Hans Sy speaking in the 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025), organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and co-chaired by the Government of Switzerland. Photo from Antoine Tardy for the UNDRR.
SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) Executive Committee Chairman Hans Sy reaffirmed the vital role of the private sector in disaster risk reduction (DRR) during the 2025 Global Platform of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), held in Geneva, Switzerland.
Representing the Philippine private sector at the Ministerial Roundtable on “Accelerating Financing and Resilience,” Sy underscored how businesses can help drive scalable, science-based resilience solutions.
Private sector as a force multiplier in DRR
“Resilience strengthens businesses while safeguarding lives and communities,” Sy stated. “We know the government cannot do it alone. The private sector is ready to do more.”
Sy underscores the need for policies, incentives, and institutional support to scale up disaster risk reduction investments at the UNDRR Global Platform 2025.
He cited SM Prime’s integrated approach to DRR, which includes allocating a significant portion of project costs to disaster-resilient infrastructure and applying science-driven planning frameworks.
Sy also pointed to cross-sector initiatives such as the Adopt-a-City Program with the National Resilience Council and joint capacity-building programs with ARISE Philippines and the Department of Trade and Industry as examples of effective public-private partnerships.
Embedding resilience into core business strategy
In a High-Level Dialogue on scaling DRR financing, Sy outlined SM Prime’s approach to mainstreaming resilience across its developments. He highlighted features such as elevated mall structures, built-in rainwater catchment systems, and earthquake-resistant designs—solutions that have minimized disruption and enabled rapid recovery in the face of disaster.
“Disasters may be unpredictable, but their impacts don’t have to be,” he said. “We can—and must—prepare, mitigate, and adapt.”
The SM Mall of Asia Complex features a higher seawall and elevated design to guard against rising sea levels. (Inset) Deep, wide drainage channels—large enough to fit two buses side by side—further protect the area from storm surge flooding.
Call to scale resilience investment
To expand DRR financing, Sy called for enabling mechanisms that combine policy support, institutional cooperation, and targeted incentives. “From the standpoint of the private sector, financial, non-financial and regulatory incentives are among the most effective ways to accelerate investment in resilience,” he noted.
His remarks underscored the importance of collaboration, innovation, and long-term thinking in building resilient communities. SM Prime’s leadership in DRR continues to set a benchmark for sustainable development in disaster-prone regions.
“Together, we can embed resilience to build a sustainable and secure future for all,” he concluded.
