Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on September 15 called for a more proactive response to disasters and calamities from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and enhanced early warning systems as the region faces extreme natural events due to climate change.
As reported by the local news site inquirer.net, in a message delivered at the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Disaster Resilience in Pasay City, President Marcos said Southeast Asia remained the world’s most disaster-prone region, where more than half of global disaster-related deaths from 2004 to 2014 occurred.
He noted that vulnerability was not determined by hazards alone. It was also shaped by how prepared governments and communities were to understand risks, communicate warnings and act on them.
His call came as the bloc began implementing the AADMER Work Programme 2026-2030, the latest phase of regional cooperation under the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response, which marks its 20th year.
President Marcos said the new work programme should translate ASEAN commitments into concrete action in communities, economies and people’s lives.
He outlined five priorities, namely strengthening early warning and anticipatory action; bringing regional commitments closer to communities; preparing for recovery before disasters occur; using emerging technologies responsibly; and treating resilience as a shared responsibility.
The Philippines, the rotating chair of the bloc this year, is also pushing the proposed Manila-ASEAN Strategic Protocol for Emergency and Comprehensive Transformation (Aspect) Framework, which seeks to improve disaster response and coordination among member states./.
VNA
