Public-private sector collaboration for effective disaster risk reduction

ON JULY 4, 2025, the 89-strong humanitarian mission deployed by the Philippine government to Myanmar to help mitigate the devastation caused by the March 28 earthquake was honored by the Office of the Civil Defense in a ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo.

Part of the contingent was a group of emergency response teams (ERTs) from Apex Mining and Energy Development Corp. under the auspices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). This came about because former DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga wanted to explore an integrated approach to disaster risk reduction, whereby mining/energy companies with life-saving capabilities (both equipment and properly trained manpower) can be immediately deployed to calamity-affected areas as part of the government’s concerted effort at disaster management.

Recently, the quick response of the combined local government unit-private sector has been witnessed with the Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, Barangay LGU Runruno, the municipal LGU of Quezon, and mining companies FCF Minerals, OceanaGold Phils, and Lepanto Mines banding together for the search and retrieval operations for small-scale miners who perished in Sitio Balcony in Barangay Runruno.

And over the weekend, we had mining companies in Benguet ready to assist the municipality of Itogon, as Acupan in Virac was hit by a mudslide due to heavy rain.

Definitely, the framework of public-private sector partnership for disaster risk reduction is getting stronger and more integrated. Over the years, through the Pusong Minero, Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association has been helping LGUs 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 management could be in place and ready for deployment anytime.

Combining strengths for the common good is definitely the right way to go.