Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Project Technical Assistant IV Trishia Ysabel V. Calibat; Science Research Specialist I Jeromalyn Palma; PHIVOLCS Science Research Specialist II Conrado Alfonso M. Favis; SM Investments Corporation Head of the SM Group Sustainability Office Koleen D. Palaganas; PHIVOLCS Information Technology Officer John Harold B. Tabuzo; Princess Di E. Pascual and Ian Luzon, Science Research Specialist II and Project Technical Specialist respectively.
In a country where typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic activity are part of daily reality, resilience has quietly become a way of life. This spirit of preparedness took a significant step forward as the SM Investments Corporation and the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology marked a pioneering partnership that brings advanced disaster and climate risk tools into the heart of private-sector decision making.
Held in Pasay City, the milestone event saw SM become the first Philippine conglomerate to complete official training on GeoRiskPH, a suite of free, science-based online platforms designed to identify location-specific vulnerabilities to natural hazards and climate change.
Over two days, nearly 60 executives and representatives from across the SM Group—including SM Prime Holdings, SM Retail, BDO Unibank, China Banking Corporation, 2GO Group, and Philippine Geothermal Production Company—immersed themselves in hands-on workshops using the GeoRiskPH platform.
The training focused on practical applications: mapping seismic, volcanic, and hydro-meteorological risks; understanding how hazards intersect with population and infrastructure; and using data to guide smarter, faster responses before and after disasters strike. More than a technical exercise, it underscored how accessible science can shape safer workplaces, better-prepared communities, and more resilient cities.
For the SM Group, whose malls, offices, banks, and logistics hubs span the archipelago, the implications go beyond corporate risk management. Koleen Davila Palaganas, head of the SM Group Sustainability Office, described the collaboration as an essential step in deepening the group’s understanding of disaster and climate risks, while also demonstrating how public and private institutions can work together to protect lives and livelihoods.
With GeoRiskPH, she noted, SM can make more informed decisions that support employee safety, community protection, and quicker disaster response and relief operations.
GeoRiskPH serves as the country’s central digital hub for hazard information, allowing users to conduct risk assessments anytime and anywhere at no cost. Since its approval in 2019, the platform has expanded into a growing ecosystem of tools.
HazardHunterPH provides multi-hazard assessments for individuals and organizations; GeoMapperPH supports collaborative data collection for the national exposure database; GeoAnalyticsPH translates complex data into maps and analyses for risk-informed planning; and PlanSmart integrates disaster rehabilitation, recovery planning, and land-use decision making into a single digital system.
According to PHIVOLCS Director Dr. Teresito C. Bacolcol, the initiative reflects a proactive approach to disaster risk reduction, equipping local government units, national agencies, and now the private sector with tools to protect communities more effectively. He added that SM’s adoption of the platform strengthens public confidence, showing that long-standing private partners are willing to ground their operations in scientific risk assessment.
The benefits are already tangible for SM’s financial institutions. China Banking Corporation Chief Sustainability Officer William Quesang highlighted how the tools allow banks to actively manage risk exposure instead of reacting after disasters occur, particularly when evaluating future branch locations and investments.
For a sector where stability and continuity are critical, science-backed foresight has become a strategic asset.
This collaboration builds on a broader relationship between SM and DOST. In 2024, the group signed a memorandum of understanding with the agency to explore cooperation in plastics management and wider sustainability initiatives, reinforcing the role of public–private partnerships in addressing environmental and climate challenges.
Beyond data and digital platforms, the SM Group continues to embed resilience into the physical spaces Filipinos use every day. Through its property arm, SM Prime, the group has advanced sustainable building design, with seven properties achieving LEED Gold certification under the globally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards.
Another portfolio investment, NEO, has integrated climate and disaster resilience into its developments in Bonifacio Global City, where seven green-certified buildings emphasize responsible construction and long-term environmental performance.
Together, these efforts paint a lifestyle story rooted not in luxury, but in foresight—one where shopping centers, offices, banks, and communities are designed with an awareness of the land they stand on and the risks they face. In embracing GeoRiskPH, SM and DOST are showing how technology, when shared and understood, can quietly shape a safer, more resilient everyday life for millions of Filipinos.