QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) unveiled a new framework and infrastructure roadmap on Tuesday, September 29, aimed at boosting national disaster readiness and streamlining emergency response across the country.
Announced during the agency’s 72nd anniversary ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo, OCD Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV introduced the “PREPARE” resilience agenda alongside the “Strategic Infrastructure Development and Management Plan” (SIDMP).
Alejandro emphasized that structural mechanisms must support disaster readiness rather than relying solely on individual endurance.
”Filipinos have always shown courage and determination in the face of disasters, but resilience cannot rest on endurance alone. It must be backed by systems that prepare, protect, and help communities recover. That is the kind of resilience we must continue to build,” Alejandro stated.
Set to run from 2026 through 2030, the PREPARE roadmap focuses on seven key pillars: professionalizing civil defense services, upgrading disaster management operations, broadening community engagement, boosting public advocacy, refining inter-agency coordination, revitalizing nationwide civil defense efforts, and modernizing institutional planning, financial, and procurement systems.
The strategy stems from internal reviews and aligns with international and national standards, including the Sendai Framework, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan 2020–2030, and the OCD Strategic Plan 2023–2030.
To support the framework, the SIDMP outlines an extensive nationwide infrastructure network intended to strategically position relief supplies, equipment, and response personnel near vulnerable areas.
The blueprint details plans for three national integrated logistics hubs, 10 regional logistics centers, and 33 satellite warehouses in geographically isolated and disadvantaged regions. Additionally, the plan calls for constructing 11 regional operations centers, eight regional administrative offices, and eight regional training facilities.
Alejandro noted that the agency must continuously adapt to evolving climate threats, technological developments, and rising public needs.
”As we face a changing landscape of risk governance, rapid advances in technology, the growing importance of sustainability, and an increasing demand for our services, the Office of Civil Defense has had to evolve with the country we serve,” Alejandro noted.
He added that human capital remains the foundation of these operational shifts.
”And throughout this evolution, one thing has remained constant: our people. It is their commitment, their professionalism, and their dedication that continue to move this institution forward. The systems we build are only as strong as the people who put them into action,” he added.