Palace suspends gov’t work, classes in Manila, Pasay for regional disaster risk reduction meet

Metro Manila, Philippines — Malacañang has suspended government work and classes at all levels in Manila and Pasay on Oct. 14 and 15 to clear the way for a regional conference on disaster risk reduction.

In a memorandum circular released Thursday, Oct. 10, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said agencies tasked with the delivery of basic and health services, disaster response, and other vital services shall continue operations.

Bersamin said private companies and offices have the discretion to suspend work.

The dates are the opening of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center.

The Philippines will hold the conference from Oct. 14 to 18, which is “the main platform in Asia and the Pacific to monitor, review and enhance cooperation for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 at the regional level.”

Participants include governments, intergovernmental, international, national and civil society organizations, the private sector, science, academe and stakeholder groups.

According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sendai framework “aims to achieve the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries over the next 15 years.”

It was adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan on March 18, 2015.