DP World has announced that its Batangas Integrated Port (BIP) in the Philippines has become the world’s first READY Port, a designation establishing a new benchmark for disaster preparedness and humanitarian logistics.
READY Port – standing for Resilience, Emergency Action, and Disaster-ready – is a global capacity-strengthening program advocated by the UN Logistics Cluster, designed to enhance the disaster readiness of ports and support humanitarian response during emergencies. The Philippines was selected as the pilot location due to its exposure to climate-related risks and natural disasters.
The designation follows a three-day multistakeholder workshop held at Batangas Port in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) Philippines, bringing together government agencies, humanitarian organizations and private-sector partners to assess emergency response capabilities, review operational protocols and conduct scenario-based exercises. Findings from the workshop have been consolidated into a Port Readiness Action Plan to guide future capacity-building initiatives at ports in the Philippines and internationally.
BIP is operated by DP World’s local partner, Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI), and serves as a key gateway for international and domestic cargo, rolling cargo and passenger movements, with connectivity to nearby islands and destinations across the Visayas and Mindanao.
Glen Hilton, CEO and managing director for Asia Pacific at DP World, said, “This collaboration with WFP and our partners reflects our shared commitment to building resilient port infrastructure that serves not only as a gateway for trade, but also as a vital lifeline for communities during times of crisis.”
Manuel Cabochan III, assistant secretary for special concerns at the Philippines’ Department of Transportation, said the initiative underscored the need for a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach,” adding, “We commend the World Food Programme, DP World and the Logistics Cluster for pioneering this initiative.”
Joao Dos Santos Merencio, WFP head of supply chain in the Philippines, said the framework “helps ensure that ports continue to operate effectively under crisis conditions while prioritizing humanitarian cargos when it matters most.”
DP World said the READY Port framework offers a scalable model for other vulnerable coastal regions worldwide.
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