SM Prime’s Hans Sy champions private sector leadership in disaster resilience at UNDRR Global Platform 2025

“Resilience strengthens businesses while safeguarding lives and communities. We know the government cannot do it alone. The private sector is ready to do more. Disasters may be unpredictable, but their impacts don’t have to be. We can—and must—prepare, mitigate, and adapt. From the standpoint of the private sector, financial, non-financial and regulatory incentives are among the most effective ways to accelerate investment in resilience. Together, we can embed resilience to build a sustainable and secure future for all.” ~Hans Sy, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) Executive Committee Chairman

Sy underscores the need for policies, incentives, and institutional support to scale up disaster risk reduction investments at the UNDRR Global Platform 2025.

At the 2025 Global Platform of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, Hans Sy, the chairman of the executive committee for SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), emphasized the critical role that the private sector plays in disaster risk reduction (DRR). 

At the Ministerial Roundtable on “Accelerating Financing and Resilience,” Sy spoke on behalf of the Philippine private sector and emphasized the role that companies can play in promoting scalable, scientifically grounded resilience solutions.

Private sector as a force multiplier in DRR

Hans Sy speaking in the 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025), organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and co-chaired by the Government of Switzerland.

He referenced SM Prime's comprehensive approach to disaster risk reduction, which uses science-driven planning frameworks and allocates a sizeable amount of project budgets to disaster-resilient infrastructure.

As more instances of successful public-private collaborations, Sy cited cross-sector efforts like the Adopt-a-City Program with the National Resilience Council and collaborative capacity-building programs with ARISE Philippines and the Department of Trade and Industry.

Embedding resilience into core business strategy

SM Prime's strategy for mainstreaming resilience throughout its developments was described by Sy at a High-Level Dialogue on growing DRR finance.  He emphasized elements that have reduced disturbance and facilitated quick recovery in the event of a disaster, such as raised mall buildings, integrated rainwater collecting systems, and earthquake-resistant designs.

The SM Mall of Asia Complex features a higher seawall and elevated design to guard against rising sea levels. (Inset) Deep, wide drainage channels—large enough to fit two buses side by side—further protect the area from storm surge flooding.

Call to scale resilience investment

To expand DRR financing, Sy called for enabling mechanisms that combine policy support, institutional cooperation, and targeted incentives. 

His remarks underscored the importance of collaboration, innovation, and long-term thinking in building resilient communities. SM Prime’s leadership in DRR continues to set a benchmark for

sustainable development in disaster-prone regions.