MANILA, Philippines—The Shared Aid Fund for Emergency Response (SAFER) was invited to attend and participate at the Disasters and Emergencies Preparedness Program (DEPP) Celebratory Learning and Closing event at Citadines Hotel, Ortigas last March 21-23, 2018. Entitled Connect. Collaborate. Innovate., the event marked the completion of DEPP projects in the Philippines and provided a platform for stakeholders working with or as part of the disasters and emergencies preparedness sector in the country to discuss the contribution of the DEPP in the back-to-back efforts to transform the Philippines and global humanitarian system.

Established by a consortium of national NGO networks namely Caucus of Development NGOs, Inc. (CODE-NGO), Humanitarian Response Consortium (HRC), and CBCP NASSA/Caritas Philippines, SAFER Foundation raises money through launching public appeals during an emergency. It is the first joint fundraising mechanism in the Philippines that brings together the capacity and expertise of the three networks. Aside from public fundraising, SAFER gathers support from institutional funders and advocacy partners to build a pooled fund that is readily available in times of crises.

During the panel discussion on Global Developments, Local Movements, SAFER Program Manager Melinda Gabuya shared that the inception of SAFER came about as one of the key outputs of the Transforming Surge Capacity Project in the Philippines. The national NGO networks recognized the need to address the financial gaps in local humanitarian response through flexibility, speed, and accountability. At present, access to the funds is limited to members of the Consortium but the governing board of the Foundation is planning to open the membership to more local NGOs/CSOs in the future. The Foundation is also in the process of setting up its systems and registration prior to testing the mechanism

SAFER also held a photo exhibit at the DEPP forum showcasing powerful images during the response of its partners. The exhibit aimed to make viewers realize the impact of local NGOs/CSOs in delivering response to where and when it is most needed. SAFER will formally launch its organization on May 15, 2018 at Luxent Hotel, Quezon City. For more information, you can visit their website at www.safer.org.ph or follow their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/saferpinas.