Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas brought honor to the Philippines as the only Filipino local chief executive to participate in the International Disaster Resilience Leaders Forum (IDRLF) 2026 held in Incheon, Republic of Korea, from Sept. 7 to 8.
Calling it a meaningful opportunity to exchange learnings and ideas on disaster resilience with other world leaders, Treñas shared the Iloilo City Action and Resilience (ICARe) Centers during the City Networking Event, joining other presenters from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, South Korea, and Thailand.
“During the City Networking Event, I shared about Iloilo City Action and Resilience (ICARe) Centers, together with presenters and officials from other countries, highlighting our experiences and best practices on disaster risk reduction, including innovative approaches, partnerships, capacity-building strategies, and technologies that can strengthen resilience at the local level,” Trenas said in a Facebook post.
According to Treñas, Iloilo City currently has nine operational ICARe facilities, which have evolved beyond emergency response centers into a network of resilience learning hubs where government, communities, the private sector, and other stakeholders come together to learn, plan, and take collective action.
“For us, this means creating communities that are more prepared, informed, and capable of protecting one another when disasters and other challenges arise,” she said.
Treñas was also scheduled to participate in the one-day training workshop on Climate Adaptation Project Preparation: Converting Ideas into Fundable Projects on Sept. 9. It aims to strengthen the capacity of local government officials and key stakeholders to prepare and finance climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction projects.
“Every opportunity we have to share the story of our beloved city also gives us the chance to learn new knowledge that can greatly help us in our continuing efforts toward a safer, stronger, and more resilient Iloilo City—because our goal is always to protect and improve the lives of every Ilonggo,” she emphasized.
Co-organized by the Incheon Institute and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Office for Northeast Asia and Global Education and Training Institute (ONEA & GETI), the annual forum serves as a platform for exchanging practical solutions and lessons on strengthening local and urban resilience amid growing disaster and climate risks.
The event was also backed by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) of the Republic of Korea and held in partnership with the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS).
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