Written by: Jore-Annie Rico
Abstract
The Philippines has been identified as the third most climate-vulnerable country in the world, trailing behind the South Pacific island nations of Vanuatu and Tonga¹. The geographic susceptibility of the Philippines to natural hazards such as cyclones, flooding and sea level rise is compounded by issues related to poverty and economic underdevelopment.
As extreme weather conditions take their toll on poor and at-risk communities, it is crucial that disaster management and risk reduction be recognized and incorporated into the country’s comprehensive development plan.
The catastrophic aftermath left by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 has spurred a renewed interest in plugging the loopholes in Philippine disaster response. As such, this discussion paper explores disaster-related experiences from selected Asian countries with the goal of providing innovative strategies and potentially fruitful avenues to improve disaster management in the Philippines. The collection of best practices in disaster management could be used as a reference by government agencies, policymakers, community organizations and the general public.
Keywords: disaster management, best practices, Philippines, Asia
[Best Practices in Disaster Risk Management from Selected Asian Countries]
