The Philippines is hit each year by several natural disasters — yet almost every time a typhoon or an earthquake strikes, the country seems ill-equipped to deal with the aftermath.
While it’s practically impossible to fully prepare for such a massive disaster as Typhoon Haiyan in late 2013, a newly expanded government program now aims to draw on lessons learned to lessen the risks and mitigate the impact of climate-related incidents in the country, one of the world’s most vulnerable to natural calamities and the effects of climate change.
“It’s more costly for the government to react [to disasters] than preparing for them. It is much better to invest and build back better, faster and safer,” Lesley Cordero, a top official with the Philippine government’s Haiyan rehabilitation office, said at the launch of the Resilience and Preparedness for Inclusive Development program by the Philippine Climate Change Commission.
About the author
Lean Alfred Santos@DevexLeanAS
Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.