The Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS centre) held a seminar on 19 August 2024 titled “Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Database: Progress and Prospects”. The seminar was conducted by Mr Keith Paolo Catibog Landicho, Associate Research Fellow, HADR Programme, and moderated by Dr Alistair D. B Cook, Senior Fellow and Coordinator of HADR Programme, NTS Centre. During the seminar, Mr Landicho discussed the progress made in developing the HADR database along with new findings and future goals of the project.
Focusing on disasters caused by natural hazards, Mr Landicho noted that the emerging model of nationally led, regionally supported, and international-as-necessary disaster management has created a framework for greater resilience and sustainability in regional disaster management. His presentation also included an in-depth evaluation of the evolving role of militaries in HADR operations, particularly focusing on examining deployment trends, primary destinations of deployment, and mission compositions and budgets. He noted a marked increase in civil-military coordination in ASEAN, a further indication of the increasingly collaborative approach being taken toward regional disaster response. Looking forward, Mr Landicho noted the potential for this study to be expanded by the implementation of machine learning for predictive analysis, as well as the consolidation of information to create a more systematic repository.
The seminar concluded with a Q&A session. The issues raised included factors influencing a country’s decision to send HADR supplies, the methodology used to categorise types of assistance per event, the selection of datasets, as well as the potential dangers of such information being publicly available.
