Legarda Launches First Philippine Resilience Awards

In celebration of the 2013 International Day for Disaster Reduction, Senator Loren Legarda today announced the start of the search for the Philippines’ disaster-resilient communities.

Legarda, the United Nations Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific, said that the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the Senate Committee on Climate Change, together with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), are now accepting entries for the first Philippine Resilience Awards.

“In our continuing quest to build a safe nation, we must look at exemplary efforts so that we may enjoin other communities to strengthen their resilience as well. We want to show our local government units (LGUs) that it can be done—we can fight climate change and we can save our communities from the threats of natural hazards,” said Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change.

“The Philippine Resilience Awards will recognize communities that have excelled in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation through compliance with various related laws, such as the Solid Waste Management Act, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act and the Climate Change Act, successfully implemented effective land-use planning and made necessary investments to reduce disaster risks,” she added.

Applicants for the Philippine Resilience Awards 2014 should be LGUs that must meet a set of criteria, foremost of which is adherence to the “Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready!” campaign.

Participant LGUs must also submit to UNISDR their Local HFA: Local Government Self Assessment Report, which measures the progress of communities toward meeting the objectives of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), which is the global framework to reduce disaster risks.

The winner will be recognized as a Role Model for Resilience, will receive a seedling bank from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and will be featured in UNISDR publications.

“Aside from the recognition, the award gives the winner that important role of engaging other leaders in disaster risk reduction efforts at future events,” said Legarda.

“I also wish to call on other nations to create their own Resilience Awards. Our ultimate goal is to have a safe planet and we need to work double time to ensure this. The Philippine Resilience Awards will be an effective tool to encourage governments and communities that it is possible to achieve zero casualty and minimize losses when natural hazards occur because there are ways to build our defenses against the effects of disasters and climate change,” Legarda stressed.

The award will be presented on October 13, 2014, during the celebration for the 2014 International Day for Disaster Reduction.