Philippines: Cavite pilots mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction in development planning
Press Release
Calamba City, Laguna - As part of the process to develop the disaster risk reduction and management plan of the province, the provincial government of Cavite held a four-day seminar-workshop on mainstreaming disaster risk reduction (DRR) in development planning and capability development assessment on climate change adaptation (CCA) August 14-18 held at Hotel Kimberley, Tagaytay.
The seminar-workshop attended by planning officers from the different cities and municipalities in the province was a joint project of the provincial government, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), and the Climate Change Adaptation-Millennium Development Goal Fund.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Director Vicente F. Tomazar presented the highlights of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the DRRM Act and the national disaster risk reduction management framework during the seminar-workshop.
On the other hand, Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cavite Provincial Director Efren M. Echavia discussed the comprehensive development plan while NEDA Calabarzon EDS Donald James D. Gawe tackled the sub-national development guidelines in mainstreaming DRR for the provincial development and physical framework plan (PDPFP)
In addition, Cavite Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Jesus I. Barrera presented the Cavite development and physical framework plan emphasizing the 617 challenges and growth corridors identified by Cavite Gov. Juanito Victor C. Remulla, Jr.
Furthermore, Christine Joyce R. Betia and Kathleen DC. Melendrez, staff members of NEDA Calabarzon interacted with the participants on the basics of Quantum Geographic Information System (GIS), a free software desktop GIS application, for the participants’ familiarization. Betia showed how the maps generated from the software can aid the planning officers in disaster risk assessment (DRA) and characterization when preparing city/municipal DRA reports. Cavite also provided each municipality with a brand new Hewlett-Packard laptop to ensure the continued progress of DRAs.
Meanwhile, the provincial disaster risk assessment report formulated during the regional disaster risk assessment enhancement workshop held the week before in Kawit, Cavite were also presented to the participants. The planners were asked to review and validate the information written in the report with regards to their cities and municipalities. A representative from the Housing Land Use and Regulatory Board (HLURB) also presented the comprehensive land use plan to be considered and integrated in city/municipal DRA reports.
Before the seminar-workshop ended on the fourth day, Gov. Remulla, Jr. visited and commended the planning officers’ work as well as stressing the importance of mitigation plans to limit the disastrous effects of climate change. (Carlo P. Gonzaga, PIA-Calabarzon with report from Jezreel Belleza, RDC staff volunteer)