Crafting climate adaptation proposals

Local government units (LGUs) and community organizations may now submit climate change adaptation  (CCA) proposals for funding under Republic Act 10174 or the People’s Survival Fund (PSF) Law.

Such proposals should effectively address the impact of the earth’s warming temperature, says Sen. Loren Legarda.

Legarda is asking LGUs and community organizations to assess how their communities are affected by climate change. Will  the communities be affected by sea level rise or declining fish catch because of coral bleaching? Are the farming communities greatly affected by El Niño or too much rainfall? Is their  urban area prone to flooding? “The location of the community, the direct impact of climate change, and the risks posed by extreme weather events are crucial in crafting a climate change adaptation plan,” said Legarda, sponsor of the PSF law and chairperson of the Senate committee on climate change.

The PSF is a special fund in the amount of P1 billion appropriated annually under the General Appropriations Act that aims to support local governments’ climate adaptation activities, such as in the areas of land and water resources management, agriculture and fisheries, health, infrastructure development, and natural ecosystems preservation.

“This will also support the improvement of the monitoring, controlling and prevention of diseases triggered by climate change, establishment of forecasting and early warning systems, and strengthening institutional development, for local governments, for preventive measures, planning, preparedness and management of impacts relating to climate change,” said Legarda.

The Fund can be accessed by LGUs and community organizations upon evaluation and approval of their CCA project proposals by the PSF Board.

Legarda, who also authored the Philippine Climate Change Act that created the CCC, said that LGUs and community organizations should look into how they can implement environmental laws as they craft their climate adaptation plans.

“In adapting to climate change, we also have to look into other laws such as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. When we segregate waste, reuse, recycle and upcycle, we lessen the actual waste that we produce and this prevents us from using incinerators or burning garbage, and we also address a major cause of flooding, which is the blockage of waterways by plastic bags,” Legarda explained.

“Plans to implement  the Renewable Energy Law can also be part of the CCA proposal, because favoring renewables such as hydro, wind and solar energy over fossil fuel is mitigation, which is a function of adaptation. The creation of disaster risk reduction programs, in line with the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act and the Sendai Framework for DRR, is also a vital component of CCA,” she added.

Legarda said that DRR is an important part of CCA because climate change has been causing extreme weather events such as El Niño, torrential rain, and stronger typhoons.

“CCA does not have to be high-tech. Mangrove reforestation is one example. Mangroves sequester carbon and serve as buffer against tsunami and storm surge. Building rainwater catchments in barangays can help address both flooding and drought as these systems store water from rainfall which can later be used during the dry season,” Legarda said.

The senator added that CCA plans should be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) because climate change threatens our basic human rights — food, health, potable water, decent shelter, and even life itself.

In CCA for the agriculture sector, which is vital in ensuring continuous food supply, adaptation measures should include more investments in agricultural research and infrastructure, improved water governance and land use policies, better forecasting tools and early warning systems, among others.

“Climate change is in our midst. We feel it already. We cannot do business as usual; we need to adapt and mitigate. The ill effects of a changing climate can be prevented if we consider CCA not as an added cost but a wise investment. As we await the signing of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the PSF Law, I join the CCC in urging our LGUs and community organizations to craft and submit their CCA proposals to be able to access the fund and make our communities climate – and disaster-resilient,” Legarda concluded.

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The President  Elpidio Quirino Foundation, in collaboration with Ayala Foundation, Samsung Philippines, Filipinas Heritage and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, will  launch “ Defining Quirino: A Commemorative Exhibition” that brings together history, technology and art to celebrate President Elpidio Quirino’s 125th birth anniversary.

Largely drawn from the rich collection of presidential papers and memorabilia of the Filipinas Heritage Library and the President Elpidio Quirino Foundation, the exhibit highlights stories of President Quirino’s journey from Guro to Pangulo, his vision and achievements, and his deep sense of humanity aptly encapsulated in Tolerance, Goodwill and Love – the three values that became the backbone of his leadership.

Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III will be guest speaker at the exhibit  on November 7 at the Ayala Museum in Makati. He will speak on the topic “Quirino in Retrospect”.

Another highlight of the exhibit is a wall featuring the art works of 125 young artists who submitted a portrait of President Quirino using a medium of their own choosing.

The different components of Defining Quirino are tied together by the use of technology to create an engaging and interactive exhibit designed to educate and inspire museum goers, especially the youth, to learn from the values espoused by President Quirino.  

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When a 7.2-magnitude earthquake and typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines in 2013,  a team of engineers at  Silliman University put their heads together to discuss structures that will withstand future calamities. Two years later, today, Silliman showcases its first classrooms made of container vans.

A total of 12 40-footer container vans were retrofitted into three classrooms and one storage room that comprise the second floor of the building assigned to the Nutrition and Dietetics Department. The additional floor was uniquely designed and the container vans carefully handled with fittings and fixtures so  that the entire structure appears to have been constructed in one piece.

Focus of the project  was on the integrity of the structure and the container van’s capacity to absorb impact from both earthquake and strong winds.

Silliman envisions replicating this building design using container vans in the construction of churches and school buildings in the communities that it assisted under its Continuing Calamity Response Program.   Among the identified recipients is a barangay in Leyte.

The container van classrooms were designed by a team at the Buildings and Grounds Department of Silliman University, headed by Superintendent Engr. Edgar S. Ygnalaga. Construction was undertaken by SolidACE Construction and Development Corporation.

In 2009, Silliman also pioneered the use of container vans for housing in Dumaguete. It inaugurated the Silliman Mission Village, featuring a total of six two-bedroom housing units and a duplex -- all made of container vans. These units house scholars of the United Evangelical Mission (UEM). The Village was established with the support of the UEM, the same organization that designated Silliman as an International Center for Mission Studies in Asia.

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