Jica shares funds, experts on disaster preparedness

YOKOHAMA CITY—Even as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) contributes to the ongoing recovery at home from the March 2011 triple disaster, the agency is still sending funding and experts on disaster preparedness and response to the Philippines and other countries.

“Although we are an agency for aiding developing countries, we have to help here in Japan, particularly in reconstruction efforts,” Kazuki Kaiya of Jica’s disaster management division 1 said in Yokohama City.

“Still, we are honoring our commitments and supporting new risk management programs by sharing Japan’s learnings.”

The agency has just kicked off a JPY 370-million technical cooperation project with the Philippines’ Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

The three-year Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Capacity Enhancement Project started in March 2012. In its first implementation year (March 2012 to April 2013), Jica is sending consultants-experts to the OCD headquarters in Manila to help form and review their DRRM plan. Work to improve coordination among agencies concerned with DRRM will also start.

JICA is also helping draw up DRRM activities, train human resources, and establish community-based disaster management systems throughout Metro Manila and so-called pilot areas outside.

Pilot areas will be identified on the first year. The DRRM plan will be rolled out fully in target sites in the next two years.

Controlling natural hazards is virtually impossible, Kaiya said, adding that enhancing response capacity is the most effective way to manage and reduce disaster risks.

Jica is also funding disaster preparedness projects in other Asia-Pacific countries according to need.

Making individual countries become more disaster-resilient helps stabilize the region and improve overall conditions, economically and otherwise, he said.