Disaster management in ASEAN

Lessons Learned from Typhoon Ruby & Yolanda

In the context of an integrating ASEAN

Manila, Philippines – As the Philippines weathered Typhoon Ruby last December – the strongest typhoon to hit the country in 2014 and just one year after the world’s worst recorded storm Typhoon Yolanda – the country was reminded that cooperation and coordination is key in disaster relief. With ASEAN providing their technical and financial support for Typhoon Ruby, the prospects for cooperation in disaster relief in an integrated ASEAN have never been more promising.

Asia Society Philippines is hosting its third dialogue “Disaster Management in ASEAN” under its Understanding ASEAN series on January 13, 2015, 4:00-6:00PM, at the Asian Institute of Management, to discuss the lessons learned from Typhoon Ruby and Yolanda in the context of an integrating ASEAN.

During Typhoon Ruby, the government implemented “lessons of Yolanda”, said Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Solimon in an article published by Rappler (December 6, 2014). For the typhoon in December 2014, eight clusters were created to facilitate faster coordination, relief goods were flown in advance to the Eastern Visayas localities and the military prepositioned troops and assets in the disaster-vulnerable areas.

Speakers at “Disaster Management in ASEAN” will discuss the lessons learned from Typhoon Ruby and Typhoon Yolanda, including prospects for other disasters such as earthquakes and flooding. They will also discuss the role of ASEAN in disasters and what the organization is doing today to support countries. Innovative approaches, such as crisis mapping, bottom-up approaches and the use of technology in disasters, will also be discussed.

Panelists for “Disaster Management in ASEAN” include: National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s Chief of Plans and Programs, Edgardo Ollet; ASEAN’s Disaster Risk Reduction Technical Advisor, Dr. Marqueza Reyes; JICA disaster expert Takaaki Kusakabe; Google-USAID Fellow, Celina Agaton; and Rappler’s MovePH Director, Zak Yuson.

Members from NGOs, local government units, academe, private businesses are expected to attend.

Understanding ASEAN is a four-part series that aims to explore the opportunities and challenges through a multi-dimensional series of programs. The program series is organized by Asia Society Philippines, with the support of the Asian Institute of Management ASEAN 2015. The series is supported by ANC, Business Mirror, Business World, Malaya Business Insight, 99.5 Play FM, 9News TV, DZAR 1026 SMNI Radio, China Daily and Eagle Broadcasting Corporation.

For more information, visit the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/asiasocietyph and hashtag #UnderstandingASEAN. You may also contact Jenny at [email protected] or 550-2612 for queries.

#  #  #

About Asia Society:
Asia Society Philippines aims to strengthen relationships, deepen understanding and bridge differences across the Philippines, Asia and the United States. We develop cross-sector programs that bring together individuals, companies, policymakers and other non-profits to promote collaboration and understanding of Asia across the fields of policy, business leadership, education and arts and culture.

About the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC):
The AEC aims to create a single market economy with free movement of goods, services and investments throughout the 10- member nations of ASEAN. The ASEAN 10 member countries include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Speakers: