With the cooperation of lead coordinator United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), lead trainer DHL Group, in-country advocate Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), and the national civil aviation regulator Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the fourth Get Airports Ready for Disaster (GARD) Program in the Philippines was successfully completed at Laguindingan Airport from 25 to 27 July 2023.

The GARD Program is a global public-private partnership aimed at supporting airports in planning for their role as logistical hubs in the event of natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, fires, and landslides, as well as integrating the airport's role in national emergency plans.

The GARD Program was first launched in the Philippines in 2013 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City, with the second and third workshops being held at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in 2014 and at Clark International Airport (CRK) in 2022.

“CAAP is very proud and grateful to have Laguindingan Airport be the first CAAP airport to hold the workshop. CAAP has been coordinating with DHL on this workshop since 2016. Now, more than ever, we see the ever-growing importance of strengthening our airports' resilience to disasters. Our airports serve as gateways crucial to the delivery of people, goods, and services, especially during emergencies and natural disasters. In the future, we hope that exercises such as GARD can be echoed to other CAAP-operated airports around the country as well,” said CAAP Director General Captain Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo.