FILIPINO scientist and diplomat Glenn Banaguas was recently conferred the United Nations (UN) Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction, besting over 200 nominations worldwide — unprecedented in the award's 35-year history.

The award has been bestowed upon institutions, groups and individuals that promoted inclusive and resilient approaches to disaster risk reduction in line with the UN's Sendai Framework. With the theme, 'Building resilience through a multi-hazard approach,' the 2022 Sasakawa Awards continued to recognize the heightened global need to address disaster risks in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.