Let’s heed these critical messages:
• No one should have to choose between an affordable home and a safe one.
• Every person deserves a home that can withstand the hazards around it.
• Disasters don’t just destroy buildings — they destroy lives, livelihoods, and futures.
• A warning that doesn’t reach the household, isn’t understood, or isn’t acted upon is a warning that fails.
• The cost of building resilience into homes is a fraction of the cost of rebuilding after a disaster.
These five messages are being shared globally by the United Nations on the occasion of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, which will be observed on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
For Negrosanons and other Filipinos, this observance bears a profound sense of urgency, particularly following the recent explosive eruption of Mt. Kanlaon. Compounding the situation is the constant threat of earthquakes, flash floods and destructive winds as the country faces another challenging typhoon season.
The annual observance began in 1989, born out of a UN General Assembly call to promote a global culture of risk awareness and disaster reduction. Festive activities are likewise being held across overseas diplomatic and cultural offices worldwide.
The UN said the day celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks they face.
During the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, in 2015, the global community was reminded that disasters hit hardest at the local level.
They bring the potential for immense loss of life and severe social and economic upheaval, often causing the sudden displacement of millions of people every year.
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The awareness campaign this year is anchored on the theme, “Resilience Starts at Home.” Essentially, it emphasizes a fundamental truth: every individual deserves a safe, affordable home built to withstand environmental hazards and the elements surrounding it.
The theme carries the underlying proposition that access to resilient housing goes far beyond individual preparedness. The need for governments to enforce safer construction standards and proactive urban planning has become the order of the day.
As the UN has underscored, resilience goes well beyond rebuilding after a disaster — it must start long before a crisis occurs, and yes, it starts at home.
As part of the awareness campaign for the Oct. 13 observance, the UN shared the following critical facts and figures:
• $2.3 Trillion: The estimated total annual cost of disasters when indirect impacts and ecosystem damages are included.
• 100 Million: The average number of people affected by disasters each year between 2016 and 2025.
• 128 Countries: The number of nations now reporting operational multi-hazard early warning systems, up from just 55 in 2015.
• 65% Decline: The reduction in average disaster-related mortality per 100,000 population, showing global progress in early warnings.
As the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is observed, complacency is no longer an option. Governments and citizens alike must move beyond mere awareness and actively build the resilience needed to ensure the survival of mankind.
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A very happy Double Ten (10/10) celebration to my friends and teaching colleagues in Taiwan.
The day marks the historic start of the Wuchang Uprising on Oct. 10,1911, a turning point that led to the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China.
The annual celebrations include formal flag-raising rites, spectacular drone shows, military and civic parades and cultural showcases featuring traditional lion dances and indigenous group performances, capped off by regional fireworks. Festive activities are likewise being held across overseas diplomatic and cultural offices worldwide.
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When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2) | NWI
