Philippines: Oxfam leads DRR and CCA forum

PIA Press release: 2010/08/13 by Nida Grace B. Tranquilan

Tandag, Surigao Del Sur - The Oxfam Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), a non-government international organization successfully conducted disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) forum held here recently participated by national line agencies, local government officials, and some representatives from different sectors.

Oxfam representative Ms Lyra Magalang during the forum said, Oxfam had been working in the Philippines since 1987, with the concept of improving disaster risk reduction knowledge management system to create a safer environmental men and women in vulnerable communities.

Ms Magalang also explained the similarities between Climate Change and DRR which according to her both aimed to reduce the impacts of shocks by anticipating risks and addressing vulnerabilities. However according to her, reducing the risk of weather extremes is a substantial component of managing climate risk and of the overlap between DRR and adaptation DRR therefore does not equal adaptation, and effective disaster risk reduction in a changing climate is more than business as usual.

On the other hand, OCD Regional Director Blanche Gobenciong, as one of the resource speakers explained the provisions of RA 10121, "An act strengthening the philippine disaster risk reduction and management system, providing for the national disaster risk reduction and management framework and institutionalizing the national disaster risk reduction and management plan".

Local officials & employees as well as the representative from different sectors had gathered important information regarding the'Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010".

The said forum was supported by the Provincial Government of Surigao del Sur headed by Governor Johnny Pimentel who shared its initiative counterpart to the program thru the office of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council.