In celebration of
National Disaster Resilience Month, SM Cares recently launched this year’s
Emergency Preparedness
Forum for senior citizens
and persons with disabilities (PWDs). The first of
eight forums was held last
July 5, Wednesday, at the
SM Mall of Asia Music Hall
in Pasay City. Prior to the
forum, a pledge of commitment signing was held between SM Supermalls and
its partner organizations.
Present at the signing
were SM Supermalls Senior Vice President Engr.
Bien C. Mateo, Office of
Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator Usec. Ariel
Nepomuceno, Metropolitan Manila Development
Authority (MMDA) Acting
Asst. General Manager
Atty. Victor Trinidad, National Commission of Senior Citizens Chairperson
Atty. Franklin M. Quijano,
and National Council on
Disability Affairs Executive Director Joniro F.
Fredejas. Aside from being signatories, Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical
and Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA) OIC Administrator Dr.
Esperanza O. Cayanan,
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Senior
Supervising Science Research Specialist Jeffrey
S. Perez, and University of
the Philippines Resilience
Institute Executive Director Dr. Mahar Lagmay
shared their insights and
observations in a panel
discussion on understanding natural hazards, such
as earthquakes, floods,
and volcanic eruptions,
and how to prepare for
such situations.
Disaster Management Specialist, Emergency Medical Technician,
and Wilderness Search
and Rescue Philippines
Instructor Gerard “Doki”
Natividad was also invited
to share survival tips and
tricks tailored to the needs
of the attendees. Participants in the forum were
provided an SM Emergency Pack, which consists of
an emergency string bag,
a 4mm rope, an emergency blanket, a whistle with
lanyard, a mini-flashlight,
and a survival tool card.
Earthquake and flood simulators were also prepared
by PAGASA and DOST to
add to the participants’
learning experience. “In
preparing for emergencies and calamities, SM
Cares believes that no
one should be left behind.
That is what inspires us
to continue mounting this
Emergency Preparedness
Forum,” said Mateo. “Our
goal is to empower our
senior citizens and PWDs
with the essential survival
skills and know-how so
that they will be ready for
any circumstance.”
Since the forum
first began in 2015, SM
Cares has been able to
provide training to 7,417
senior citizens and PWDs
across the country since
the forum’s conception,
and was awarded Gold in
2020 and Silver in 2023 at
the Public Relations Society of the Philippines’ annual Anvil Awards.
This initiative
shows SM Cares’ support
for the United Nations’
Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), particularly
“SDG 3: Good Health and
Well-being”, “SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities”, and
“SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities”.
SM Cares is
the corporate social responsibility arm of SM
Supermalls, supporting
initiatives focused on
communities and the environment. Its advocacies
include Programs for the
Environment, Persons
with Disabilities, Women
& Breastfeeding Mothers,
Children & Youth, Senior Citizens, and the SM
Bike-friendly initiative.
To learn more
about these programs,
visit www.smsupermalls.
com/smcares.
