For the first time, the Philippines hosted the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR), transforming the country into a global hub of collaboration and forward-thinking discussions.
Setting aside their differences, over 4,000 participants—government leaders, international experts, and key stakeholders from 70 countries— worked together toward a common goal: shaping the future of disaster resilience in the region.
At the center of the conference’s high-energy discussions were three defining themes: securing sustainable financing for disaster risk reduction (DRR), empowering local governments in their role as frontline defenders against natural hazards, and harmonizing disaster management efforts with climate adaptation strategies.
Such conversations set the stage for a renewed commitment to safeguarding Asia-Pacific communities from the increasing risks posed by natural disasters and climate change.
Kamal Kishore, the special representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, emphasized the depth of participation at the conference.
“It’s not just about numbers; it’s about the quality of conversations,” he said, highlighting the strong regional engagement.
He outlined five significant directions from the conference, including the critical need to secure financing for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
Kishore noted how discussions spanned national budgets, climate finance, and private investments, highlighting that financial solutions are essential for building long-term resilience.
Emphasis on financing
Compared to past ministerial conferences, Kishore noted that this year’s APMCDRR has placed “much greater emphasis on having a deep conversation about financing for disaster risk reduction.”
“And this conversation encompasses financing from national budgets, financing from international sources, climate finance, private finance, use of insurance instruments,” he stated.
“On the very first day, we had a plenary which discussed these things.”
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga echoed the emphasis on financing, particularly for developing countries such as the Philippines.
She underscored the importance of ensuring that development financing is risk-sensitive and locally driven.
“This issue of financing will not go away. We need to address this head on,” said Loyzaga.
“And for us in the developing countries in the Asia-Pacific, I think it’s extremely important to look at the profile of our development financing that we have available and to see that these in fact are risk sensitive and are locally driven in terms of the way they have been engineered and structured,” she added.
Role of local governments
The UN top official stressed that the success of DRR efforts hinges on the local level, particularly in cities and communities where vulnerabilities are heightened.
“The fight against disasters will be either won or lost at the level of cities,” he said, reinforcing that resources and capacities must be allocated to the most vulnerable.
“So it’s really important that we put our resources, our capacities, our mechanisms there,” he went on.
Private sector engagement
Meanwhile, Kishore lauded the private sector’s involvement in the conduct of 2024 APMCDRR.
“We had a strong engagement of the private sector. The private sector was there in full force. There were side events,” he said.
“There were some events that were carried out off-site in one of the malls here with great public engagement.”
Marginalized groups
According to Kishore, marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and women, were given a strong voice in discussions, reflecting a more holistic approach to disaster resilience.
“The fourth special thing about this was that there was a lot of discussion on inclusion, inclusion along gender, but also persons with disability, indigenous people, other marginalized groups,” he said.
He noted that there was significant emphasis on ensuring that disaster risk reduction efforts are inclusive and on strategies to enhance this inclusivity.
Bridging the divide
One of the highlights of the 2024 conference, he said, is the importance placed on convergence between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, describing it as a key focus of discussions at this year’s APMCDRR.
He explained that this alignment was one of five major themes that emerged during the third day of the conference.
Kishore also credited the event’s momentum to the opening address by President Marcos on the first day, which he said “set the stage” and inspired participants to think of disaster risk reduction in “newer, bolder ways.”
‘An honor to host’
For the Philippines, one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, hosting the APMCDRR 2024 was a critical opportunity to steer global and regional conversations on disaster management.
Loyzaga expressed pride in the country’s pivotal role of hosting the 2024 APMCDRR from Oct. 14 to 17 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
“It has been an extremely gratifying experience and such an honor to host such a wide range of knowledge and experience in DRR,” she said.
The DENR chief pointed out the critical need for the convergence of international commitments in disaster risk reduction and how these efforts must cascade into national development plans.
She explained that climate risk reduction, development financing, and sustainable development goals (SDGs) are interconnected, along with efforts in biodiversity and resilient infrastructure.
“We need coherence, not just between national and local initiatives, but also across sectors and countries,” she stated.
Loyzaga stressed the importance of abandoning siloed approaches, urging collaboration among various sectors and stakeholders to identify synergies.
A unified path to resilience
The 2024 APMCDRR concluded with a strong message of collaboration and inclusivity.
Leaders like Kishore and Loyzaga underscored the need for bold, innovative approaches to disaster risk reduction.
The conference marked a turning point in the region’s commitment to building a more resilient future, where cooperation across sectors will be key in safeguarding vulnerable communities.