19 September 2022, BRISBANE – Philippine Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Honorable Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, met the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDDR), Her Excellency Mami Mizutori, on 18 September in Brisbane in the margins of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR).

The Government of Australia and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) are co-hosting the APMCDRR 2022 from 19 to 22 September at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Conference is the largest Asia-Pacific biennial gathering focused on disaster risk reduction, resilience, and the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Secretary Loyzaga is the Head of the Philippine Delegation to the APMCDRR 2022 that includes officials from the DENR, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of National Defense - Office for Civil Defense, Department of Finance, and representatives from the private sector and civil society. Other Philippine government officials are participating virtually from the Philippines.

During the meeting, Secretary Loyzaga underscored the commitment of the Philippine government to regional cooperation to strengthen capacity on disaster risk reduction and addressing climate change. Assistant Secretary General Mizutori recognized the whole of society approach taken by the Philippines and congratulated the Secretary on the country’s successful model for public-private partnership on disaster risk reduction.

The Secretary will deliver the Philippine Statement in the Ministerial Forum to be held today and will serve as panelist in the Plenary Session on Risk Informed Investments and Scaling Up Financing for Disaster Risk Reduction on 20 September 2022.