The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation Inc. (PDRF) that aims to establish a harmonized data-sharing infrastructure synergizing the disaster preparedness and response efforts between the two agencies.
“We know that disaster response and wide-scale disasters can be overwhelming, but with the private sector being able to tailor-fit and complement our efforts it becomes easier,” DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in his message during the ceremonial signing held at the Central Office on Friday (August 9).
The MOU signing aims to strengthen the collaboration between the public and private sectors through advanced disaster information management.
Through the data-sharing agreement, the DSWD will be able to allow the PDRF to access on-the-ground information during disasters and emergencies so that the private institution will be able to tailor-fit their interventions to affected sectors, which include persons with disabilities, women and children, and senior citizens.
PDRF President Rene “Butch” Meily expressed his gratitude for the DSWD’s trust in their organization. “The partnership will greatly help make the Philippines a better and safer country,” he said.
The partnership between the DSWD and PDRF is rooted in a shared mission to provide a comprehensive whole-of-nation approach to Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM).
Present in the MOU signing were Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Diana Rose Cajipe, Asst. Secretary for DRMG Irene Dumlao, and Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB) Director Michael Cristopher Mathay.
The PDRF officials who witnessed the ceremonial signing were Chief Resilience Officer Guillermo Luz, Executive Director Veronica Gabaldon, and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Director Arnel Capili.
Article by Journal Online
