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The Makati City Government recently hosted the last in a series of study visits under the City to City Sharing Initiative for Disaster Risk Reduction (C2CSI). An initiative of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, the C2CSI aimed to bring the cities of Quito in Ecuador, Kathmandu in Nepal, and Makati in the Philippines together to encourage knowledge sharing on areas of disaster risk reduction such as risk-sensitive land use planning, emergency management and risk communication through exchange visits and residency training.

The first study visit in Quito highlighted that city's disaster-resilient land use planning, while the trip to Kathmandu focused on public awareness strategies for disaster risk reduction. The recent learning exchange in the Philippines showcased Makati City's disaster risk management operations and plans.

From April 16-20, 2 delegates each from Quito and Kathmandu took part in the residency training which included sessions on emergency response and site visits to relocation and resettlement sites for informal settlers in the city, and redevelopment initiatives in its central business district and the high-risk community of Barangay Rizal. Additional study tours and learning sessions were also conducted from Apr. 23-26, focusing on the city's communications and monitoring center,  structure for disaster risk management, emergency operations plan, building code enforcement, risk-sensitive land use planning, protective services, and rescue capabilities. Other activities included an actual evacuation drill and site, visits to the city’s disaster-resilient school and hospital, and cultural sites. A culminating program on April 27 was attended by representatives from the World Bank and GFDRR, Makati City Government, national government agencies, local communities, and the private sector.