On 11-12 July, UN-APCICT held a two-day workshop in Malaybalay City, Philippines, on the use of ICT for disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change and green growth.
15-07-2014
The Philippines is one of the most disaster-risk prone countries in the Asia Pacific. Recently, over 4,600 people have been affected by landslides and floods triggered by unceasing rain in the province of Bukidnon.[1] The damages caused by such disaster situations call for greater efforts to strengthen the government’s capacity for disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
Recognizing the need to enhance the country’s capacity to respond to and mitigate the effects of disaster and emergency situations, on 11-12 July, the United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Centre for ICT for Development (UN-APCICT) held a two-day workshop in Malaybalay City, Philippines, on the use of ICT for disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change and green growth.
Organized in collaboration with Bukidnon State University, the workshop was attended by 43 participants from the local government’s disaster risk reduction department, academe, NGO’s and civil society. Contents of the workshop were based on UN-APCICT’s ICTD Case Study 2: ICT for Disaster Risk Reduction and Module 10: ICT, Climate Change and Green Growth of one of the Center’s flagship human capacity building programmes, the Academy of ICT Essentials for Government Leaders.
The workshop reinforced current practices in participants’ DRR initiatives while also helping them understand that some practices are not applicable to their local setting. Sessions also highlighted the importance of disaster preparedness and the potential that ICT has for bolstering preparedness efforts.
[1] Joy Labrador, S. (2014, June 20). “Bukidnon town under state of calamity due to landslides,” ABS-CBN News. Available at http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/06/20/14/bukidnon-town-under-state-calamity-due-landslides
Locsin, J. (2014, June 22). “NDRRMC: Landslides, flash floods in Bukidnon destroy P2.39M in property.” GMA. Available at http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/366783/news/regions/ndrrmc-landslides-flash-floods-in-bukidnon-destroy-p2-39m-in-property