The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) in cooperation with the Health Research and Development Consortium Region IV-A (HRDCR IV-A) conducted a seminar-workshop entitled “Workshop on Framework for Disaster Research Phase I: Capacity Enhancement on Disaster Research in Health” last April 25-26, 2017 at the Acacia Hotel, Alabang. The activity aimed to develop the capacity to generate, translate, and utilize research findings for disaster risk reduction policies, programs and services using standard concepts, methods and frameworks. The two-day seminar-workshop featured talks on disaster risk-reduction, exercises, workshops and mentoring sessions, plenaries and presentations. This was conducted as a follow through action to the key messages from the disaster risk reduction (DRR) sessions at the 2015 Global Forum on Research and Innovation for Health 2015. Dr. Ofelia Saniel, Dr. Jessie Manuta, Dr. Juan Pablo Nanagas and Dr Carlos Primero Gundran served as the resource persons. A total of 29 participants attended the said workshop and all left armed with enhanced capacity in doing disaster health related research. They were also able to write a research proposal for possible funding of PCHRD.

"Disaster is not forever… building back better"… some phrases to live by from Dr. Saniel and Dr. Manuta during the workshop.