August 19th, 2014, Manila – Starting today, a three day meeting in
Manila convened by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies, aims to develop a roadmap to address the rising humanitarian threat
that disasters pose to urban populations.

“We are
seeing increased vulnerability, especially in the low social economic groups
who often have no choice but to live in slums or informal settlements”,
explains Gwen Pang, secretary general of the Philippine Red Cross - the host of the meeting. “Often these settlements are located in
hazard-prone locations such as steep hillsides, industrial areas, and riverbanks
subject to flooding. Here in the Philippines we suffer over 20 tropical storms
each year and these communities are hit hardest when flooding affects Metro
Manila”.
The IFRC
meeting brings together disaster management specialists from the International
Red Cross Movement in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, together with
representatives from Government authorities, the UN, NGOs and academic and
private institutions. Discussions will be centred on a shared common purpose -
to develop an effective approach to urban disaster management.
‘We are seeing an
increase in the number and severity of extreme weather related disasters”,
explains Nelson Castano, the IFRC’s head of disaster management for Asia
Pacific, “cities will also feel the effects of climate change through
increasing frequency of heat waves, air pollution, severe storms and infectious
diseases. The Red Cross aims to help citizens prepare for, respond to, and
recover from urban disasters but no single organisation can manage the urban
disaster management agenda on its own”
Participants
at the workshop will be discussing a range of themes including: urban risk
assessment, disaster law in urban contexts, violence and protection, the
impacts of climate change and technology and communication with at risk
communities. The meeting will also reflect on lessons learnt from the response
to Typhoon Haiyan which devastated central areas of Philippines in 2013.
As country coordinator in the Philippines for the Swiss Red Cross it was a memorable occasion last night at the opening dinner where Chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, Dick Gordon gave a powerful keynote address outlining the increasing pressure on urban areas in the Philippines, especially Manila with its 14 million people and other parts of Asia, and how the Red Cross must scale up its efforts to assist the growing number of urban poor. Dick Gordon presented us a very bleak picture of what would happen if Manila was struck by a moderate to large earthquake.
I am pleased the Swiss Red Cross tackles the issue of urbanization in its Disaster management concept paper by "highlighting the rapid economic growth which is concentrated primarily in cities and the world is experiencing massive internal migration to urban areas. Most of the world's population now lives in urban settings, implying changing lifestyles and different patters of vulnerability. Some of these urban areas are particularly risk-prone (flood, earthquake, violence) as urban development has often outpaced smart and safe planning."
The Swiss Red Cross looks forward to strengthening its partnership with the Philippine Red Cross in risk reduction and climate change adaption programmes in the chapters it is working with in the Philippines.
At
the opening of the Red Cross Red Crescent Asia and Pacific Urban Disaster
Management workshop. Right to left. Emily from China, Pavinee from Thailand, Gothami from Sri Lanka and Bob McKerrow Swiss Red Cross country coordinator.
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