RP, Sweden study further areas of cooperation on environment

Further cooperation possibilities on environment and natural resources management were identified by members of a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) study mission sent to Sweden on June 9-16.

The following areas were discussed for implementation in the Philippines with Sweden’s support: pilot implementation of coastal hazards management (CHM) in a selected region, integration of CHM into the coastal resource management (CRM) planning in selected municipalities/barangay; training on fire management and disaster management; training on crisis management for executives; cooperation in addressing coastal inundation in relation to climate change mitigation; and impact evaluation of SIDA-assisted training programs.

SSPA Sweden AB and Swedish International Cooperation Agency (SIDA) said Sweden’s focus of attendance would also include solid waste management and water management.

These possible areas for cooperation are significant considering that the Philippines’ capability on risk mitigation brought about by natural disasters like landslides, floods, typhoons and oil spill, is inadequate. Sweden will be of great help considering that it has a decision-making tool called IBERO, for improving crisis/disaster management ability. This tool is used in assessing existing capacities of municipalities in addressing a disaster before, during and after its occurrence.

The study mission all from the DENR, was composed of regional executive director Ernesto Adobo, director Adeluisa G. Siapno, Robert Jara, Conrado A. Bravante, Jr., and Lucena Mercado. The mission is the third part of the coastal hazards management program that the DENR is implementing in coordination with SSPA Sweden AB, an independent consulting firm engaged by SIDA. Its purpose was to meet with Swedish authorities and official representatives on local, regional and national levels, responsible and involved in emergency preparedness, long term planning and preparation related to coastal hazards prevention and management under Swedish conditions. It was also seen as a follow up of the national and local workshops on coastal hazards management conducted by SSPA Sweden AB in Batangas and Guimaras Island, and Southern Leyte in October 2006 and February 2007, respectively.