PDRF National Emergency Operations Center: A world first

PDRF started life as the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation in 2009 by leaders of some of the country’s top business corporations and non-government organizations (NGOs) as the private sector effort tapped by government to channel more funds and resources for the latter’s reconstruction program.

If you would recall, it was in that same year that typhoons Frank, Peping and Ondoy ravaged the country and rendered many without homes or means of livelihood.

The next four years witnessed large-scale disasters in succession: the Zamboanga siege, the Bohol and Cebu mega-earthquake, and, of course, Yolanda, the world’s strongest recorded super typhoon that, among others, almost wiped out Eastern Visayas.

With (from left) Erramon Aboitiz, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, William Coscolluela, former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, MVP, Thierry Tea and Alberto Lina.

It was in the relief and recovery work for Yolanda that PDRF shone through, this time as the umbrella organization for the private sector where Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) is concerned.

In 2015, the organization was renamed the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation because it did not just concern itself with disaster recovery but embracing the whole DRRM framework.

PDRF is co-chaired by Manuel V. Pangilinan, Jaime Zobel de Ayala and Manila Archbishop Luis  Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.

The board of trustees is composed of some of the biggest names from both the private sector and civil society: Aboitiz EV’s Erramon Aboitiz, Metro Pacific’s Joey Lim, Manila Water’s Geodino Carpio, First Gen’s Federico Lopez, Makati Business Club’s Edgar Chua, Shopping Center Management Corp.’s Anna Maria Garcia, Meralco’s Oscar Reyes, Magsaysay Maritime Corp.’s Doris Magsaysay-Ho, Pilipinas Shell’s Cesar Romero,  WWF’s Jose Maria Lorenzo Tan and PDRF president Rene “Butch” Meily.

The PDRF advisors are a virtual Who’s Who from various sectors and disciplines. We have Edgardo Amistad of the UCPB-CIIF Foundation,  Dr. Caloy Arcilla of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, Jorge Consunji of DMCI, Mon Isberto of PLDT-Smart, Alberto Lina of Air21, Rapa Lopa of the Office of the Vice President, Bill Luz of the National Competitiveness Council, Nicolaas Oreel of DelNet International, Peter Perfecto of the Makati Business Club, Susan Valdez of Aboitiz EV, and Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga of the Manila Observatory.

Recently, PDRF inaugurated its National Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Clark Field, Pampanga, the world’s first private sector-led national EOC. The center will serve as a self-sufficient operations hub geared towards training for disaster preparedness and the coordination of relief and response efforts during major disasters.

With (from left) PLDT’s Chaye Revilla, Jose Maria Lorenzo Tan, MVP and Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad.

The center also works to provide alerts and updates to the PDRF network and coordinates asset inventory as well as the status of lifeline services during emergency situations.

I saw the command center and, I must say, it was impressive!

The choice of Clark was strategic due to its close proximity to the Clark International Airport and the Subic Bay Freeport. More importantly, it is one of the designated recovery sites of the government under its national contingency plan.

If I recall previous presentations made by government, particularly the NDRRMC and PHIVOLCS, there are no major fault lines that run under Clark Field (which, as an aside, was also the reason why the area was chosen for a major airbase by the United States before) and nearby Mount Pinatubo is not expected to erupt for another hundred years or so.

Ola Almgren.

MVP and JAZA led the ribbon-cutting ceremonies together with former President and now Pampanga Rep.  Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was later on surprised by all the guests and staff with a Happy Birthday song and cake, since it was going to be her birthday the next day.

Other government officials present included Clark Development Corp. president Noel Manankil, Civil Defense Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad and Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.

In his message, MVP said that one of the reasons why PDRF was organized was because of the conviction that disaster management is not solely up to the government. PDRF builds platforms in establishing a disaster-resilient Philippines. “PDRF’s formation is premised on the conviction that disaster management is not solely up to the government,” MVP said.

(From left) Sarah Azucena-Reodica, Jay-Anne Encarnado, Butch Meily, Veronica Gabaldon and Gaye Cabalo.

MVP also added as sound advice for all: “The despair of one must touch us all and everyone must help.”

JAZA said, “PDRF is part of a large collaborative effort that led to the realization that we needed to look at our response to natural disasters in a different manner and from a different perspective. We had to look at it from the paradigm of resilience and focus more efforts on preparedness, prevention and mitigation,”

Truly, with this National EOC, touching all of us, reaching out to all corners of the country, and even of the world, would be a more coordinated task.

To Butch Meily and his team — which includes  Veronica Gabaldon, executive director — I can only wish the best.