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| Preparedness to save lives and swift response to disasters are essential business continuity tools |
The killer earthquakes in Haiti and Chile are reminders to the business community that preparedness to save lives and protect critical infrastructures and data against natural and man-made disasters, swift response and quick recovery are necessary tools to assure business continuity.
Companies implementing business continuity or risk reduction strategies better than their rivals strengthen their competitiveness in both the local and global markets. The corporate reputation for business continuity protects and promotes more revenues. Business continuity tools also safeguard business records and assets, an obligation mandated by stockholders and regulatory authorities.
A forum, Protect 2010 (Doing Business Amidst New Threats), will be held this April 15-16, at the New World Hotel, by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) to promote stronger partnership between the business community and local and national government. During the forum, experts and law enforcers will share insights for business continuity with businesses.
The forum Protect 2010 is the fifth in the annual series organised by the Anti-Terrorism Council, an inter-agency body under the Office of the President, and Leverage International (Consultants) Inc.
Interested parties may contact the secretariat at telephone numbers - 810-1389; 818-6828 or fax 810-1594 or email to join the forum.
Preparedness to save lives and protect critical infrastructures and data against disasters are necessary tools to assure business continuity |
Among the confirmed speakers for the forum are: Justice Undersecretary Ricardo R. Blancaflor, spokesperson ATC; Acting Secretary Celia C. Yangco, Department of Social Welfare and Development; Assistant Secretary Victoria S. Bataclan, Office of ASEAN Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs; Arnel Capili, International Association of Emergency Managers National Representative, Asian Development Bank Emergency Services Officer; Steve Cutler, Senior Adviser, The Infrastructure Exchange (INEX), and a former FBI agent; Dr. Rohan Gunaratna, Head of International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, Singapore, and author, Inside Al Qaeda; Drexx Laggui, Laggui & Associates, (Cyber Security Consultant); Raul S. Nagrampa, Head of Security, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines; Vasudevan Nair, ASEAN regional solutions consultant, Hitachi Data Systems Hong Kong; Dr. Juan Pablo Nañagas, former Undersecretary of Health for Health Facilities, Standards and Regulations, and former Director, Philippine General Hospital; Enrico E. Rampinelli, Chairman, Zetos Swiss Forensic Supply; Pete Troilo, Country Manager, Pacific Strategies Assessments and American Chamber of Commerce Disaster Preparedness Committee; and other more authoritative speakers.
Business continuity plans are very important for companies as they own most of the country's critical infrastructures. In 2009 when typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng blasted into Luzon, the Department of Finance and the World Bank estimated that the private sector bore more than 90 percent of the $4.4 billion economic damage and losses.
Break-out sessions focused on industry groupings of sectors are part of the conference. The conference will present the Philippine Disaster Management System. A specialised exhibit is being organised to complement the international discussions on safety and security.
