Dismayed over the Philippines disaster responses in the recent typhoons,  Business groups have urged Filipinos to move in an efficient fashion in partnership with local government units to mitigate the impact of climate change.

“We express serious concern about the state of our country’s disaster preparedness that could have minimized the untimely deaths of our countrymen, and avoided massive damage and destruction of property,” said the 19 business groups in a joint statement.

But even as the business groups express their dismay, they also urged Filipinos countrymen to move forward in a coordinated and efficient fashion to mitigate the ill-effects of the recent typhoons, and prevent further loss of life and damage to property and the economy.

“We encourage more and better public-private partnerships in making our LGUs less vulnerable to disasters, particularly in implementing extensive disaster-prevention measures, especially as recent disasters appear to be expanding in their geographic coverage and becoming more destructive in magnitude.”

Businesses called on the whole of the country to address the Environment and Climate Change which have accelerated the frequency of disasters, including destructive earthquakes, devastating typhoons, massive floods, catastrophic volcanic eruptions, and ravaging landslides.

They also encouraged member-companies to continue and enhance their ongoing disaster relief operations, and at the same time urge LGUs to fully support these private sector initiatives bereft of any political agenda and opportunism.

“We commend our member-companies and other private sector organizations who once again responded in real time to the immediate needs of our countrymen brought about by the recent typhoons,” the statement added.

The groups said those initiatives are a concrete implementation of the Covenant for Shared Prosperity which the organizations have recently signed with the Management Association of the Philippines.

Signatories to the joint statement include the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Bankers Association of the Philippines, Cebu Business Club (CBC), Cebu Leads Foundation, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines , Fintech Alliance,  Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), Investment House Association of the Philippines, IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines, Inc., Judicial Reform Initiative, Management Association of the Philippines, People Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Women’s Economic Network, Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc., Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines, UP School of Economics Alumni Association, and Women’s Business Council Philippines.

by Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat
Source: Manila Bulletin