Public-private partnerships in disaster risk reduction

There is an endless narrative on why mining is bad. Having been in the industry for over 40 years now, I know this for a fact: responsible mining brings more good than bad.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) joined the mission to Myanmar with Apex Mining Co. Inc. and Energy Development Corp. emergency response teams (ERTs) to assist in search and retrieval operations following the devastating earthquake on March 28.

Equipment and trained manpower, plus the network of the DENR, allowed the Philippines to send an able team, together with the contingent organized by the Office of Civil Defense.

The framework of public-private sector partnership for disaster risk reduction is certainly promising. Over the years, through Pusong Minero, the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association has been helping local government units affected by natural calamities by sending the ERTs of volunteer mining companies to sites of landslides, earthquakes, and floods to help in search, rescue, and retrieval operations. With the more extensive network envisioned by DENR, a working disaster risk reduction (DRR) management system could be in place and ready for deployment anytime.

With the Philippines being highly vulnerable to climate change, there is no time like now to work on such a public-private partnership scheme for DRR. The DENR has a team of experts (scientists, engineers, foresters, geologists, etc.) and its bureaucracy can establish functional connections with other government agencies, while mining and energy companies (and other industries, of course) can always ensure that their ERTs are properly trained and updated on skills and technology and always at the ready for deployment.

Collaboration has always been a good avenue for growth and development. And while natural disasters are now practically boundaryless, it is proper that our response be borderless, too. Combining the strengths of the private and public sectors will most definitely do the best for the greatest number of people.