LGUs, NGOs to sign pact for disaster preparedness

CEBU, Philippines - Local officials in Central Visayas will sign tomorrow a pledge of commitment to make their respective Local Government Unit resilient from disasters.

The signing up ceremonies will be led by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia along with the mayors of the component cities and municipalities of Cebu. The activity which has a theme “Making Cities Resilient: My City Is Getting Ready” is jointly organized by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter, Vice Mayors League of the Philippines, Province of Cebu, Senate, Office of the Civil Defense-Region 7, Plan International and the United Nation’s International Strategy for Disaster Reduction.

The signing will be done Thursday at the Capitol Social Hall.

Garcia, a founding signatory of the R20 (20 global regions proactive on climate change action), which was made in November 2010 in California USA with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, will address the event.

Senator Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Climate Change Committee and author of the Philippine Climate Change Act of 2009, is also expected to grace the event.

There will also be a presentation by PLAN International on practical actions and examples that can be undertaken to reduce risks to disasters in local government units in the Philippines. –  (FREEMAN)