MANILA, Philippines - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) hosted a large-scale simulation exercise, using the latest technology for recreating realistic scenarios, as part of its support for improving disaster preparedness and response in the Philippines.
The simulation, held in Clark, Pampanga with funding support from the government of Australia (AusAID), focused on how different levels of government interact in an emergency situation, with particular emphasis on coordination, communication, information management, contingency planning and standard operating procedures.
“The tremendous human tragedy caused by tropical storm ‘Sendong’ has again highlighted how essential it is for us to work together to improve our disaster preparedness and response efforts,” said Benito Ramos, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director. “The exercise is an excellent tool to strengthen information flows as well as inter-agency communication and coordination. It also helps improve emergency response in the country.”
More than 100 people took part in the exercise, including governors and mayors from highly disaster-prone provinces, representatives from various government departments such as the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Health (DOH), as well as humanitarian non-government organizations (NGOs) and United Nations agencies.
The simulation was based on a scenario in which two typhoons strike Luzon within five days of each other, creating a complex humanitarian disaster situation. Participants had to respond to a stream of information and take appropriate actions as if responding in a real-life situation.
“The Philippines is among the most disaster-prone countries in the world, as this week’s earthquake has again reminded us. That is why WFP strongly supports the government’s pro-active approach focusing on preparedness which is essential to reduce and mitigate disaster risks,” said Stephen Anderson, WFP country director and representative. “Lessons learned from this simulation exercise will help improve the government’s emergency response and preparedness capacities.”