Pasay city: The Philippines has called on ASEAN member states to strengthen disaster preparedness, improve early warning systems, and deepen regional cooperation as disasters become more frequent, interconnected, and costly across Southeast Asia. During the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Disaster Resilience (AMCDR) held in Pasay City, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, in his message read by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, noted that disasters know no boundaries and urged ASEAN countries to coordinate responses across borders.
According to Philippines News Agency, President Marcos emphasized the importance of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) as it marks its 20th anniversary. This milestone not only acknowledges the collaboration among ASEAN Member States over the past two decades in reducing risks, strengthening preparedness, and responding to emergencies but also provides an opportunity to look ahead.
Marcos highlighted that ASEAN remains the world's most disaster-prone region and pointed out the gaps in knowledge, communication, hazard detection, and monitoring capabilities among member states. The Philippines is advocating for a stronger, more coordinated ASEAN disaster management system, including the proposed Manila-ASEAN Strategic Protocol for Emergency and Comprehensive Transformation (Manila ASPECT) to improve disaster response and coordination.
The President also introduced the Resilient, Innovative, Sustainable, and Empowered (RISE) ASEAN Agenda, focusing on family resilience, support for young people, and inclusive development for vulnerable communities. He outlined five priorities for ASEAN's disaster resilience efforts, which include strengthening the ability to anticipate risks and act before hazards strike, bringing regional commitments closer to communities, preparing for recovery ahead of disasters, using emerging technologies responsibly, and treating resilience as a shared responsibility.
President Marcos noted that the Philippines has taken steps to enhance its capacity to act before disasters occur. The signing of the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act allows national and local governments to mobilize resources in anticipation of highly probable and imminent disasters, emphasizing the need to address the long-term impacts of a changing climate.
In 2024, the Philippines submitted its first National Adaptation Plan, covering 2023 to 2050, to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, making it the third ASEAN Member State and the 56th country in the world to submit such a plan. Marcos stated that the beginning of the AADMER Work Program 2026-2030 provides an opportunity to put this principle into action.
Special Envoy of the President for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga highlighted the region's security and prosperity depend on how countries adapt to complex, cascading risks and work together to address them. She acknowledged the need for regional solutions to be rooted in local realities and emphasized the importance of collaboration with civil society, the private sector, academe, scientific institutions, and development partners.
United Nations Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction Kamal Kishore, in a recorded message, praised ASEAN's efforts in reducing disaster risks through regional cooperation. He cited AADMER as one of the world's most advanced regional frameworks for disaster management and risk reduction, offering valuable lessons to other regions facing complex disasters. Kishore also stressed the importance of prevention in disaster risk reduction and welcomed the ASEAN-UN Joint Strategic Plan of Action on Disaster Management 2026-2030.
