Coinciding with the celebration of the 2024 National Disaster Resilience Month, the Department of the Interior and Local Government – National Capital Region (DILG-NCR) launched the Metro Manila Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Resilience Network during the Dagyaw Open Government and Participatory Governance Town Hall Meeting held last July 9, 2024, at Megatrade Hall 2, SM Megamall, City of Mandaluyong.

The Resilience Network is a regional multi-stakeholder and transdisciplinary partnership and collaboration network of the DILG-NCR Local Governance Resource Center (LGRC), which ultimately aims to support local government units (LGUs) to become inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by 2030 and beyond. 

In her message, DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III, explained that the Resilience Network is anchored on the key principles of the LGRC. “Sa pamamagitan po ng aming Local Governance Resource Center, pinagtitibay ng Resilience Network ang esensya ng Knowledge Management, Multi-stakeholder Partnerships, gayundin ang Convergence at Interoperability – na siyang makatutulong sa paglinang ng ating kahandaan o preparedness, at higit sa lahat, sa ating katatatagan o resilience,” she said.

Moreover, she stressed that the establishment of the Resilience Network is in accordance with Section 6(k) of Republic Act No. 10121, also known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010. This provision of the law mandates the DILG, along with other members of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, to develop vertical and horizontal coordination mechanisms for a more coherent implementation of disaster risk reduction and management policies and programs by sectoral agencies and LGUs.

Regional Director Agustin led the signing of the pledge of commitment together with the other founding partners and invited all participants to sign the pledge in support of the Resilience Network. 

Signing the Pledge of Commitment as the Resilience Network’s founding members include Engr. Liza B. Silerio, Co-Chairperson of ARISE Philippines and Vice President for Corporate Compliance Group of SM Supermalls; Atty. Pearl Jayagan Turley, Assistant Vice President for Corporate Compliance Group of SM Supermalls, representing the Women’s International Network on Disaster Risk Reduction – Philippines; Mr. Rene S. Meily, President of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation; Dr. Renan Ma. T. Tanhueco, Principal Scientist and Trustee of the Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative; and Ms. Girlie Lopez, Philippine Country Program Manager of Build Change. 

Representing the public sector, key officials such as Ms. Ruby P. Muro, Regional Director of the Department of Budget and Management – National Capital Region (DBM-NCR); Ms. Alice V. Sicat, Assistant Regional Director of the Philippine Information Agency-National Capital Region (PIA-NCR); Atty. Crisanto C. Saruca, Jr., Public Safety Division Director of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA); Mr. Manuel R. Nivera, Jr., Capacity Building Division Chief of the Department of National Defense-Office of Civil Defense (DND-OCD); Ms. Maria Isabel T. Abigania, Senior Science Research Specialist of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS); and Mr. Roald R. Arcangel, Chief of the Mandaluyong City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office also signed the Pledge of Commitment together with more than 500 participants coming from different LGUs and organizations.

The ceremonial signing signifies the signatories’ commitment and support to the establishment of the Metro Manila Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Resilience Network, the integration of the Harmonized National Contingency Plan and the Oplan Metro Yakal Plus into their respective disaster risk reduction and management plans, actively participate in the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drills and promote campaigns, mainstream gender equality, disability, and social inclusion, and finally accelerate the research and innovation agenda in disaster risk reduction among others. 

The DILG-NCR hopes that the Resilience Network will not only help LGUs to become inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by 2030 and beyond but also become the blueprint for other regions to adopt.