DBJ to Act as Adviser to International Cooperation Project for Disaster Resilience in the Philippines　? the development of disaster resilience indexes and applicability of DBJ’s BCM ratings?

Development Bank of Japan Inc. (Toru Hashimoto, President and CEO) is to work with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA; Akihiko Tanaka, Director) as an adviser for a project to improve the disaster resilience of the power grid in the Philippines. The project is a study that will involve collecting and verifying information to be used in discussions on a potential incentive system.

In Asia, where Japanese firms are an important presence, Japanese expertise and techniques in handling calamities such as natural disasters, climate fluctuations and infectious disease is attracting keen interest. Typhoon Haiyan caused huge destruction when it passed through in the Philippines in 2013, making it incumbent upon the public and private sectors to strengthen the country’s resilience to disasters. The typhoon was particularly damaging to country’s electric power infrastructure.

The upcoming survey will collect and analyze information on the electric power grid ? a crucial foundation for industry and daily life ? with the ultimate purpose of improving disaster resilience as a whole. It will also include the consideration of policy recommendations to promote prior investment in disaster resilience. These will center on a basic risk study highlighting natural disasters, the development of disaster resilience indexes, and the financial techniques incorporated in DBJ’s own Enterprise Disaster Resilience Rated Loan Program (“BCM ratings”).

The survey team will include members of the Shikoku Electric Power Co., Inc., Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Risk Management Inc., and the Japan Economic Research Institute, a DBJ think tank. JICA will provide support and DBJ will take part in the role of adviser.

The findings of the survey will be shared with the Government, Department of Finance, National Electrification Administration, electricity cooperatives, and government financial institutions (Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines) of the Philippines, and applied to policy-making on disaster resilience.

Under the DBJ Enterprise Disaster Resilience Rated Loan Program offered in Japan, applicants are evaluated and selected based on the measures they have in place for disaster prevention and business continuity management. Those with high ratings are offered loans at preferential conditions. As of December 31, 2014, 165 loans had been executed under the program, for a total value of 150 billion yen.

In line with our corporate philosophy ? “Applying financial expertise to design the future: we apply creative financing to resolve client issues, as we work to earn the trust of our clients and achieve their future prosperity” ? DBJ will continue as an active player in the field of disaster resilience, both at home and abroad.


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