House to hold flood, disaster preparedness summit

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives is scheduled to hold a flood and disaster preparedness summit for Metro Manila this week to hasten and coordinate government and private sectors measures to prepare for the coming rainy season.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and the House committee on Metro Manila development, chaired by Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, are spearheading the one-day summit to be attended by more than 100 national and local officials, private sector representatives, and civil society leaders tomorrow.

Castelo said meeting aims to share “best practices” among local government units (LGUs) and other groups in flood control and disaster prevention and mitigation so leaders in high-risk areas can improve their respective preparedness plans.

The participants will also discuss the issue of informal settlers, who live along dangerous waterways, and their relocation, and the various civil society and private sector initiatives to help the government minimize the impact of floods in Metro Manila, he said.

“The summit will work to crystallize various studies, views, and perceptions on the flood issue, disaster management, and other related issues with the key objective to prepare Metro Manila from the adverse consequences of frequent floods,” Castelo said.

Belmonte will open the summit. He will be followed by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino and Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson on flood control projects.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas will give an update on the relocation of informal settlers from dangerous areas, while Susana Cruz, director of the Office of Civil Defense-National Capital Region, will discuss disaster preparedness in Metro Manila.

Ramon Isberto, convenor of the Corporate Network for Disaster Response, a civil society organization that deals with disaster management, will talk on private sector initiatives to help the state sector on the flood issue, while Albay Gov. Joey Salceda will discuss comprehensive and effective local government disaster preparedness program.

Commissioner Mary Ann Lucile Sering of the Climate Change Commission will raise latest developments on climate change and their impact on Metro Manila.