PHILRED CROSS WINS INTL GOVERNING BOARD SEAT

Senator Richard Gordon, Chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) discusses his proposed preparedness plans and programs for the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) during the intervention sessions held at the 15th IFRC General Assembly held recently in Seoul, Korea. During the said event, Gordon was also elected as Governor of the IFRC Governing Board, garnering support of 110 countries and placing fourth among the Asia-Pacific candidates. The convention’s participants expressed admiration to the PNRC who, under Gordon’s leadership, has shown proactive stance in various emergency situations and recognized it as a Red Cross donor society having contributed and being able to provide assistance to our neighboring countries who were affected by recent various disasters inspite the fact that our country has also suffered and was still recovering from the typhoons that struck us.

Philippines Chairs International Red Cross Meet
Gordon: Preparedness Key to Successful Operations

Seoul – The Philippines, led by Senator Richard Gordon as Chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, yesterday steered one of the sessions of the 15th General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, emphasizing the need for preparedness in the face of crises such as armed conflicts and natural calamities.

Gordon was earlier elected as member of the Governing Board of the Federation, joining representatives from 19 other member-countries tasked to oversee the implementation of the organization’s projects and set its future course.

The session focused on the challenges faced by the Federation in accessing victims and vulnerable people, as well as the identification of ways to meet these challenges.

Gordon advocated a “paradigm shift” in addressing crises, veering away from traditional response mechanisms that merely follow a disaster or conflict and instead highlighting the need for constant vigilance and preparedness in anticipation of such crises.

“In all instances we must ensure that we are ready to answer the call of people for help not only during times of trouble but also during times of peace. By strengthening our capabilities even before the need arises, we better equip ourselves with the proper skills and mindset to later on deliver the necessary high-quality and expeditious service,” the Senator said.

He pointed out four Ps that may serve as guide in seeking the Federation’s objectives: to predict the crisis, plan, prepare, and practice for it.

The session also agreed on stepping up the Federation’s presence not only at the international and national levels, but at the local level as well. Continuous training and expanding the societies by recruiting more volunteers were viewed as indispensable in maintaining and promoting the structural integrity of the organization.

Increasing the awareness of communities on the Federation was likewise identified as an immediate objective, attainable through networking, robust information dissemination and active engagement of all stakeholders, including the government, media, and civil society.

The session reached a consensus on the non-negotiability of the Federation’s fundamental principles of neutrality and impartiality. Adherence to these principles contributes to the organization’s credibility, which in turn enables a more efficient and effective conduct of operations.

The 15th General Assembly of the Federation and the Council of Delegates is being held in Seoul, Republic of Korea from 11-18 November 2005