What to expect at the Agos Summit on Disaster Preparedness

MANILA, Philippines – The observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month in July is a reminder to everyone of the need to reduce risks and be prepared for disasters. And what better way to learn about disaster preparedness than from the experts and practitioners themselves?

On July 7-8, disaster management experts, responders, policy makers, and volunteers will gather for the first ever Agos Summit on Disaster Preparedness at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura mall in Taguig.

The summit aims to bring together key stakeholders, tackle pressing issues, and learn from good practices that mitigated risks or achieved zero casualty. Whether you are a disaster management professional, a government information officer, a business person, or a concerned citizen who is interested in learning about disaster preparedness, this summit is for you.

Tickets to the summit are free but MovePH - Rappler’s civic engagement arm - will be accepting voluntary contributions at the entrance which will benefit the continuing development of the Agos eBayanihan platform. Agos facilitates the open sharing of critical information using social media, technology, and crowdsourcing. It is powered by Ateneo de Manila University’s eBayanihan platform.

For those living outside Metro Manila, the summit will be livestreamed on Rappler.com. Join the #ZeroCasualty Community on Facebook to get the latest updates and behind the scenes stories from the summit.

Day 1: #MMShakeDrill

Day 1 of the summit begins at 1 pm and will focus on the upcoming Metro Manila Shake Drill (#MMShakeDrill), a metro-wide earthquake drill which will be held from July 14 to 17, 2017 to test the metro’s response to a possible 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

Speakers from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will discuss plans for the #MMShakeDrill and what companies, schools, and the general public should do before, during and after the drill.

Representatives of Metro Manila-based establishments, village associations, and civic groups are highly encouraged to attend Day 1 of the Summit to learn about best practices for conducting earthquake drills in your communities.

The first day will also feature inspiring and educational talks from well-respected experts such as former Office of Civil Defense administrator and disaster management head Alexander Pama and Pasig City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) head Ritche Van Angeles.

Day 2: Gearing up for Disaster Preparedness

The second day of the program covers a broad range of topics and features a variety of interesting thought leaders and experts.

The day begins with a discussion on how we can help vulnerable communities adapt to climate change and its effects. Invited speakers include Commission on Climate Change commissioner Vernice Victorio and National Youth Commission Chair Aiza Seguerra.

After every disaster, ensuring that life goes on and businesses return to normal is critical for post-disaster recovery. The second session of Day 2 will discuss how business continuity is part of community resilience and will include speakers from the Philippine Disaster Resiliency Foundation (PDRF), Smart Communications, and the Business Continuity Management Association of the Philippines.

Disaster preparedness is not just the government’s responsibility. We all have a part to play. Session 3 of Day 2 will tackle the role of civic action in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Keynoting the session is Senator Richard Gordon who also chairs the Philippine Red Cross. Other speakers include Oxfam in the Philippines head Daniel Sinnathamby and Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA) head Father Edwin Gariguez.

Session 4 will focus on how we can better localize disaster preparedness so that every community and local government takes full ownership of the planning, management, and recovery from a disaster. Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, the current executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and OCD administrator, headlines the session alongside Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) undersecretary Austere Panadero.

The final session of the day tackles the challenges that lie ahead and how education is the key to meeting these challenges. The invited keynote speaker for the session is Department of Education (DepEd) secretary Leonor Briones. Other invited speakers include UP Resiliency Institute head Mahar Lagmay and Assistant Director Tetsuya Koide from the Japan Foundation.

Wrapping up the day’s talks will be Department of Science and Technology (DOST) undersecretary for disaster preparedness Dr Renato Solidum.

XChange Fair

Outside the Samsung Hall, Agos partners will have booths displaying the latest gear for your Go Bags and other informative exhibits. There will also be a demonstration on how to create a solar lamp by the Liter of Light Foundation. The XChange Fair is open to the public.

MovePH is still accepting applications for booths. Inquire at move.ph+agos@rappler.com.

The Summit is organized by MovePH, Rappler's civic engagement arm, and is co-presented by SM Supermalls, the official venue partner. The Summit is also made possible with the support of Ateneo de Manila University's eBayanihan program, the MMDA, and the Japan Foundation. 

Participants must register for each day they want to attend. Seats at the Summit are limited so get your free tickets today!

Full Program

Day 1 - July 7, 2017

Day 2 - July 8, 2017

 – Rappler.com