LGUs urged: Revisit dev’t plans

CEBU, Philippines – The national government has decided to step in and walk through with local government units in revisiting development plans to make it attuned with the thrust of climate change adaptation and mitigation.

In a media workshop for Visayas journalists held in Cebu yesterday, Climate Change Commission vice chairman Secretary Lucille Sering bared that Cebu and the Visayas region is a vital area as far as the commission's advocacy is concerned.

"Visayas is an important region. Cebu is second most important metropolis next to Metro Manila. While the commitment of the LGU is there, they should look into their vulnerabilities such as having only one airport. They should start looking if the main entry of transport to Cebu is declared as a safe area," Sering told the workshop participants from regions 6, 7, and 8.

The CCC secretary said a joint memorandum circular by the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Interior and Local Government, and Climate Change Commission was signed three weeks ago.

Under the joint circular, local government units and government agencies are required to create climate change activities as part of their annual budget.

These include formulating Comprehensive Land Use Plan, Comprehensive Development Plan, Local Climate Change Action Plan, Zoning Ordinance, among others.

The national government will shell out P1 billion for these efforts, under the People's Survival Fund.

"We recognize their weakness and use the fund to capacitate local government units," Sering said.

These efforts will be implemented starting 2015.

The media workshop yesterday held at the Bayfront Hotel was spearheaded by the Climate Change Commission in partnership with Philippine Network of Environment Journalists.  — /FPL (FREEMAN)