Abstract
The recent Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week Celebration highlighted the growing commitment to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the Philippines. The event was lead by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Health, and saw the participation of national and international experts in DRR, and numerous research consortia from all over the Philippines. With a central focus on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the DRR related events recognised the significant disaster risks faced in the Philippines. They also illustrated the Philippine strengths and experience in DRR. Key innovations in science and technology showcased at the conference include the web-base hazard mapping applications ‘Project NOAH’ and ‘FaultFinder’. Other notable innovations include ‘Surveillance in Post Extreme Emergencies and Disasters’ (SPEED) which monitors potential outbreaks through a syndromic reporting system. Three areas noted for further development in DRR science and technology included: integrated national hazard assessment, strengthened collaboration, and improved documentation. Finally, the event saw the proposal to develop the Philippines into a global hub for DRR. The combination of the risk profile of the Philippines, established national structures and experience in DRR, as well as scientific and technological innovation in this field are potential factors that could position the Philippines as a future global leader in DRR. The purpose of this article is to formally document the key messages of the DRR-related events of the PNHRS Week Celebration.
Highlights
The 10th annual Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week Celebration, from the 8th to 12th August 2016 in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, brought together health researchers, policy makers and practitioners from across the Philippines
As a consequence of its disaster incidence, especially with regards to the frequency and intensity of climate related extreme events, the Philippines is widely recognised as one of the most atrisk countries in the world, with a developed strength and experience in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). This conference demonstrated the emergence of commitment towards using these experiences to strengthen DRR at Barangay, local, regional and national levels
The equal commitment demonstrated towards sharing these outputs with other atrisk countries globally is the driving force behind developing a global hub in the Philippines
Summary
The Australian Department of Education and Training, by virtue of the Endeavour Postgraduate Scholarship, has provided Nicola Banwell, PhD Candidate of the Centre for Environment and Population Health, Griffith University, with financial support to conduct research through the Health Emergency Management Bureau of the Philippine Department of Health as part of her PhD thesis. Nicola is a visiting PhD student at the Philippine Department of Health, one of the core agencies of the Philippine National Health Research System. The Department of Education and Training had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Authors from the PCHRD involved in organising the 10th annual PNHRS Week event assisted in the editing of this manuscript
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