WFP, UN-Habitat partner with 4 LGUs

MANILA, Philippines - The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) is partnering with the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) to support the Philippine government’s initiatives in building resilience to climate change.

Under the 12-month partnership, the cities of Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Iloilo – all of which were in the path of typhoon  “Pablo” –will be assessed for ecological, physical, and socio-economic risks due to climate change.Local government personnel will receive training in planning and implementing activities that will help their communities adapt to the negative effects of changing climate.

“This partnership is very valuable to us because our city is highly vulnerable to flooding. It sits at the mouth of the Agusan River, and every time the rainy season comes, floodwaters coming from as far as the Compostela Valley pour out of the river and pose a high risk to our people who live in the riverside barangays,” Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr. of Butuan City said.

The four cities were selected based on various criteria, including exposure to natural and climate-related hazards such as flood, drought, and rising sea levels.

WFP will oversee the implementation of the joint initiative and lead the high-impact community adaptation projects with the local government units of the four cities.

UN-Habitat will provide technical expertise in climate vulnerability and adaptation assessments, training for local government personnel, and climate change adaptation planning.

“Given the increasing urbanization of poverty, cities are becoming the arena where the fight for the achievement of development goals will bewon or lost,”explained UN-Habitat Philippines country program manager Christopher Rollo.