DND chief cites need to boost disaster response capabilities

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 23, 2023): DND chief cites need to boost disaster response capabilities (By Priam Nepomuceno)

(File photo courtesy of Zamboanga City Police Office)

MANILA – Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on Monday cited the urgent need to further boost the country's disaster response capabilities to mitigate the effects of climate change.

"We need to also strengthen our country's disaster response effort due to climate change (as) areas that haven't experienced flooding are now being submerged with water. We have to act on this concern (at the) soonest possible time before it's too late," he told DND officers and employees during flag-raising ceremonies at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Galvez also cited as examples major typhoons that struck the country in the latter part of 2022 and the shear line that dumped rains and flooded many of the regions during the Christmas season.

"(We) have seen the major devastation caused by the typhoons last year and also the shear line that we don't know why it happened, it better to be prepared than to be sorry," he added.

Aside from beefing up its disaster response calamities, Galvez said there is also a need to strengthen the country's civil and national defense capabilities particularly in the area of cyber security.

"It's now a major global concern. To do this, the DND must continue to build and strengthen bilateral, trilateral partnerships with our international partners and also with collaboration with the private sector this year," he added.

Galvez also stressed the need for the DND to touch base and seek the support of the private sector in the peace, defense and security efforts being carried out nationwide.

He added that this level of cooperation was done during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This is exactly what we need during the height of Covid- 19 pandemic and I'm very sure that the private sector will not hesitate to provide us the same level of support," he said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1193299