The Philippines is ranked first among countries with the highest disaster risk, according to a report.

Citing the 2024 World Risk Report, UNICEF estimates that 210 million children are highly exposed to cyclones; 120 million to coastal flooding; and 420 million children to air pollution.

UNICEF also noted that the climate crisis is projected to increase the frequency of soaring heatwaves and the intensity of typhoons, endangering the lives of 40 million children in the country.

This is why last month, UNICEF and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), the country’s major private sector coordinator for disaster management, launched a first-of-its-kind partnership to improve child-centered disaster risk management and resilience building with business and communities in East Asia and the Pacific.

The partnership brings together PDRF, the Regional Office for East Asia and the Pacific, and the Philippine Country Office through UNICEF’s Business and Community Resilience approach.

Key areas of cooperation include increasing resilience, building capacities, and raising awareness on business-led and child-centered humanitarian actions at the regional, national, and sub-national levels.

The agreement also aims to explore sector-level preparedness and response activities and standby arrangements for likely major disasters, according to UNICEF.

PDRF is recognized as the Philippines’ main coordinator of more than 60 corporations and conglomerates dedicated to building the disaster risk management capabilities in the private sector.

“The partnership between UNICEF and PDRF brings the private sector into the fight to do good in the world by focusing on the plight of children during disasters,” PDRF President Rene Meily said.

“They are often overlooked during an emergency, and yet are especially vulnerable. Working together, we can make life better for children not just in the Philippines but all over the world by serving as an example and a model for cooperation between the UN and the private sector,” Meily added.

Meanwhile, UNICEF Regional Director June Kunugi said the agreement marks a signifcant step to protecting children during times of disaster.

“By collaborating on business-led programs and preparedness initiatives, we are not only enhancing our disaster response but also building a future where the most vulnerable—our children—are safeguarded and empowered, both in the Philippines and across East Asia and the Pacific,” Kunugi said.

“No child should fear for their lives when disaster strikes. We are jointly reinforcing our commitment to ensuring that no child is left behind in our disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts and highlighting how the private sector can be our great ally in this work,” UNICEF Representative to the Philippines Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov added.

UNICEF and PDRF will work with international organizations, UN agencies, government agencies, civil society partnerships, and other private sector actors to explore innovative solutions and deliver results for children.