Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP) has evolved from being a disaster resource training center into a regional resource center based in the Philippines. In order to fulfill its vision of safe, resilient, and developed communities, CDP aims to capacitate duty-bearers and service providers to engage in and promote inclusive Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CBDRRM) and provide synergy for different sectors’ engagement. What is unique with CDP is its experience and expertise in the field of CBDRRM, including its advocacy on climate change adaptation and mitigation (CCAM).

For almost two decades, the organization has worked with communities and vulnerable groups in creating plans, programs, and policies crafted by them, and for them. 

The Philippine Disaster Situation

According to the World Risk Report of 2018, the Philippines is the third most vulnerable country to disasters. The country lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire were 80% of earthquakes occur. Around 20-25 typhoons ravage the country every year, leading to the loss of lives and millions of damages to infrastructure and livelihood. About 220 known volcanoes dot the country, and at least 22 of them are considered active.

The Philippines is also one of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The drought brought by the El Niño Southern Oscillation has increased in the last few decades. The dry season is also becoming warmer, and conversely, the wet season becoming wetter. Sea level rise threaten the coastal areas of the country.

Wanton destruction of the environment has also made it worse. Illegal logging and illegal modes of fishing threaten the ecosystem. Armed conflict, demolitions, and so-called development projects displace families and communities, adding to the already dire poverty situation. The poverty situation also inhibits the people’s ability to cope and recover from these hazards unless we develop their capacities and to create disaster resilient communities.

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