to prepare for the Third World Conference on DRR which will be held in Sendai, Japan from March 14 to 18, 2015. The Thid World UN Conference on DRR aims to complete the assessment and review of the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action and to identify modalities of cooperation based on commitments to implement a post-2015 framework for DRR.
PrepCom1, held from July 14 to 15 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, has three segments – formal intergovernmental plenary, Chair’s dialogues with Major Groups, and several technical workshops.
For a copy of the Philippine Statement, please visit http://www.preventionweb.net/files/globalplatform/statementphillipines[1].pdf. END