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Learning from the Philippines: The Power of Business Networks in Transforming Disaster Management
Annik Tiedt, CBi Secretariat
Imagine government officials and telecommunications firms holding an emergency communications workshop together to improve disaster preparedness. That’s one example of how in the Philippines, cross-sector collaborations between the private sector, the government, and the UN have become the status quo, forming the foundation of effective disaster management.
The Philippines’ story begins with the sobering reality that catastrophes are too complex for any single sector to handle alone. As the world's most disaster-prone country according to the 2024 World Risk Index, the Philippines faces an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, along with earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural hazards. Traditional approaches—where companies donate money after crises occur—simply were not enough.
The breakthrough in the Philippines came with the recognition that business networks could serve as a strategic bridge between the private sector, governments, and humanitarian organizations. The Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), a CBi Member Network, was established in 2009 following Typhoon Ketsana. It has since evolved from an ad hoc collection of corporate donors into a sophisticated coordination platform that now represents 70 major companies organized into industry-specific clusters.
During Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, private sector contributions through coordinated networks represented nearly one-third of total humanitarian funding—the largest single source of support. What made the network response so effective were pre-established relationships with company and community leaders.
"The private sector plays a dual role in emergency response," explains Gustavo González, former UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines. "On one side, it's about philanthropy—saving lives and protecting critical assets. On the other, it's about restoring value chains and reactivating the economy as quickly as possible."
Furthermore, in the case of the Philippines, private sector engagement is rooted in the Filipino "Bayanihan spirit"—communal unity and giving without expecting recognition. This cultural foundation is one of the elements that made systematic coordination possible.
A new case study published by the OCHA-UNDP Connecting Business initiative examines the transformation of private sector engagement in emergency management in the country. It sheds light on the shared success of public-private partnerships building resilience to enable a more effective and coordinated response in the Philippines, and offers critical insights for organizations worldwide looking to build more effective partnerships. You can download the case study here.