Aquino urged to include LGUs, ensure public financing in NCCAP implementation

BUDGET activists welcomed Pres. Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III’s recent approval of the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) which will serve as the country’s roadmap in the fight against climate change.

Roland Cabigas, managing director of the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) however said, Pres. Aquino, the concurrent chairman of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje, his alter-ego in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) should be able to forge and strengthen partnership with local government units (LGUs) and other stakeholders, including the private sector, nongovernment organizations, people’s organizations, church and basic subsectors, for the successful implementation of NCCAP.

The NCCAP was drafted by CCC after a series of consultation with various stakeholders.

With Pres. Aquino’s approval of NCCAP, it will now be implemented by various government agencies led by the DENR. The DENR secretary is the chairman of the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change.

Cabigas said Pres. Aquino should make sure that these courses of action to be undertaken by the government as part of NCCAP should help strengthen the country’s adaptive capacities and resiliency to extreme weather events such as excessive rains or long season of droughts; super typhoons, flashfloods, landslides, storm surges, or even earthquakes.

He said it should be properly funded by the government, so that it will not just be another unfunded mandates which have yet to be fully implemented because of lack of fund.

According to Cabigas, the CCC led by Aquino and Vice Chairman Lucille Sering, who coordinates all adaptation and mitigation measures of the government as well as other private sector-partners and the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change led by Paje should formulate mechanism on its localization for adoption by LGUs.

Cabigas said there should be a clear guideline on how the plan will be implemented at the local level by concerned LGUs, who are looking forward to being a part of NCCAP’s implementation in their respective localities.

La liga, a development policy research and advocacy nongovernment organization, is pushing for a more “climate sensitive” National budget for 2012 and is seeking an increase of P17.3 billion for the environment and natural resources sector over and above Malacanang’s budget proposals.

The convening organization of the Alternative Budget Initiative – Environment Cluster and the Caucus to Green the MTPDP, La Liga has also tagged a total of P100 billion potential climate change funds in the 2011 budget, which the government should be able to use appropriately to implement various disaster risk reduction and management plans and strengthen the country’s resiliency to natural disasters.

Cabigas said LGUs are in the best position to identify programs and projects, and take courses of action, that will address the woes of the highly at-risk and vulnerable sectors to the adverse impacts of climate change.

“While some LGUs have recognized the need to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in their local development plans, it is important that their various initiatives will get the much-needed boost from the national government in terms of programs, plans and more importantly, budget,” Cabigas said.

He noted that LGUs in the town of Pangasinan, namely Alaminos City, Bani, Burgos, and Dasol, have already taken steps to institutionalize funding for DRR and climate change adaptation measures through their integration in the annual investment plans (AIPs), most LGUs still lack the financial resources to be able to respond to the challenges of intensifying typhoons that perennially cause loss of lives, property and livelihood, not to mention massive destruction of farms that affect the poorest of the poor.

During their 3rd Philippine Cities Global Convention and Exposition held at the Resorts World early this month, the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) declared support behind the DENR’S “Adaptayo Campaign: Our Nation’s Call for Climate Change Adaptation.”

In its declaration, the LCP said the climate crisis necessitates that climate change adaptation must be integrated as a key element in local development plans and programs.

It also called on the 122-member cities to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the local development plans.

The initiative, Cabigas said, should be complemented by the national government by including the LGUs in identifying specific courses of action leading to successful implementation of the NCCAP.

“The LGUs are at the frontline of the war against hunger and poverty, both of which depends heavily on the resiliency and adaptive capacity of local communities to the perennial problems brought about by intensifying typhoons and flashfloods that is severely affecting local economic development,” Cabigas said.

La Liga believes that the NCCAP, being the country’s roadmap to fighting climate change woes should promote inclusive growth, adequately funded, and accessible to the most vulnerable LGUs that needs them most.

DENR’s ‘ADAPTAYO’ campaign against ‘climate change’ gets boost

Center L-R, City Mayors: Lina Montilla,Tacurong City; Linda Gonzalez, Ligao City; Arlene Nazareno, Sta. Rosa City; Oscar Rodriguez, San Fernando City, LCP President; Karen Villanueva, Bais City; Hernani Braganza,  Alaminos City, LCP Secretary General; Jose Montelibano, Silay City.

Back L-R, City Mayors: Evelyn Uy, Dipolog City; Joaquin Chipeco, Calamba City; Ernesto Matugas, Surigao City; James Gordon, Olongapo City; Aniano Antalan, Samal City; Librado Navarro, Bislig City; Evelio Leonardia, Bacolod City; Eric Codilla, Ormoc City; Jonas Cortez, Mandaue City; Sherwin Gatchalian, Valenzuela City; Romeo Ramos, Cavite City; Roland Cabigas, La Liga Policy Institute; Usec. Ana Rebuelta-Teh, DENR; Philip Tan, Tangub City.

————————————————-

SUPPORT continues to pour behind the ‘ADAPTAYO’ campaign of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Recognizing the adverse impact of climate change to local economic development, the 122-member strong League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) on Friday declared support behind the DENR’s call for climate change adaptation to help strengthen the country’s resiliency to natural disasters triggered by “climate change.”

In a Convention Declaration, the LCP has vowed to adopt and support the DENR’s “ADAPTAYO” Campaign: Our Nation’s Call for Climate Change Adaptation during the 3rd Philippine Cities Global Convention and Exposition held from November 17 – 19, 2011 at the Resorts World Manila, Pasay City.

ADAPTAYO is an information, education and communication campaign project of the DENR within its United Nations MDGF1656 Project implemented in partnership with the La Liga Policy Institute.

With the theme: “Bridging Cities, Transforming Lives” the three-day event, participated in by 1,000 representatives from Philippine cities and international guests, aims to empower cities for green and sustainable development.

DENR Undersecretary Anna Teh, speaking before participants of the event underscored the need for pro-active approach to addressing the impacts of climate change.

She said cities, being engines of growth, should be able to hurdle the stumbling blocks posed by intensifying typhoons, massive flashfloods and even landslides or long season of drought, to ensure sustainable growth and development that will benefit the people.

Teh lauded the LCP for seriously taking into consideration climate change and its impacts to highly-at risk and vulnerable communities.

“Climate change is becoming more apparent and tangible and the devastating impacts, especially to cities and urban center, are increasing in frequency and magnitude. We need to address this challenge to ensure local economic development,” Alaminos City Mayor and LCP Secretary General Hernani A. Braganza meanwhile said.

“As part of the strategy to promote local economic development, LCP believes that climate crisis necessitates the integration of climate change adaptation as a key element in local development planning,” Mayor. Braganza added.

During the “knowledge-sharing” event, experts on climate change adaptation and disaster resiliency such as the City of Yokohama’s Inernational Policy Bureau through Mr. Shiro Hamano will share the initiatives of Yokohama City to enhance their city’s resiliency with regard to earthquakes.
La Liga, a development policy and research non-government organization is taking part in the cities convention disseminating ADAPTAYO campaign materials and collaterals as part of the exposition which features the best practices and products of participating cities.

La Liga promotes disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, as part of its environment and budget advocacies, noting that the Philippines, being one of the highly vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, needs to prepare itself for the worst kinds of disasters, Roland Cabigas, Managing Director of La Liga said.

ECOP, La Liga partners for climate change ‘adaptation’ info drive

THE La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) and the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) recently forged ties to push for the integration and enhancement of climate change adaptation measures among ECOP’s network of business partners.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between La Liga managing director Roland Cabigas and ECOP President Edgardo Lacson, in connection with the implementation of “Adaptayo” project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

La Liga, a development policy research and advocacy nongovernment organization, was contracted by the DENR to provide technical assistance in implementing Outcome 2 of the Millennium Development Goal-Fund 1656 Joint Program on Strengthening Philippine Institutional Capacity to Climate Change.

‘Adaptayo,’ an information, education, communication and advocacy campaign under the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDGF), aims to promote better awareness and understanding among Filipinos on the threats and adverse impacts of climate change.

La Liga and ECOP, a national organization of the business sector, will jointly conduct a series of roundtable discussions this month as part of the “Adaptayo” advocacy campaign, which aims to increase the level of awareness about climate change and adaptation among policy makers, local executives and other stakeholders, including the private sector and citizens’ groups.

The first of a series of roundtable discussions on “Climate Change and Technology” is scheduled to take place on October 7, 2011 in ECOP’s office in Makati City. This will be followed by the RTD on Climate Change, Human Resource and Employment on October 12 also to be held at ECOP’s office. These will culminate on the final RTD on Corporate Response to Climate Change Adaptation on October 27 to be held at the Oasis Hotel in Clark Pampanga.

“Through the series of RTDs, we hope to get the business sector’s support and commitment to enhancing the country’s adaptive capacity to climate change, recognizing the important contribution and role of the private sector in implementing climate adaptation plans and programs,” Cabigas said.

The series of RTDs will highlight the threats of climate change to the Philippines, being one of the most highly vulnerable developing countries to the adverse impacts of extreme weather events such as super typhoons, flashfloods, landslides, and even long season of drought that is now being strongly felt by the poorest of the poor.

“The recent spate of disasters brought by Pedring and Quiel highlights the need for our country to adapt to climate change, La Liga therefore joins the nation’s call, Kasali Ako! AdapTayo!”. Cabigas said.

“Disasters and severe weather and climatic events are bad for business. ECOP therefore believes that climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction make good business sense. While there are existing initiatives of the business sector around these concerns, more partnerships starting from the AdapTayo call must be pursued for more concerted efforts by all stakeholders” Lacson said.

Group tags P100 Billion ‘climate change-related’ funds in 2012 budget

A total of P100 Billion has been tagged by budget activists in the 2012 National Expenditure Program as potential climate change-related funds which can be used to strengthen the country’s institutional capacity to adapt to climate change next year.

Jonathan Ronquillo, environment campaigner of the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) said the total amount was tagged from different budget line items across 14 different departments, agencies and bureaus with climate change mandates.

The group believes that such budget should be released on time, and used according to their purpose, to strengthen the country’s adaptive and coping capacity to the worse type of natural and man-made disasters.

“Tagging the climate change-related fund in the annual appropriation gives citizens organizations and national line agencies a guide and handle as to how much funds can be tapped or be made available in the NEP for allocation that will finance the implementation of the National Climate Change Action Plan,” Ronquillo explained.

The group issued the statement as typhoon “Pedring” wrought havoc last week.

According to Ronquillo, the budget tagged by the group provides an important indicator for local government units (LGUs) to understand how much funds for climate change initiatives and programs are allocated in the 2012 NEP, which they can maximize as possible sources to co-finance LGU-initiated local environment projects.

For DRR, the group tagged a total of P143.6; P 15.58B for Sustainable Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; P759.27 Million for Renewable Energy; P9.36 Billion for Clean and Green Industrial Technology; P1 Billion for contingency and P36 Billion from the impounded budget or unreleased fund representing 2010 and 2011.

Ronquillo explained that Climate change mandates include plans, programs and activities related to various adaptation and mitigation measures, including disaster risk reduction.

According to Ronquillo, La Liga, after a thorough research was able to identify these budget line items that are included in the NEP submitted by Malacanang to Congress for 2012.

“If properly utilized, this budget can be an instrument in strategically addressing the vulnerability of the Philippines to disasters, especially when the country is faced with the worse impacts of climate change,” Ronquillo pointed out.

La Liga, the convening organization of the Environment Cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) and Caucus to Green the MTPDP started budget-tagging last year, to determine a basic baseline on public finance for climate change.

According to Ronquillo, the “tagging” was also adopted by the Climate Change Commission (CCC) in determining the level of government-led climate financing in the processes to develop the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP). (La Liga Policy Institute)

La Liga urged Budget Secretary Butch Abad and Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje, who is also the head of the cabinet cluster on climate change, as well as Secretary Lucille Sering of the Climate Change Commission (CCC), the over-all coordinating body when it comes to climate change, to initiate coordination efforts to ensure the accountability of climate change-related funds and ensure participation of, and cooperation with citizens groups for climate change budget execution, monitoring and tracking.

DENR, La Liga Policy Institute to promote ‘localized’ climate change adaptation

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in partnership with the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga), will hold a series of dialogue with various stakeholders to help strengthen the country’s institutional capacity to adapt to climate change.

‘Adaptayo,’ an information, education, communication and advocacy campaign funded by the United Nations through the Millennium Development Goals Fund (MDGF) aims to promote better awareness and understanding among Filipinos of the threats and adverse impacts of climate change.

Essentially, the campaign aims to elevate actions on climate change mitigation to adaptation with the end-goal of creating climate change-resilient Philippine societies.

La Liga, a development policy research and advocacy nongovernment organization is the convening organization of the Environment Cluster of the internationally recognized Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI).

The group is also one of the conveners of Caucus to Green the MTPDP, a loose alliance of environmental groups and organic farming advocates to promote a low-carbon development path for the Philippines through the General Appropriations Act and the MTPDP.

“Climate change is not the cause of the problem rather it is the result of the problem,” Roland Cabigas, managing director of La Liga said, adding that through the project, the DENR and La Liga hope to integrate climate change in key national and local development plans and processes, enhance national and local capacities to develop, manage and administer initiatives addressing climate change risks, and boost the people’s coping mechanism to climate change.

“Climate change is a serious threat to the lives and resources of individuals and communities. In order to survive, people urgently need to adapt to the risks brought about by climate change,” Cabigas added.

According to Cabigas, in promoting better awareness and understanding of the threats and adverse impact of climate change on people’s lives and resources, behavioral change and appreciation of the options the people may have in order to adapt to climate change will be generated.

Such awareness, according to Cabigas, will be more useful if translated into action.

Mainly, Cabigas said the purpose of the project is to increase the level of awareness of climate change adaptation among national policy makers, local executives and other critical stakeholders including the private sector and citizens’ groups.

A series of dialogues will be conducted with local officials to discuss vulnerability and climate change scenarios as developed and previously presented by experts and climate authorities.

There will also be round table discussions with the private sector to identify possible areas of cooperation in support of ‘Adaptayo’ as well as lectures in select colleges and universities in Ifugao, Albay, Sorsogon and Agusan del Norte, about climate change and its impacts to people and resources.

Lawmakers asked to mainstream climate change in 2012 National budget

Additional P7 billion sought for CCA, DRR

BUDGET activists are urging members of the House of Representatives (HOR) to ‘mainstream’ climate change in the 2012 National budget to enhance the country’s adaptive capacity to natural calamities and disasters.

Speaking before the members of the House of Representatives committee on appropriations during a budget hearing on Monday, Roland Cabigas, managing director of the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) said an additional budget of P 7 billion, over and above Malacanang’s proposed P1.816 Trillion budget for next year’s government operation, is necessary for the country to be better prepared against intensifying typhoons and prevent disasters as a result of flashfloods and landslides.

Among those present during the budget hearing were Cavite 1st District Representative Joseph Emilio A. Abaya, its chairman, Cebu City 2nd District Rep. Tomas Osmena, its vice chairman, and committee members that include Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Arthur R. Defensor, Jr.; Pasay City lone Rep. Imelda G. Calixto-Rubiano; Kabataan Party-List Rep. Raymond D. Palatino; Bataan 2nd District Rep. Albert Raymond S. Garcia; Makati City 1st District Rep. Monique Monique Yazmin Q. Lagdameo; San Juan lone district Rep. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito, Coop-Natcco Network Party-List Cresente C. Paez; Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro T. Ungab; and Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep.
Thelma Z. Almario.

The members of the appropriations committee invited members of the Alternative Budget Initiative and La Liga to present their alternative budget proposal as part of the budget process in the HOR.

La Liga has been engaging the executive and legislative branches of government for the last five years, proposing a budget from the perspective of citizens’ groups during the annual budget processes.

During the hearing, Cabigas said members of Congress have the opportunity to prove that the government is serious in enhancing the country’s resiliency to natural calamities at the same time enhancing its adaptive capacity to climate change by maximizing the use of increasing but still limited resources towards mainstreaming a climate-sensitive National budget starting next year.

La Liga, a development policy research and nongovernment organization is the convening organization of the Environment Cluster of the internationally-recognized Alternative Budget Initiative led by Social Watch Philippines.

Also the convening organization of the “Caucus to Green the MTPDP”, a loose alliance of environmental groups and organic farming advocates, La Liga presented its alternative budget proposal along with Social Watch Philippines led by its lead convener, UP Professor Leonor Magtolis-Briones, to members of the committee, underscoring the need for a more climate-sensitive budget measure.

Cabigas said the group’s alternative budget proposal should be integrated in the 2012 National budget, specifically, for disaster risk reduction and management amounting to P1.4 billion for the Office of the Civil Defense as mandated by the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, the operational funds of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) for the national and local adaptation planning processes and awareness raising actions; and rehabilitation of the Marikina Watershed.

The group is also seeking a P1.4 billion budget for biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry that includes climate adaptation actions including training on climate resilient crops and assistance to farms damaged by extreme weather events; promotion of organic agriculture; vulnerability and adaptation assessments; community-based coastal resource management programs; community-based forest management; soil conservation and management; protected areas and wildlife management; and rehabilitation of critical bays and gulfs.

For clean and green technologies, the group is also proposing P2 billion for industry, energy and emerging technology research and development; research and development on green transportation and development of public-private partnership investments in green technologies, products and services;

In support of the recently-passed Renewable Energy (RE) law, the group is proposing an additional budget of P1 billion for new and renewable energy systems that includes a trust fund for renewable energy as mandated by Renewable Energy Act of 2008; the operational requirements of the Renewable Energy Management Bureau to coordinate implementation of RE Act; and research and development on off grid renewable energy systems.

Meanwhile, to help address the looming garbage crisis and prevent environmental catastrophe, the group is eyeing an additional budget of P180 million for ecological solid waste management that includes the implementation of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, the Clean Water Act of 2004; information, education and communication on waste reduction, segregation and composting to include campaign on reusable bags, a toxics inventory and “zero waste” national and regional summits for private and public schools.

“At the national level, we must clearly get our act together in making coherent programs, plans and budgets, Cabigas said, as he underscored the fact that there is not much to expect from existing climate financing mechanisms.

“Very limited new money is being committed by developed countries and these are mostly for mitigation, when developing countries such as the Philippines are in dire need for adaptation money. Considering the trends on existing climate financing mechanism, it is apparent that we are on our own in financing actions to enhance our resiliency and build our adaptive capacity to climate change,” he said.

For his part, Jonathan Ronquillo, environment campaigner of La Liga said processes of other national sectoral or thematic plans, such as the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (NCCAP), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Mangement Plan (NDRRMP) and the National Renewable Energy Plan (NREP) are still on-going and their approval are still pending.

“It is still unclear how these will be integrated and form part of the priorities of the Philippine Development Plan,” he said.

Clearly, he said climate change and disaster risk reduction are not among the priorities in the 2011 GAA, even though there are substantial increases in relevant items in the 2012 NEP, it remains unclear what plan governs and integrates them considering such budgets are lodged across several departments.

“Clearly at the national level, there is CC and DRR related plans, programs and funds. The challenge now is how to harmonize these towards a common objective of enhancing resilience and building the adaptive capacity of the country,” he stressed.

They said the Philippines is experiencing more typhoons, floods, land and mudslides and even thrash slides, which only calls for urgent actions on CCA and DRR also at the local (LGU) level.

“The plans, programs and funds developed at the national level will only have a substantial effect and impact once these are made available and implemented at the local level. Resource-poor rural sectors are the most vulnerable to CC and the increasing spate of disasters aggravates the plight of communities that are “at-risk” and other vulnerable sectors,” Ronquillo said, citing alone the damages to agriculture brought about by the recent typhoon that totaled. P1.3 billion as of August 30.

Such devastating typhoons, he said, highlights the urgent need for the national government to provide programmatic support and assistance while enhancing the LGU’s capacity for CC and DRR integrative local development planning.

LGUs, he said, must also be empowered to organize resource-based LGU cluster alliances to meet the ideal scale for “effective, replicable and sustainable” CC and DRR initiatives at the local levels.

LGUs urged to integrate CCA, DRR in annual investment plan

THE La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) supports calls for local government units (LGUs) to integrate climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction plans in the annual investment plan to enhance their resilience against the worst impacts of climate change.

Jonathan Ronquillo, environment campaigner of La Liga said institutionalizing support in terms of policy, programs and funding, through the integration of specific climate change adaptation and mitigation measures as well as disaster risk reduction plan in the annual investment plan will promote disaster-ready cities and communities.

Ronquillo issued the statement in support of the call made by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje who earlier urged LGUs to integrate CCA and DRR in the AIP of LGUs as he turns over a six-wheeler truck and 5,000 board feet of seized lumber to the provincial government of Albay to boost its rehabilitation and reconstruction effort in the province following the devastation it suffered from typhoon “Juaning”.

The call was timely, Ronquillo noted, as LGUs are currently in the process of crafting their AIPs, which highlights the local budget processes.

Last week, the League of Cities of the Philippines through Alaminos City Mayor Hernani A. Braganza, its secretary general, revealed that the LCP, as a major output of its recent General Assembly came up with a resolution recognizing CCA and DRR as key development issues that need to be addressed and mainstreamed in local development planning processes.

The resolution also calls for the integration of CCA and DRR in the annual investment plans of key cities and LCP being an engine of green growth should form LGU cluster alliances to enhance their individual and collective capacities to cope with disasters.

Braganza, speaking before local legislators during the First Summit of City Councilors of the Philippine Councilors League held in Baguio Convention Center, Baguio City, highlighted the need to prepare for the devastating effects of typhoons, such as “Cosme” and “Emong” that wrought havoc in Alaminos City.

“These kinds of disasters are bad for business, it hampers delivery of social services on health and education, and aggravates the plight of vulnerable and poor sectors and destroys critical infrastructure,” Braganza stressed.

According to Braganza, in response to such disaster, the Alaminos City LGU invested in the “3 P’s” or policies, programs and projects on CCA and DRR, by ensuring environmental sustainability, reducing risks and vulnerabilities, providing quick response for rescue, relief and rehabilitation when disaster strikes, thus sustaining local economic development.

“These localized, mainstreamed and institutionalized CCA and DRR actions should be on the basis of “what and where” they mattered most,” Ronquillo stressed.

According to Ronquillo, in dealing with the worst impacts of climate change, the Philippines should “engage globally, but think locally” by focusing more on how to adapt to the devastating effects of natural disasters such as flashfloods and landslides, and plan strategically but act with dispatch to ensure sustainable growth and development.

‘Prioritize rehabilitation of Marikina watershed’ – La Liga Policy Institute

THE La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) is urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to step up reforestation of critical watersheds in the country to prevent disasters brought about by geological hazards such flashfloods and landslides.

In particular, La Liga managing director Roland Cabigas said priority should be given for the rehabilitation of the Marikina Watershed to enhance the natural protection it provides to low-lying areas that are at risk of being submerged by floodwater or buried underneath tons of soil and mud in the event of flood, landslide or mudslide.

Cabigas issued the appeal as the DENR steps up the implementation of the National Greening Program (NGP) which aims to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares of open, denuded and degraded forests within the next six years.

For 2012, the DENR was given a budget of P4.9 billion to implement the program. The amount is roughly 29% of the DENR’s total budget of P16.9 billion. With the budget for the program, 77 million trees are to be planted in 150,000 hectares.

According to Cabigas, the Marikina Watershed is in critical condition because of the rapid rate of deforestation and the failure to initiate an effective reforestation program.

Of the 33,000-hectare Marikina Watershed, only 22 per cent remains covered with trees and forest vegetation.

“The Marikina River is heavily silted because of the rapid deforestation of what is supposed to be a protected area. The siltation of the Marikina River is being blamed as the reason why the river easily overflows and cause severe flooding. This situation endangers the lives of tens of thousands of people living in low-lying areas in Rizal and Metro Manila,” Cabigas stressed.

According to Cabigas, the rehabilitation of the Marikina Watershed is long overdue and it is high time that the DENR gives it the much needed attention.

“The DENR which has the financial capacity to fund its rehabilitation should recognize the urgency of the situation,” he said.

The Alliance of Seven LGUs or A7, composed of Marikina, Pasig, Antipolo and Quezon City, the Municipalities of Cainta, Rodriguez and San Mateo, has partnered with RESILIENCE and La Liga to boost the resilience of the LGUs through disaster prevention in times of natural calamities such as typhoons that trigger flashfloods.
The said areas were among the worst affected by Ondoy and Pepeng in the last quarter of 2009.

As part of its preparation for the worst impacts of climate change, the A7-RESILIENCE 2011-2013 Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Program was recently launched, as part of the climate change adaptation and mitigation measure identified by various stakeholders.

The program is a two-year, P35-billion budget, DRR plan developed jointly by the A7 technical working group representing LGU members of the alliance and Resilience, in partnership with La Liga to enhance the individual and collective capacities of A7 member-LGUs in dealing with natural calamities.

It was approved by A7 member-LGUs led by the local chief executives for adoption and mainstreaming into the DRR and management plans of individual A7 member -cities and municipalities and will be presented to Pres. Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, hoping to get funding support for its effective implementation.

The DRR and management program has five major components including establishment of the A7 DRR baseline detailing the vulnerabilities and risk as well as the capacities and needs for an effective DRR management; establishment of an A7-wide integrated early warning and command system; rehabilitation and reforestation the Marikina Watershed; identify communities at risk and develop in-city and inter-LGU resettlement and relocation measures; and identify and construct DRR-informed and effective infrastructure projects.

“This comprehensive program aims to reduce the risks and better manage the vulnerabilities of the A7 communities to inherent disasters and hazards in their areas such as floods, landslides and earthquakes. It combines upstream and downstream interventions to address the hazards and risks. Ultimately, this program endeavors to contribute to President Aquino’s commitment of providing safer, highly adaptive and more resilient communities and cities,” Cabigas said.

‘A7-Resilience’ DRR and management program ok’d

The Alliance of Seven LGUs (A7) and Resilience: Nurturing Disaster-Ready Cities and Communities on Friday launched the A7-Resilience 2011-2013 Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Program as part of its climate change adaptation and mitigation measure.

The program is a two-year, P35-billion budget, DRR plan developed jointly by the A7 technical working group representing LGU members of the alliance and Resilience, in partnership with the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) to enhance the individual and collective capacities of A7 member-LGUs in dealing with natural calamities.

It was approved by A7 member-LGUs led by the local chief executives for adoption and mainstreaming into the DRR and management plans of individual A7 member -cities and municipalities and will be presented to Pres. Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, hoping to get funding support for its effective implementation.

So far, approximately P4 billion of the program’s total budget requirement has been committed by members of the alliance.

Marikina City Mayor del De Guzman said through the program, members of A7 hopes to become more resilient to natural calamities, such as flood triggered by intensifying typhoons, landslides or even earthquake.

“We have learned our lesson from ‘Ondoy’ and we are not waiting for another tragedy to strike us hard when we are starting to recover and stand back on our feet.

He noted that during the typhoon “Falcon”, Marikina City which was severely devastated by Ondoy, was able to evacuate families from low-lying areas to safety which he attributed to the DRR and management plan developed by the city in partnership with various stakeholders.

The Marikina River overflowed because of the heavy downpour but because of various DRR and management initiatives, all members of A7 reported “zero casualty.”

The DRR and management program has five major components including establishment of the A7 DRR baseline detailing the vulnerabilities and risk as well as the capacities and needs for an effective DRR management; establishment of an A7-wide integrated early warning and command system; rehabilitation and reforestation the Marikina Watershed; identify communities at risk and develop in-city and inter-LGU resettlement and relocation measures; and identify and construct DRR-informed and effective infrastructure projects.

Horacio “Boy” Morales, lead convenor of RESILIENCE and President of La Liga said after typhoon “Ondoy” severely struck Metro Manila in September 2009, LGUs and citizens’ groups within the Marikina Watershed realized that a more coordinated and integrated response to disasters was urgently needed.

The tragedy that caused massive destruction of properties and loss of lives led to the formation of A7 in 2010, an inter-local cooperation and partnership among the local government units of Marikina, Pasig, Antipolo and Quezon City, the Municipalities of Cainta, Rodriguez and San Mateo.

During such time, A7’s partner citizens’ organization was also organized under Resilience composed of the La Liga Policy Institute, Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, Education for Life Foundation, H.R. Morales Management and Consulting Corp., Convergence for Community-Centered Area Development and the Development Academy of the Philippines.

“A7-RESILIENCE partnership started the process of mainstreaming disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) in the development planning and budgeting processes of A7 LGUs,” he said.

However, recognizing that effective DRR and Climate Change Action require inter-LGU cooperation, A7 and RESILIENCE conducted a series of planning workshops to formulate an A7-Wide DRR Program.

“This comprehensive program aims to reduce the risks and better manage the vulnerabilities of the A7 communities to inherent disasters and hazards in their areas such as floods, landslides and earthquakes. It combines upstream and downstream interventions to address the hazards and risks. Ultimately, this program endeavors to contribute to President Aquino’s commitment of providing safer, highly adaptive and more resilient communities and cities,” La Liga managing director Roland Cabigas said.

Cabigas said the program comes at a time when typhoons comparable to Ondoy are becoming more apparent, citing the devastation wrought by typhoons “Chedeng” and “Falcon” which also triggered alarming flood.

P’Noy asked to release early P32.1 B DRR funds to ‘highly at risk’ LGUs

Pres. Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III was asked on Wednesday to order the release of some P32.1 billion funds related to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) to make highly vulnerable cities and communities more resilient to disasters and climate change.

As the highest official of the land, Pres. Aquino can make disaster risk reduction and management on top of his priority list starting with the release of such funds.  These funds from various departments and agencies should be made available early within this year since these are part of the approved 2011 National budget.

The call was made by RESILIENCE: Nurturing Disaster-Ready Cities and Communities and the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) following the 2nd workshop for an integrated DRR plan conducted by the Alliance of Seven LGUs (A7) held in Antipolo City recently.

The workshop happened days before Tropical Storm “Falcon” caused massive flooding in Luzon, including Metro Manila and some parts of Visayas and Mindanao.

Tropical depression “Falcon”, the sixth weather disturbance this year, left three people dead and 18 others missing.  The Philippines experiences an average of 18 to 20 typhoons in a year.

A7, composed of Marikina, Pasig, Antipolo and Quezon City, the Municipalities of Cainta, Rodriguez and San Mateo, has partnered with RESILIENCE and La Liga to boost the resilience of the LGUs through disaster prevention in times of natural calamities such as typhoons that trigger flashfloods.

As part of its climate-sensitive budget advocacy, La Liga identified available funds in the 2011 National Budget that can be tapped by LGUs for disaster risk reduction programs.  For disaster vulnerabilities, capacities and needs assessment, the groups have listed down programs with total funds of P5.7 billion from which the A7 can seek funding support; P16.2 billion for early warning systems and disaster contingency planning, P5.8 billion for reforestation and sustainable agriculture; and P4.4 billion for resettlement.

Such funds can be sourced from the 2011 budgets of key national line agencies namely Climate Change Commission under the Office of the President, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Low-lying areas of A7 member-LGUs were not spared from the wrath of “Falcon” but the damage was very minimal, which some quarters say, is because of the preparations made by the local officials after the September 26, 2009 onslaught of the tropical storm “Ondoy.”

Horacio “Boy” Morales, president of RESILIENCE said that since A7 member-LGUs are already aware of the critical role of DRR, they were quick to respond to the situation during the heavy downpour over the past three days that caused severe flooding in low-lying areas of Metro Manila and some parts of Luzon, thereby preventing tragic loss of lives.

Morales said “Falcon”, a tropical storm as classified by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) did not even made landfall yet the flooding experienced in highly vulnerable areas are so severe that many families had to be rescued and brought to higher grounds for their safety.

 “We should be more prepared for the next deluge.  We must be ready to deal with more intensifying typhoons and more disastrous floods such as the ones triggered by Ondoy. The key to effective DRR is updated and reliable risk and hazard information, integration of national and LGU plans and predictable financing in order to enhance the adaptive capacity and increase the resilience of LGUs and communities,” Morales said.

Roland Cabigas, managing director of La Liga said the recent flooding demonstrated the vulnerability of resource-poor LGUs in coping with the situation.

During typhoons, Cabigas said emergency evacuation of people living in low-lying areas is crucial in preventing tragic loss of lives. “As we anticipate more typhoons, these DRR interventions will further strain the already dwindling resources of LGUs that may eventually lead to LGUs not having the resources to conduct such critical operations,” he said.

 “This highlights the need for an effective and integrated DRR plan that will make cities and municipalities more resilient and able to reduce and manage the risks of disasters such as floods. While LGUs are currently allocating actual funds for DRR, the national government must complement these by releasing the allocated funds for DRR on time and without further delay.”