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Surigao City, Philippines – A-PAD Philippines, in partnership with Surigao Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Dinagat Island Provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DIPCCI), Local Government Units of CARAGA region, and Bread for Emergency Assistance and Development (BREAD), held its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Orientation and Business Continuity Planning (BCP) Workshop for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Surigao City on 15-17 September 2016.  A-PAD Philippines aims to build the disaster resilience of MSMEs and the communities where they are located.

The participants are composed of MSME members of SCCI and DIPCCI, along with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), LGUs, and BREAD, which is the regional center of CDRC in Surigao del Sur. During the three-day workshop, DRRM key stakeholders in Caraga worked on developing a Business Continuity Plan that is anchored with the local DRRM plan and on creating a pre-agreement for DRRM cooperative mechanism in the region.

Ms. Concepcion Paqueo, the President of SCCCI, shared that extreme weather events pose severe threats to MSME business operations and long term viability in Surigao del Sur. She cited recent studies which attributed the vulnerability of local enterprises to low capital availability, limited access to coping strategies, and general unpreparedness for hazards. Business Continuity Planning Workshop, according to her, will help local enterprises in Caraga for disaster prevention, disaster preparedness, disaster response and disaster rehabilitation and recovery.

Ms. Lourdes Louella Escandor, member of the Board of Trustees of Citizens’ Disaster Response Center Foundation, Inc. (CDRC) and who has been a part of the founding of A-PAD, introduced the Philippine platform of multi-sectoral collaboration in the Philippines.  She highlighted that the A-PAD framework can help provide and mobilize knowledge, skills and resources required for mainstreaming DRR into development policies, planning and programs.

Ms. Marion Ramirez, A-PAD Philippines Project Coordinator, introduced A-PAD training objectives and scope to the participants.

Ms. Annette Villlaces of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office followed with the presentation the Legal Basis of DRRM and the Local Disaster Situation and DRRM Plan of Surigao City.

Mr. Celestino L. Negapatan, the Provincial Director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), presented the local situation and national development plans for MSMEs.  Mr. Negapatan described how the MSMEs have been faring well in the province.

Ms.  Rosario Rojas Alon Jr., the representative of Dinagat Island Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), stated that the Business Continuity Planning is new to them although it has been a requirement being asked from businesses in government-accrediting bodies.

Mr. Danilo Gumanao, A-PAD Philippines Coordinator in Mindanao, discussed the basic concepts of disasters and how it is an essential learning in understanding Business Continuity Planning.

Ms. Corazon Jazmines, A-PAD Philippines Coordinator in Luzon, gave an overview of Community-Based Disaster Management (CBDM) and its overall features.  She emphasized that DRRM is a shared responsibility in the community, thus, the private sector should have its role in preparing for disasters.

A-PAD Philippines, SCCI and DIPCCI signed a Memorandum of Agreement for DRRM cooperation in Caraga region.

Ms. Rhiza R. Nery, the Business Continuity Program Manager of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), and Engr. Leoncio T. Cubillas, the University Extension Specialist III of the University of the Philippines – Institute for Small Scale Industries (UP-ISSI), conducted the Business Continuity Planning (BCP) for MSMEs. The participants learned about the 10 steps of BCP and created a BCP Road Map which they presented at the end of the workshop.
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