Pasay City, Philippines — ARISE Philippines, the private-sector alliance for disaster-resilient societies, held its first Board of Directors meeting for the 2026–2029 term at the Luzon Boardroom, SM Prime Headquarters on September 7, 2026. The meeting marked the formal commencement of the new Board’s leadership and the adoption of a renewed commitment to collective action, measurable impact, and accelerated progress toward the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030.
The newly constituted Board, formed through a combination of election and selection in accordance with ARISE Philippines’ Terms of Reference, is chaired by VADM Alexander P. Pama (Ret.), with Raymond Rufino of NEO serving as Co-Chairperson and Engr. Liza B. Silerio of SM Supermalls as Vice Chairperson. The Board is composed of seven (7) members representing diverse sectors and capabilities from across the network’s membership.
Led by Dr. Joseph B. Bacareza, Executive Director of ARISE Philippines, the meeting also included the presentation of the accomplishments of ARISE Philippines from 2023 to 2026 as part of the induction of the new BOD members.
In his closing message, Mr. Hans T. Sy, outgoing Chairperson, expressed sincere gratitude to the Board of Directors, the Secretariat, member organizations, and all partners for their trust, commitment, and collaboration throughout the past three years. He highlighted key milestones achieved during his term and emphasized the network’s whole-of-society approach:
“Our journey together has been one of growth and transformation. From a period when our engagement was largely limited to virtual platforms, we evolved into a network that delivers meaningful, on-the-ground initiatives. Together, we turned ideas into action, implementing capacity-building programs, resilience campaigns, and partnerships that responded to the evolving needs of our communities and demonstrated the power of collective action,” Mr. Sy said.
Although his term as Chairperson has ended, Mr. Sy affirmed his continued support: “Although my term as Chairperson ends today, my commitment to ARISE Philippines does not. I will continue to support this Network in whatever way I can, because I firmly believe in its mission and the difference it continues to make.”
In his acceptance message, VADM Alexander P. Pama (Ret.) accepted the Chairmanship with “a profound sense of gratitude, humility, and responsibility,” even as he continues to concurrently serve on the ARISE Global Board.
VADM Pama outlined a clear vision for the 2026–2029 term: a paradigm shift from participation to catalytic leadership; from isolated projects to collective action; and from resilience as an aspiration to resilience demonstrated through measurable outcomes.
He called for acceleration, greater scale, stronger collaboration, and measurable impact. “We need to move from individual initiatives toward coordinated action; from advocacy toward implementation; from projects toward scalable solutions; and from measuring what we have done toward measuring what risks we have actually reduced,” he emphasized.
VADM Pama also reinforced a fundamental principle: “Our work in ARISE is not about the achievements of any single member. It is about what we can accomplish collectively as a private-sector alliance committed to disaster risk reduction and resilience.”
During their Oath of Office, the new Board of Directors affirmed their commitment to advancing ARISE Philippines’ work aligned with UNDRR’s four catalytic areas of focus. Looking ahead, the Board also confirmed key upcoming activities, including the observance of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) in October 2026 and the Top Leaders Forum in November 2026.
As ARISE Philippines moves toward 2030, the network remains united by a common purpose: to protect lives, safeguard livelihoods, preserve development gains, strengthen critical infrastructure, and build a more resilient Philippines.
