There is much to reflect on in the new year. The mix of sorrow and hopefulness that filled 2014 has been astounding. With more than 20 typhoons a year and increasingly strong storms brought by climate change, living with disaster is a reality in the Philippines. Further investment in mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery is how we can minimize its impacts. The lessons of 2014 are at the forefront of our thoughts. It is not enough to build disaster-resilient infrastructure and hope for the best. To truly build back better, we must look at how decreased poverty, strengthened disaster risk reduction systems, and increased capacity of marginalized groups to influence the decisions that impact their lives can contribute to a recovery that enable households to better cope with the next disaster. I hope that 2015 is shaped by the difficult lessons of the past, and inspired by the enormous strides made in 2014. This requires greater commitment, investment and participation across levels of government and within communities in ensuring decreased vulnerability and increased preparedness. A brighter, more resilient future is within our reach.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 01:07:13 +0000
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