Resilience programs mapped out for 8 vulnerable provinces

MANILA, Philippines — A meeting intended to formulate resilience programs and projects in the eight priority climate – vulnerable provinces will be held today at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) central office.

The eight priority provinces are Masbate, Sorsogon, Negros Oriental, Samar, Sarangani, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands. They are identified as vulnerable based on their high poverty incidence, high susceptibility to climate hazards and their being situated in critical watersheds.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, chair of the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCAM DRR), will lead the resiliency planning and convergence budgeting for the eight provinces at the DENR office.

“The meeting aims to discuss the climate vulnerabilities in the priority provinces, and reinforce government thrust for a more prudent and targeted spending by fostering collaboration among agencies in planning, budgeting and implementing priority resilience programs and projects in these provinces,” Cimatu said.

The Cabinet Cluster CCAM-DRR Roadmap for 2018 to 2022 aims to establish climate and disaster-resilient communities. By the year 2022, the CCAM DRR Cabinet Cluster anticipates the enhancement of climate and disaster-resilient communities in 19 climate vulnerable provinces and major urban centers Metro Manila, Cebu, Iloilo and Davao.

Expected to attend the meeting are governors of the eight climate vulnerable provinces and key officials of national government agencies, namely: Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Agriculture, and Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The national government agencies with the provincial governments are actively taking part in ensuring the achievement of these goals. The proposed Risk Resiliency Program key investment projects for 2020 are in the areas of community livelihood and enterprise continuity, integrated water resources management, enhancing coastal protection and climate information services.