- Executive Summary
Key findings, conclusions and main recommendations
General Findings
The Philippines is one of the most hazard prone countries in the world (paragraphs 15-17). For this reason, the country has dedicated significant resources to strengthen response capacity and disaster management mechanisms. Under normal circumstances the Filipino Government has the capacity and ability to manage response to natural disasters. However, the magnitude, sequence and impact of the recent typhoons and storms overstretched the Philippines' response capacity. As a result, assistance from the international community was requested (paragraphs 44-47).
In general, the international response positively added to national response mechanisms, but the effectiveness and efficiency of the combined response efforts was hampered by two factors: Firstly, the different sectors of the international response did not systematically take into consideration the existing national capacities and response mechanisms. Secondly, the response was complicated by the fact that the Filipino Government's own response clearly prioritised and focused efforts on certain sectors (clusters) making common coordination and prioritisation a challenging act.
Before the next typhoon season begins, all parties, including the Inter-Agency Standing Committee/Humanitarian Country Team, the Government and National Disaster Coordination Council, and local government units, need to work together more closely to ensure better coordination, understanding of capacities and division of labour in between and within clusters (see specific recommendations below and in annex ii