By AIT International Affairs, Office of International and Public Affairs
28 May 2025, Manila, Philippines – The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Philippines, have officially entered into a strategic partnership to strengthen disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) efforts across the country. This collaboration was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that outlines a broad scope of cooperation, including the establishment of PhD and Master’s programs, organization of joint seminars and conferences, development of professional training opportunities, facilitation of internships and consultancy projects, and the pursuit of collaborative research and publications.
The signing ceremony was held on May 28, at the OCD headquarters in Quezon City, led by Assistant Secretary Cesar M. Idio, Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Operations.
AIT President Prof. Pai-Chi Li highlighted the importance of the partnership, stating, “This is a significant collaboration, and I truly look forward to enhancing it through capacity building, training, and knowledge exchange.”
In his remarks, Assistant Secretary Idio said, “This occasion marks the beginning of a meaningful collaboration that strongly reflects our shared commitment, resilience, innovation, and regional cooperation in disaster risk reduction and management. This partnership exemplifies the powerful outcomes that can be achieved when government and academia work together to build a safer and more resilient future.”
Attending the ceremony from OCD were Director Eugenio Gepte, Jr. of the Civil Defense and Disaster Management Training Institute; Director Chris Noel A. Bendijo, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Administrator and OCD Spokesperson; Karen Kaye G. Caballero, Officer-in-Charge of the Knowledge Management Division. Representing AIT was Ms. Indra Kumari, Senior Program Officer, International Affairs, Office of International and Public Affairs.
The Office of Civil Defense, Philippines works as the implementing arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. It has the primary mission of administering a comprehensive national civil defense and disaster risk reduction and management program by providing leadership in the continuous development of strategic and systematic approaches, as well as measures to reduce the vulnerabilities and risks to hazards and manage the consequences of disasters.
President Li’s Visit to CHED
Further, President Li held a courtesy meeting with the Commissioner Prof. Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). The discussions focused on the continuation and expansion of capacity-building programs in 23 different universities in the Philippines.
