By the NOAH Hazard Assessment Team and Education Division
From July 23 to 25, 2025, the Asian Preparedness Partnership (APP) convened three major events in Colombo, Sri Lanka: the Reflection Workshop, the Asian Policy Dialogue, and the 9th APP Regional Steering Committee (RSC) Meeting. As this year’s chair, Sri Lanka hosted the meeting in Colombo, before turning over the role to Cambodia for the upcoming cycle. Across the days, government, civil society, private sector, and academic representatives from South and Southeast Asia reaffirmed one principle: resilience must begin and be led at the local level.
Day 1 and 2: Reflection and Learning
The series opened with the APP Reflection Workshop, a space to look back on lessons, challenges, and best practices of National Preparedness Partnerships (NPPs) since APP’s launch in 2017.
Dr. Valerie Bemo of the Gates Foundation set an inspiring tone, encouraging participants to dream boldly to build a better future. Her message reframed the workshop not merely as a technical review but as a compelling call to ownership, urging everyone to infuse their efforts with purpose and passion to make their undertakings truly meaningful. Most importantly, it was a challenge: to transform ideas confined to imagination into reality.
The Philippine Preparedness Partnership (PhilPrep)—comprising the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP), Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), and the UP Resilience Institute (UPRI)—actively joined other country partnerships in a dynamic exchange of experiences. PhilPrep delegates highlighted innovative multi-stakeholder initiatives from the Philippines, while also gaining insights from the diverse strategies employed across other APP member countries.
A dedicated session enabled deeper learning exchanges, where PhilPrep engaged directly with the Pakistan Resilience Partnership (PRP) and the Myanmar Preparedness Partnership (MPP), sharing perspectives, proposing solutions, and exploring best practices in disaster resilience.
On the second day, attention turned to sustainability. Dr. Emmanuel Luna, UPRI Fellow and President of the Philippine Academic Society for Climate and Disaster Preparedness (PASCDR), presented a PhilPrep-inspired multi-stakeholder partnership framework.
The framework traces the foundational stages of APP, showing how government, private sector, civil society, and academe can cultivate collaborative approaches. In its early phase (left of the figure), these sectors co-create programs and projects, laying the groundwork for a “collaborative practice.”
This practice is guided by principles of community-based action, inclusive engagement, and sustained commitment, and strengthened by relationship-building, trust, joy, mutual respect, and shared resources. Together, these elements form the backbone of a partnership approach that is not only relevant today but also resilient enough for future generations.
Over time, these experiences are distilled into a framework and operational guidebook (right of the figure). This resource provides a practical tool to guide joint efforts across government, civil society, the private sector, and academe.
At every stage, the framework contributes to one overarching goal: empowered communities capable of managing disaster risks and advancing climate resilience.
The Reflection Workshop concluded with sectoral commitments, as each NPP outlined its pledges to sustain and strengthen collaborative efforts. The UPRI committed to institutionalizing the PhilPrep model to ensure that knowledge and practices developed through this initiative endure and continue to foster cross-sector collaboration.
Day 3: Asian Policy Dialogue and Regional Steering Committee Meeting
The final day opened with the Asian Policy Dialog, a high-level platform convened under the APP to bring together governments, development partners, civil society, and the private sector from across Asia. Discussions reinforced a clear consensus: local voices, local leadership, and local action are critical to addressing climate and disaster risk.
Representing PhilPrep, Ms. Loreine B. Dela Cruz, Executive Director of CDP, underscored the importance of leveraging strategic networks to amplify the reach of locally-led actions.
The day concluded with the 9th APP Regional Steering Committee meeting, APP’s governing body. The RSC sets the partnership’s strategic direction, reviews progress, and recognizes priorities. This year’s meeting marked a milestone: the academe was formally recognized as a fourth pillar of the Steering Committee, with UPRI representing the Philippines in this role.
The RSC members also signed their newly co-created Terms of Reference, which set out mechanisms for collaboration, outline priority programs, and explore avenues for resource mobilization. The signing symbolized renewed commitment to sustain multi-sector partnerships for disaster preparedness and resilience.
Moving Forward
As the Colombo series closed, APP members carried home not only shared lessons but also a renewed sense of solidarity. The gatherings underscored that resilience cannot be imposed from the top, it must be cultivated where people live and act, with trust, resources, and the power to decide resting on local hands.