THE City Government of Davao and the Aboitiz Group have strengthened their partnership on disaster preparedness and response through the launch of Project Resilience, Innovation, Safety, and Empowerment (RISE) Davao earlier this week.
The initiative, which seeks to enhance the city’s disaster risk reduction and management capabilities through technology and private-sector support, was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on August 12 at the Grand Menseng Hotel on Magallanes Street, Davao City.
The agreement was entered into by the City Government of Davao, through the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), Aboitiz Foundation Inc., and Aboitiz Power Corporation.
The ceremonial signing was led by Davao Light and Power Company President and Chief Operating Officer Enriczar Tia and Davao City Deputy City Administrator Atty. Francis Mark H. Layog, who represented Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte.
Under Project Rise, the Aboitiz Group will provide additional technological resources to support the city’s disaster response operations, including aerial surveillance capabilities and portable satellite internet connectivity.
The initiative comes as the city continues to strengthen its disaster preparedness amid recent disasters that have affected Davao Region, emphasizing the importance of stronger coordination between government agencies and the private sector.
In a statement, Duterte said the city is continuing to improve its disaster preparedness and response mechanisms by building proactive partnerships with the private sector.
“With the recent disasters that have affected Davao Region over the past few months, we continue to strengthen our disaster preparedness and response mechanism by fostering proactive engagement between the public and private sectors as we work together to safeguard lives and property.”
Duterte said Project Rise represents another step in integrating modern technologies into the city’s disaster risk reduction and mitigation efforts.
“Today's ceremonial signing of Project Resilience, Innovation, Safety, and Empowerment, or Rise Davao, marks another milestone in strengthening our partnerships through the integration of modern technologies to advance more effective and holistic disaster risk reduction and mitigation efforts in the city.”
He also thanked the Aboitiz Foundation and Aboitiz Power for their continued support, noting that the additional equipment would complement the city’s existing disaster response resources.
“We express our gratitude to Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., Aboitiz Power Corporation, for your steadfast support through corporate social responsibility efforts over the years. This time, by providing aerial surveillance and portable satellite internet connectivity, these invaluable additions to our existing equipment will further enhance our emergency and disaster response services and improve our overall capacity and capability.”
For Aboitiz Power, the partnership underscores the importance of technology and connectivity in improving the speed and coordination of disaster response operations.
Tia said reliable connectivity allows responders to exchange critical information, coordinate with other teams, and communicate with personnel on the ground, helping transform information gathered during emergencies into timely decisions and coordinated action.
He added that the initiative complements the CDRRMO’s existing work, including community preparedness activities, disaster drills, emergency response, search and rescue operations, early warning systems, and coordination with barangays and other response organizations.
Tia also highlighted the Aboitiz Group’s longstanding presence in Davao and its collaboration with the city through its businesses, including Davao Light, Cotabato Light, and Therma South.
“While we may operate in different industries, we are part of the same community, and when that community faces a disaster or emergency, we all have a role to play,” Tia said.
He said Project RISE provides additional tools and support to personnel working on the front lines of disaster preparedness and response.
“We hope this partnership will strengthen preparedness, improve access to critical information, and enable a faster and more coordinated response when our community needs it most,” he said.
Tia emphasized that the project goes beyond the provision of drones and connectivity, saying its primary objective is to equip responders with better tools while helping protect Davaoenos during emergencies.
Meanwhile, Duterte reaffirmed the city government’s commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities in providing essential frontline disaster services to communities across Davao City.
“For our part, the City Government of Davao, through our Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, remains committed to fulfilling its roles and responsibilities in delivering essential frontline services and programs to all communities across Davao City. Let us continue to work hand-in-hand to build a safer, more prepared, and more resilient community for the present and future generations.”
Through Project RISE, the city government and the Aboitiz Group aim to further strengthen Davao City’s capacity to anticipate, respond to, and recover from emergencies by combining government disaster management systems with technology, connectivity, and private-sector support. DEF
