Asian Preparedness Partnership Facilitates Business Continuity Planning Knowledge Exchange between the Philippines and Laos

September 23, 2025 (Online)

On September 23, 2025, the Asian Preparedness Partnership (APP) program conducted a two-hour online learning session on Business Continuity Plan (BCP), marking an important milestone in regional disaster preparedness collaboration. The session exemplified the program’s commitment to south-south knowledge exchange, bring expertise from the Philippines Preparedness Partnership (PhilPrep) to support the Lao Disaster Preparedness Partnership (LDPP) in strengthening private sector preparedness.

Ms. Veronica Gabaldon, Executive Director of the Philippines Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) and Ms. Michelle Bayhonan led the session. It engaged seven representatives from LDPP partner organizations, including the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI), Lao CSO Coordination Office (LCCC), and the Department of Social Welfare, as well as three participants from the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC).

The learning session addressed critical gaps in private sector preparedness, particularly the lack of BCP among micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Citing global studies, they noted that 75% of MSMEs without a BCP close within three years of experiencing a disaster.

Participants learned about disaster risks that disrupt business operations, particularly floods and droughts. PDRF experts introduced a six-step BCP framework designed to enhance organizational resilience: understanding risks, identifying critical business activities, developing preparedness and response strategies, developing the plan, testing it, and ensuring continuous improvement.

As part of the session’s outcomes, PDRF shared BCP resources and knowledge products with LDPP to support ongoing efforts to strengthen private sector resilience in Laos.

This initiative is part of a broader APP effort to enhance disaster preparedness capacities among National Preparedness Partnership (NPP) members through peer-to-peer learning.

The collaboration between PhilPrep and LDPP will continue with the next online session on September 26, 2025, focusing on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – another critical dimension of disaster preparedness and community resilience.

This peer-to-peer learning initiative underscores that disaster preparedness is not confined to borders. Building resilient communities in today’s volatile climate requires coordinated efforts across countries, sectors, and organizations.