By Keith Bacongco
Published Jul 31, 2026 05:50 pm
DAVAO CITY – The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) underscored the role of science in strengthening its disaster preparedness and response.
In the recent Bangsamoro Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (BDRRM) Summit, MOST Minister Baileng Mantawil stressed the urgency of strengthening collaboration as disasters continue to increase in both frequency and complexity.
Mantawil, vice chairman of the Bangsamoro Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (BDRRMC), told participants the role of science in advancing innovations and strengthening institutional coordination.
“Science informs us, technology empowers us. But resilience is achieved only when knowledge is transformed into timely action that protects every Bangsamoro community,” said Mantawil, who spoke on behalf of BARMM interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua.
The summit was attended by representatives and responders from different local government units in BARMM, Bangsamoro ministries, offices, and agencies (BMOAs), development partners, civil society organizations (CSOs), and academe.
During the summit, participants discussed innovations on disaster response and reduction as well as strengthening coordination among key agencies.
The MOST minister acknowledged the need to foster a culture where disaster risk information is understood, trusted, and acted upon to build a safer, more adaptive, and disaster-resilient community.
To protect lives and livelihoods, it requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach anchored in partnership, preparedness, and shared responsibility, Mantawil added.
She underscored that disaster response must be grounded in science, strengthened by technology, and guided by reliable and timely information.
Mantawil said scientific knowledge becomes truly meaningful only when translated into concrete action through early warning systems, hazard mapping, evidence-based planning, and inclusive disaster preparedness that reaches even the most vulnerable sectors.
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