02 December 2024 Shahnaz Radjy, Connecting Business initiative
In September this year, a delegation from Ecuador that included the CBi Member Network, the Cámara de Industrias y Producción (Chamber of Industries and Production, CIP), travelled to the Philippines with a very specific goal: To learn more about disaster risk management from the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) to better understand the role the private sector can play in the evolving disaster risk management landscape in Ecuador.
Ecuador’s Risk Profile
In June 2016, there was a 7,8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Manabí, an Ecuadorian province where approximately 90 per cent of the population lived in poverty. Over the following year, over 60 aftershocks were registered, and prolonged rainfall exacerbated the challenging living conditions in the affected area.
At a national level, that remains the primary reference in terms of a sudden onset emergency. At the time, the Government had reasonable resources as the price of petrol was relatively high, and yet the National Secretariat for Disaster Risk Management ( Secretaría Nacional de Gestión de Riesgos or SNGR) still requested support from the private sector.
Today, the country is suffering from an energy crisis that sees many dealing with electricity shortages, and the security situation is delicate. However, Ecuador is also feeling the effects of climate change, with a lack of rain and double-digit fires in the past few months alone.
As a country that relies heavily on agriculture, Ecuador has a vested interest in preparing for what may come.
The good news is that Ecuador has a Risk Management Law which provides a roadmap and an additional incentive for the private sector to engage on the topic. While the CBi Member Network on the ground, CIP, is not named explicitly in this legal framework, it is working on becoming the go-to civil society organization when it comes to business mobilization and coordination with regards to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
It is in this context that CIP is trying to understand and map out its next steps. With the support of the USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, that is how a site visit to the Philippines came about.
What CIP learned from the Philippines
According to María José Hernandez, Director of Sustainability and Local Development, “The trip to the Philippines was an amazing experience. The PDRF’s work set a standard we can only dream of achieving. It was incredible to see how they work with the community and local government, and the commitment of their co-chairs; to understand how all the gears work together for an impressive system that supports greater resilience to disasters.”
Some of the key elements that stood out to CIP include:
- How business can generate information useful to the private sector as a whole in a non-duplicative manner which directs efforts to help in case of emergencies
- The commitment of PDRF’s co-chairs seemed essential, as did the faith-based element that laid the foundation for a society that is tight-knit and finds it normal to help each other in difficult times
- The logic of a Business-led Emergency Operations Center (BEOC) that was set up in Clark instead of Metro Manila and giving new life to an existing space combined with technology and offering a safe space that members can use in the case of an emergency (it’s all synchronized and connected, with links to an airport and land routes)
- Mapping neighbourhoods and potential evacuation routes with community members so they are part of the work as protagonists who feel prepared
Common themes CIP will pursue to foster resilience in Ecuador
The reasons for PDRF’s members to stand with the organization were a reminder of the confluence of disaster risk management being a strategic investment, allowing members to reinforce their business continuity plans, supply chain management, and continuity of operations in times of crisis.
A key message and tenet of PDRF’s operations that resonated was the importance of working with the private sector not merely as an ATM or source of financing, but a true partner. This means building on what companies have available and accepting in kind contributions – whether of products, services, or capabilities – to reinforce disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.
Two main concepts that CIP took back to Ecuador are:
- Pre-agreements to develop trust and map resource allocation beyond financial support, and going above and beyond competitiveness between companies operating in a same sector.
- Staff and workers are key players in times of crisis. Companies can train them so they know what to do if anything happens, and they can serve as a bridge to other colleagues, their families, and their communities both in terms of risk reduction and information sharing.
In terms of the bigger picture, María José Hernandez says, “It was fascinating to get a glimpse of how the BEOC Committee functions, and understand that the companies’ commitments stemmed from a sense of social responsibility, a love of their country, and a belief that risk can increase poverty.”
Looking forward
The Ecuadorian delegation was composed of representatives from Fundación Raíz Ecuador-Caemba, the Chamber of Industries and Production CIP, Fudela, CERES, and USAID Ecuador. The delegation had a tour of the PDRF Emergency Operations Center, and actively participated in briefing sessions.
They also met with the leaders of the PDRF Member Companies PLDT-Smart, Ayala Corporation, Coca-Cola, Magsaysay Shipping, Manila Water, Meralco, and BPI—as well as the PDRF Co-Chair, Manny V. Pangilinan. They exchanged insights on the crucial role of the Philippine private sector and the PDRF Cluster System in disaster risk reduction and management.
Such peer-to-peer learning opportunities and exchanges are part of the value of being part of a community such as CBi, as Member Networks can learn from each other and see how best to replicate and adapt different models to their contexts to better engage local communities and businesses and foster greater resilience to disasters.