Resilience today demands more than individual preparedness — it requires collective responsibility. That principle guided the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) as it developed the country’s first Area-Wide Business Continuity Management (AWBCM) framework.
This groundbreaking initiative began in 2022, focusing on lifeline utilities and industrial zones. The pilot project — implemented in the Light Industry and Science Park, a key economic zone — brought together private companies, local government units, utility providers, and infrastructure operators to create a shared continuity plan for the area.
The process wasn’t easy. It took over a year of workshops, data gathering, and consensus-building to complete the area-wide BCP in March 2025. Gabaldon described challenges including data privacy issues, differing priorities, limited resources, and complex coordination among multiple sectors.
“It required diplomacy, transparency, and persistence,” she shared.
Still, the results were transformative. Companies updated or created new BCPs, risk assessments were harmonized, and once-siloed utilities and locators began collaborating as a single community. Shared hazard mapping and joint drills strengthened coordination, while the Multi-Hazard Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (MHRVA) provided a common understanding of local risks.
PDRF’s experience revealed four core principles of ecosystem-based resilience:
Collaboration – establishing safe, open channels for dialogue and problem-solving.
Integration – harmonizing procedures and aligning emergency protocols.
Flexibility – negotiating shared priorities and adapting to diverse needs.
Shared Responsibility – recognizing that resilience is collective, not individual.
Practical strategies followed: public-private partnerships, information-sharing platforms like HANDA, joint drills and exercises, and standardization of BCP practices across sectors. Programs such as Project 72 (a 3-day full simulation) and Getting Airports Ready for Disasters (GARD) showcase how training and exercises can scale from company to sector and area-wide levels.
Gabaldon shared one memorable example: aligning Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) between an industrial park’s water provider and its locators. The water utility had an 8-hour RTO; the dependent companies had 6 hours. Through facilitated dialogue, they reached a common standard — a small but powerful step toward interconnected resilience.
“When one organization fails, the entire area feels the impact,” Gabaldon noted. “But when we act together, we build confidence, capability, and resilience that extend far beyond our own operations.”
Her message was clear: business continuity must evolve from being company-centric to community-driven.
Focuses on the practical application of collaboration through the Area-Wide BCM (AWBCM) project.
| Theme | Key Points (Article 2) | Insights / Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Area-Wide Business Continuity (AWBCM) | • Pilot in Light Industry and Science Park (2022–2025). • Brought together locators, LGUs, and utilities for a shared BCP. |
Demonstrated the power of cross-sector collaboration in a defined geographic area. |
| 2. Challenges and Solutions | • Data privacy, conflicting priorities, and limited resources were key challenges. • Overcome through diplomacy and structured dialogue. |
Reinforced the importance of trust, communication, and coordination mechanisms. |
| 3. Core Principles of Ecosystem Resilience | • Collaboration • Integration • Flexibility • Shared Responsibility |
Guiding framework for sustainable and collective continuity planning. |
| 4. Practical Implementation | • Multi-Hazard Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (MHRVA). • Exercises like Project 72 and GARD. • Aligning Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) across stakeholders. |
Converts strategy into tangible, measurable resilience outcomes. |
| 5. Mindset Shift | • “When one organization fails, the entire area feels the impact.” | Advocates a move from company-centric to community-driven continuity planning. |
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| Collaborative Resilience: Building Area-wide Business Continuity Frameworks | |||||
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