ASEAN satellite warehouse for emergency disaster logistics launched

July 1, 2019

The satellite warehouse of the Disaster Emergency Logistic System for ASEAN (DELSA) in the Philippines, which is funded by Japan and ASEAN, was launched in Camp Aguinaldo on Monday.

National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said the warehouse located at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Logistics Command depot in Camp  Aguinaldo will house emergency relief items to help disaster-stricken communities not just in the Philippines, but to ASEAN.

Jalad said the warehouse shall be managed by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) and supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

“As a fitting start for the observance of the 2019 National Disaster Resilience Month, a new warehouse for stockpiling goods and equipment for disaster response was inaugurated today, 1 July 2019,” he said.

Jalad said “the newly inaugurated warehouse in Camp Aguinaldo forms part of the network of ASEAN satellite warehouses across the region.''

The other satellite warehouse, which was launched during the 34 th ASEAN Summit, is located in Chainat, Thailand, added Jalad.

The ceremony, led by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, was  attended by representatives from different foreign embassies including Japan.

In a press conference, Lorenzana emphasized the importance of the establishment of the emergency satellite warehouse in the Philippines.

“In the past we were caught unaware, we didn't have preparations, we don't have stockpiles of food and materials like these, so we had to exert a lot of time to gather these things before we can attend the victims of disasters. But now, you can just load these on the airplane and bring them to the disaster area,” he added.

Present during the event were Ambassador of Thailand to the Philippines  Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng, Counsellor and Vice Consul of the Royal Thai Embassy Rathanand Vichaidit; Minister Makoto Iyori and Second Secretary Shintaro Ichichiri of the Embassy of Japan; and representatives of the Embassies of Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Australia, Russia, UK, and Switzerland.

Also present were AHA Centre’s executive director Adelina Kamal and Deputy Executive Director Arnel Capili; representatives of the World Food Programme, USAID, EU, and UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Activities.

“Disasters will be with us for the long time to come...because the location of our country, we have tsunamis, earthquakes, and fires...if we are not prepared, we will have a hard time recovering. Preparation entails a lot of work, so if you will be hit with disaster its effect will not as bad as if you are not prepared,” he said. Robina Asido/ DMS