The UP Resilience Institute (UP RI) – Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (UP NOAH) Center attended the recently concluded 2024 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, Metro Manila from 14 to 18 October 2024. The Philippine Government has partnered with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) to host the conference this year. The APMCDRR serves as the primary platform for monitoring, reviewing, and implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 in the Asia Pacific.
UP RI Executive Director Dr. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay, along with government officials from different sectors, representatives from intergovernmental, international, national and civil society organizations, the private sector, science, academia, and other relevant stakeholder groups attended the event with the goal of accelerating progress in reducing disaster risk. The theme of the conference this year is “Surge to 2030: Enhancing ambition in Asia-Pacific to accelerate disaster risk reduction”. Delegates were provided an opportunity not only to review existing risk reduction efforts but also to share innovative solutions and create doable action plans to accelerate disaster risk reduction in the disaster-prone region of Asia and the Pacific by 2030.
UP NOAH Center researchers from the Flood Modelling Component (FMC) EnP. Jerico Mendoza, Chief Science Research Specialist, and Ms. Patricia Anne Delmendo, Supervising Science Research Specialist, along with Planning Component (PC) researchers EnP. Joy Santiago, Chief Science Research Specialist, and Engr. Kristian Audri Gabriel, EnP. Arge Louis Esquivel, For. Janiella Sandoval, For. Rysch Nae Subijano, Ms. April Dawn Tegelan, Ms. Marie Claire Mandar, and Ms. Ella Danielle Santiaguel were present during the 5-day event.
On the third day of the conference, Dr. Lagmay and Mr. Bradley Mellicker, Senior Regional Emergency and Post Crisis Specialist for United Nations (UN) Migration Agency – International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific gave presentations at the APMCDRR Ignite Stage. The Ignite Stage is a TED-talk format platform that allows presenters to share, inspire, and engage viewers on specific topics about disaster risk reduction. Dr. Lagmay and Mr. Mellicker discussed the Risk Index for Climate Displacement (RICD), a model that aims to improve understanding on challenges related to climate change and migration. UP RI – NOAH Center has been collaborating with UN IOM and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) to identify populations which are more likely to be impacted by climate change-induced displacement, with the goal of reducing damage and loss.
The presentation of Dr. Lagmay covered possible drivers and triggers of internal displacement due to natural hazards in the Philippines. It is expected that internal displacement due to slow onset events will increase by 2050, especially in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Dr. Lagmay discussed the concepts of Hazard, Exposure, Vulnerability, Risk, Sensitivity, and Adaptive Capacity in relation to displacement due to climate change.
UP RI – NOAH Center will continue to actively participate in conferences such as the 2024 APMCDRR and lead projects that will promote innovative ideas and practices to reduce systemic risk and cascading impacts, providing opportunities to reduce disaster and climate risks and advancing climate and disaster resilience through Science- and data-based, risk-informed development and response preparedness in alignment with the Sendai Framework.
