An ASEAN Standards and Certification for Experts in Disaster Management (ASCEND) Reference Group (ARG) Workshop was successfully held on 7-8 January 2025 in Quezon City, Philippines. Supported by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (ACKF), the workshop focused on refining the Standard Operating Procedure, reviewing the ASCEND Assessors Training Curriculum outline, and updating the ARG Terms of Reference, ensuring the continued improvements of the ASCEND Programme.
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for ASCEND certification was initially released in 2021 as part of the ASCEND Toolbox. Following various ASCEND activities including workshops, assessor trainings, and the first ASCEND Competency Assessment, valuable lessons emerged highlighting areas for improvement in the implementation process. As such, the ASCEND SOP requires a review to reflect the current certification system and processes.
The workshop also reviewed the ASCEND Assessors Training Curriculum outline, providing inputs for improvement. This will serve as the basis for updating the curriculum content for the next Training for ASCEND Competency Assessors. Lastly, the workshop briefly checked the updated ARG Terms of Reference to ensure that the composition and functions remain relevant to the programme’s upcoming initiatives.
The workshop was graced by ASEC Bernardo Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV, Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Administration of the OCD Philippines. In his opening remarks, he emphasized ASCEND Programme’s value for ASEAN. “The ASEAN Standards and Certification for Experts in Disaster Management, or ASCEND, has been a cornerstone initiative of the AADMER Work Programme 2021–2025, particularly under the ACDM Working Group on Global Leadership. This programme has proven invaluable to ASEAN Member States (AMS), providing competency standards for various disaster management professions and supporting AMS in establishing national qualification standards for disaster management, ensuring that our efforts remain aligned and robust,” he said.
Mr Andrew Mardanugraha, ASCEND Programme Coordinator, representing the AHA Centre, expressed his gratitude to the Office of Civil Defense for hosting the workshop. He reiterated the collaborative nature of the ASCEND programme, pointing out that its development and success have been shaped by the valuable contributions of a wide range of stakeholders. “Together, we have been able to shape ASCEND, nurturing it through iterations and continuous improvements, just like what we will do once again in this workshop. As we continue this ASCEND journey together, every contribution from each of us brings us one step closer to disaster management that combines humanity, quality, and professionalism,” he concluded.
Twenty-three (23) representatives from the ASCEND Reference Group and ASCEND Assessors from the different National Disaster Management Offices, ASEAN Secretariat, AADMER Partnership Group (APG) Member Organisations, UNOCHA, IFRC, and other AHA Centre partner organisations attended the workshop.
For more information about ASCEND, please visit https://ascend.ahacentre.org.
