MANILA, Philippines —  Women, who make up 70 percent of the world’s poor, are often the hardest hit by disasters, as calamities in the Asia-Pacific region disproportionately affect them as well as girls, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and marginalized communities, according to Sen. Loren Legarda.

In her speech on the third day of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City yesterday, Legarda noted that the Philippines has 15 million indigenous peoples.

“Persons with disabilities are up to four times more likely to die during disasters. Clearly, inclusivity is not a choice,” Legarda said as she discussed the goal of the Sendai framework that “no one is left behind in disaster risk reduction.”

Legarda added that gender-responsive disaster risk governance recognizes that women and girls are not merely victims.

“Globally, one in five girls are married before the age of 18. Girls are nearly twice as likely to miss out on education as boys. These girls already have a vision for a future where they can thrive and our role is to ensure that they have the resources, the education and leadership opportunities to turn that vision into reality,” she said.

According to Legarda, women, girls and all marginalized groups must harness their creativity and ingenuity and use innovation and new technology to lead sustainable solutions to the most pressing development challenges.

“From achieving a just transition to a low-carbon world, to building safer schools and hospitals, more secure communities both in cities and in the hinterlands, their contributions are essential. In the Philippines, we have enshrined gender equality in most, if not all, of our laws,” Legarda noted.

At the same time, the senator said resilience cannot be achieved by working in silos.

“Governments are sometimes very exclusive to each other and not inclusive… Governance, the private sector, civil society, local communities, the education sector – all must collaborate to create inclusive and innovative solutions,” Legarda stressed.

She said local communities are the frontlines of preparedness and disaster response.

“As we surge towards 2030, we must urgently transform risk governance to confront the complex challenges of our time. Amplifying the voices of the neglected and the unheard is key to building a future where everyone is empowered and no one is left behind… We must not just build back better, but build right at first sight,” Legarda added.

The APMCDRR is the main platform in Asia and the Pacific to monitor, review and enhance cooperation for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 at the regional level.

More than 4,000 representatives from 69 countries are attending the five-day international disaster event.

Legarda and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro pushed for amendments to the 15-year-old Republic Act 10131 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, saying that the law should be updated amid the continuous threat of climate change.

“Upon consultation with Secretary Gibo Teodoro and his team, we hope to amend and revise (RA 10131) to make it more up-to-date,” Legarda said.

For his part, Teodoro backed the call of Legarda to amend RA 10131.

“In this interaction between the legislators and us, it prevents siloing because they are a source of important feedback and vice versa. Sen. Legarda has underscored that our current disaster risk reduction law was enacted 15 years ago and it is time for a review,” Teodoro said.

The defense secretary emphasized the synergy between legislators and the executive branch of government.

“What she has underscored is the value of feedback – constant feedback between our legislators and our action institutions – of which the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) are partners,” Teodoro added.

The experiences in the field by the OCD and NDRRMC have enabled them to identify the gaps that need to be filled in disaster risk reduction.

“This is a constant exercise that should happen in most areas of the government but it is critical that it happens in disaster risk reduction in order to optimize and to focus government efforts in all aspects,” Teodoro said.

Loss and Damage Fund meeting set

The Loss and Damage Fund Board, hosted by the Philippines, will be holding its first meeting in December to discuss various matters including possible recipients of the endowment fund, Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said yesterday.

At a press briefing at Malacañang, Loyzaga said the Philippines is finalizing the agreement with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for the country’s hosting of the board.

“Once in place, there will be now the first board meeting in the Philippines in December,” she said.

She hopes certain agreements will be reached during the meeting, particularly on who would be funding the UN-initiated Loss and Damage Fund meant to assist developing countries affected by climate change.

At present, the funding of the board is at around less than $700 million, she said.

“Most of that will actually be used in setting up the operations of the fund,” Loyzaga added.

In the meantime, the World Bank will be the repository of the fund, she said. “However, the rules and the guidelines for the availments will be up to the board,” she said.

In August, Marcos signed Republic Act 12019 or the Loss and Damage Fund Board Act which grants juridical personality and legal capacity to the Board.

Loyzaga noted that funding will be prioritized for small island development states like Kiribati and Vanuatu and the African continent.

Displacement

The Philippines registered the highest number of displacements due to disasters in Southeast Asia in the last decade, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).

“The Philippines is, by far, the country most affected in Southeast Asia, with nearly 43 million disaster displacements having occurred between 2014 and 2023,” the ADB and IDMC said in their report titled “Harnessing Development Financing for Solutions to Displacement in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific.”

With five to 10 destructive tropical cyclones every year, the ADB and IDMC said the Philippines is one of the countries most at risk of extreme weather events not just in Southeast Asia, but globally.

“Addressing displacement in the context of climate change and disasters is a significant challenge for the region,” ADB vice president Fatima Yasmin said.

She suggested that development and adaptation finance channeled through development banks like the ADB can support member-countries in addressing displacements due to disasters.

IDMC director Alexandra Bilak said that while disaster displacement can upend lives, lead to huge costs and set back development efforts, there are steps that can be taken.

“Investments in disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation plans can reduce the scale and negative impacts of displacement. The payoff could be huge,” she said.

To prevent displacement, the report cited the need for governments to include measures in national development plans, adaptation and disaster risk reduction plans, as well as in nationally determined contributions or commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In a statement yesterday, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said public private partnership (PPP) projects, particularly the development of climate-resilient infrastructure, are crucial in strengthening the country’s disaster resilience. –  Helen Flores, Louella Desiderio