SM Investments, PHIVOLCS Partner to Strengthen Disaster Resilience through GeoRiskPH

SM Investments, the parent company of the SM Group, and PHIVOLCS sign a memorandum of agreement to utilize GeoRiskPH. From left: Dr. Louernie De Sales, VP, Sustainability, SM Prime Holdings, Inc (witness); Timothy Daniels, Consultant and Head of Investor Relations and Sustainability, SM Investments; Dr. Teresito Bacolcol, Phivolcs Director; Dr. Renato Solidum Jr., DOST Secretary; Engr. Liza Silerio, SM Supermalls Vice President for Corporate Compliance, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Resilience (witness)

SM Investments Corporation, the parent company of the SM group, has partnered with the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS) to strengthen the use of hazard and risk information in planning for its properties and operations across the country.

Timothy Daniels, Consultant and Head of Investor Relations and Sustainability of SM Investments, and Dr. Teresito C. Bacolcol, Director of PHIVOLCS, signed a memorandum of agreement covering SM’s use of GeoRiskPH, a government platform that brings together information on natural hazards and related risks.

Under the agreement, SM will use GeoRiskPH tools, including HazardHunterPH Pro, Geomapper PH, PlanSmart and GeoAnalyticsPH, to assess potential hydrometeorological and geological hazards across its facilities, assets and operational sites. The information will help SM make better-informed decisions on its properties, business continuity plans and longer-term investments.

“Partnerships like this with the private sector contribute significantly in helping us better understand the country’s multi-faceted needs regarding resilience,” Dr. Bacolcol said. “The government actively encourages more public-private partnerships of this nature, as integrating data-driven hazard tools in businesses is essential for sustainable national development and effective disaster risk reduction.”

For SM, the partnership is part of its long-term approach to investing in resilient businesses and communities.

“SM has always taken a long-term view of its investments. Understanding the risks around our properties and operations helps us make better decisions about where and how we invest,” Mr. Daniels said. “Working with DOST-PHIVOLCS gives us access to the country’s scientific expertise and better information to strengthen our businesses and the communities we serve.”

The initiative supports SM’s approach to both climate adaptation and broader disaster resilience. By incorporating information and methodologies from national scientific agencies into its planning, SM can better understand the physical risks facing its businesses and take these into account in investment, asset management and business continuity decisions.
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The partnership also reflects the role businesses can play alongside government in strengthening national resilience. As SM continues to invest and expand across the Philippines, better information on local hazards can help it plan for growth while managing risks to its businesses and the communities in which it operates.