Philippines Red Cross shares lessons on faster disaster response at Dubai conference
Dubai: When disaster strikes, the first people to respond may not be those sitting in a command centre. They may be volunteers in a village, community leaders who know the area, or local teams already trained to act. For the Philippine Red Cross, putting those people in a position to make decisions has become an important part of responding to disasters. That has been one of the key lessons…
Dubai: Philippine Red Cross secretary general Dr. Gwendolyn Pang shared lessons on faster disaster response at the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD) Conference from August 24 to 26. Pang emphasized the importance of giving local community leaders the confidence and authority to make decisions during crises.
In the Philippines, where the Red Cross faces frequent natural disasters, decentralizing decision-making allows chapters and community leaders to use their local knowledge to make timely and effective judgments. The Philippine Red Cross has built a network of volunteers through its Red Cross 143 programme, putting basic safety and response capabilities closer to those who may need them most.
Additionally, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF) has become a crucial resource for the Philippine Red Cross, enabling rapid mobilization of volunteers for essential services like first-aid, evacuation, and healthcare. The IFRC-DREF also supports livelihood and cash assistance programmes, helping affected residents recover and improve their lives after a crisis.
This shift towards locally led humanitarian action marks a significant change in how crises are responded to, with communities taking on a more active role in their own response and recovery.
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