President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. received international acclaim for the Philippines’ successful hosting of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR), which concluded in Pasay on October 18.
Kamal Kishore, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, praised the President for his leadership during the event and for his “personal involvement and commitment” to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
“You’ve set a new benchmark for the Asian Ministerial Conferences on Disaster Risk Reduction,” Kishore said during the closing ceremony.
The conference, held for the first time in the Philippines, brought together government officials, civil society groups, and other stakeholders from across the region.
Previous host nations include China, India, and Australia. The event’s theme, “Surge to 2030: Enhancing ambition in Asia-Pacific to accelerate DRR,” emphasized disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.
To show his support, Mr. Marcos hosted a dinner for delegates at Malacañang Palace and attended the opening ceremony on October 15.
The APMCDRR serves as the main platform in Asia-Pacific for promoting cooperation on disaster risk reduction, aligning with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
