The Makati City local government announced its plan to create a disaster risk reduction academy aimed at sharing its disaster preparedness and response initiatives to the public.
After being proclaimed as the country's first Resilience Hub by the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) during its International Disaster Resilience Leaders Forum in Incheon, South Korea, Makati Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) Research and Planning Division Head Liza Ramos disclosed the city's disaster response and management programs, including the plan to build the DRR academy.
“We are committed to sharing our disaster risk reduction practices within the Philippines, the region, and beyond. We will do this through our knowledge portals, city-to-city cooperation. We are also opening a DRR academy to support capacity-building,” Ramos said.
She did not give the date for the opening of the facility.
Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction Mami Mizutori also praised the city government for its DRR methods and Covid-19 response.
“The city has been a longstanding leader on disaster risk reduction and has continued to demonstrate this leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Makati’s success will be a great example for other cities,” Mizutori said.
Aside from Makati, the city of Wroclaw in Poland was also recognized as a resilience hub.
The UNDRR defines resilience hubs as cities, municipalities, or local authorities that have political and technical commitment to take actions to address disaster and climate risks.
It said that in order to qualify as a resilience hub, a city must have reached a high level of resilience building commitments, showed sustained mechanism for DRR/resilience investments, and with an expertise and interest in disseminating best practices to other cities joining the MCR2030.
MCR2030 aims to contribute directly to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG11) and other global frameworks by empowering cities to become inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by 2030.
MCR2030 resilience hubs may also host international events related to the MCR2030; coordinate study tours to showcase practical examples and share experience; twin up with other cities to provide support in the expertise area; provide technical assistance and support training to enhance resilience awareness and in the development and implementation of the DRR/Resilience strategies; publish and disseminate knowledge products, lessons learned and good practices; provide access to partners who can support the journey of twinned cities along the Resilience Roadmap; inject seed financing; and provide assistance with credit ratings and development of municipal bond markets.
Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said that with this proclamation, Makati City will lead in the MCR2030 initiative.
“We thank the UNDRR for granting us the honor and privilege of serving as a Resilience Hub of MCR2030 for the next three years,” Binay said.
“Over the past decade, Makati has made great strides in its journey to resilience largely aided by MCR tools made accessible to us. We are eager to pay it forward by optimizing the opportunity to share our knowledge, best practices, and resources with other cities so that together, we can attain the highest level of resilience come 2030,” she added.