Philippines continues to boost ties with Japan for disaster management

MANULA, Philippines – Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said that there will be a continued effort to strengthen ties with Japan about disaster risk reduction and management.

Nepomuceno said the initiative would be beneficial to the OCD following a courtesy call by officials from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Japan Ministry of Defense (MOD) last week at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

“We are pleased with the recent visit of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Japan Ministry of Defense to OCD. Japan is one of our steadfast partners or strong allies in DRRM. We are grateful for their continued support to us. Their best practices in DRRM are invaluable and worthy of emulation,” Usec. Nepomuceno said.

During the visit, the OCD provided a briefing on various systems, mechanisms and efforts relative to the Philippine DRRM.

The discussion covered topics on Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Monitoring and Early Warning Systems in the Philippines; Standard Operating Procedure for Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Preparedness, Response, and Recovery; Evacuation Plans and Safe Zones for Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption in the Philippines; and the Ongoing Efforts to Improve Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Preparedness in the Philippines.

Officers of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Japan Ministry of Defense are currently in the Philippines for Japan-Philippines Humanitarian and Disaster Response Cooperation Project 2024 from September 1 to 7 at the headquarters of the Philippine Army at Fort Andres Bonifacio in Taguig City, and in Legazpi City, Albay.

Additionally, the OCD and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have been engaged in several capacity-building initiatives as part of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management - Capacity Enhancement Project Phase partnership program.