NAYPYITAW, March 28 — To withstand potential future natural disasters, Acting President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has urged the mandatory integration of resilience and established standards—including strict adherence to Building Codes—into the construction of all new buildings, roads, and bridges.

The directive was the centerpiece of his address today at the Myanmar International Convention Centre (MICC-1) during a memorial and rehabilitation ceremony marking the one-year anniversary of the devastating 7.7 magnitude Mandalay earthquake.

The catastrophic tremor, which struck exactly a year ago on March 28, 2025, claimed 3,818 lives across 10 regions and states. In his speech, the Acting President noted that subsequent investigations revealed the majority of these fatalities were the direct result of collapsed structures that failed to meet engineering specifications and building regulations. Consequently, he issued a firm instruction to government departments, private sector engineers, architects, and developers to prioritize the systematic construction of safe, secure infrastructure for the public.

The earthquake inflicted severe economic damage, with total losses estimated at over 7,979 billion kyats and affecting more than 424,000 individuals. Amidst the crisis, Myanmar received a massive outpouring of international support. A total of 1,935 search and rescue personnel and 845 medical experts from 25 nations deployed to the affected zones.

The Head of State expressed his deep gratitude to both domestic and international rescue teams, highlighting that their courageous, collaborative efforts resulted in 653 people being rescued alive from the rubble.

Outlining the state's rehabilitation efforts, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing detailed that the government provided 1 million kyats in financial assistance to the families of each deceased victim. Furthermore, over 1,600 billion kyats were disbursed to support the injured and repair damaged housing. An additional 3,421.975 billion kyats from the National Disaster Management Fund was allocated for the reconstruction of public infrastructure, religious institutions, and cultural heritage sites. Currently, overall rehabilitation works are estimated to be 84% complete.

Citing the World Risk Index 2025, which ranks Myanmar sixth globally for disaster vulnerability, the Acting President underscored the urgent necessity of mainstreaming disaster management protocols across all sectors.

Concluding his address, he emphasized that government action alone is insufficient. Invoking the resilient spirit of "We are stronger, We are together"—which he credited for guiding the nation through the Covid-19 pandemic, Cyclone Mocha, and Cyclone Yagi—he called for unified cooperation between the state and the public to build a resilient and sustainably developed nation for the future.

Along with the Senior General, the ceremony was attended by Vice Chairman of the Commission Vice-Senior General Soe Win and other commission members. Also present in full attendance were ambassadors and diplomats from foreign countries that provided assistance during the earthquake, as well as representatives from domestic and international organizations, donors, and other contributors.