Philippine Embassy Participates in ASEAN Strategic Policy Dialogue on Disaster Management 2026

SINGAPORE, 24 August 2026 – On 19 August 2026, in the same week as the World Humanitarian Day, Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Medardo G. Maracaraig attended the ASEAN Strategic Policy Dialogue on Disaster Management (SPDDM) 2026 under the theme “10 Years of One ASEAN, One Response: Re-envisioning ASEAN’s Collective Response to Disasters“. Mr. Edwin Tong, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs delivered the Opening Remarks as Guest of Honor.

In his remarks, Minister Tong called on ASEAN to shift from reactive disaster response to proactive anticipatory action. He emphasized the need to build preparedness into the foundations of how the region manages disasters.

The event was co-organized by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), alongside the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre).

Over 200 government officials, civil society leaders, academics, and practitioners gathered to discuss the future of ASEAN’s disaster management and resilience.

On the second day, Ambassador Macariag, together with Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attache Col. Egberto O. Dacoscos PA (GSC), joined other participants of the SPDDM in a site visit to Marina Barrage and the Sustainable Singapore Gallery to learn about Singapore’s water supply, flood control and water management strategies, environmental sustainability efforts, and climate change adaptations. They also visited the  SCDF Marine Division Headquarters for an overview of the works of SCDF and its maritime emergency response capabilities. /END