Manila, Sept. 17 -- Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has urged ASEAN countries to strengthen cooperation on disaster resilience amid increasingly complex and cross-border hazards, as member states adopted the Manila Declaration, committing them to accelerate regional disaster management efforts through 2030 and beyond.

In a news release Thursday, Teodoro, who also chairs the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), noted the complex and dynamic risk landscapes threatening ASEAN member states.

As member states adopt the Manila Declaration, he said, ASEAN must move beyond agreements and strengthen practical cooperation on early warning, information sharing, risk financing, and science-based prediction.

"Act...