A senior official from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) highlighted the agency’s key programs that utilize an anticipatory action (AA) approach to mitigate risks and shocks before disasters occur.

The Dialogue on Intergovernmental Organizations’ Cooperation on AA is part of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024, hosted by the Philippines from 14 to 17 October.

Special Assistant to the Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group and Officer-in-Charge of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau Leo Quintilla discussed two pilot projects implemented by the DSWD.

The Building on Social Protection for Anticipatory Action and Response in Emergencies and Disasters Project, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization, aims to break the cycle of poverty among vulnerable groups affected by natural hazards.

The child-centered anticipatory action project, in partnership with UNICEF, provides financial aid of P1,200 to households in vulnerable areas that may be affected by typhoons.

Quintilla explained that both projects involve a series of protocols for different types of disasters and include components such as multi-purpose cash, livelihood protection, and prepositioning of essential supplies.