Climate change projects identified

MANILA, Philippines - Officials from three of the country’s 10 poorest provinces complete last Friday a five-day training conducted by the Climate Change Commission.

The training on the provision of climate adaptation support is one of the six major activities designed to enhance the capability of communities prone to calamities as a consequence of climate change.

Ma. Lovella Segayo of the Commission told The STAR the 10 poorest and most vulnerable provinces in the country had been identified as “ecotowns,” which demonstrate an integrated and holistic approach to achieving climate resilient communities and local economies.

There are six major activities in the ecotowns that must be satisfied before funds from donor countries and agencies can be tapped.

Seminar facilitator Noela Lasmaria identified these activities as: natural resource assessment, vulnerability and adaptation assessment, environment and natural resource accounting, development of adaptation resources, provision of climate adaptation support and design of appropriate and sustainable finance mechanism.

The participants in this seminar will submit their respective climate change adaptation project proposals and feasibility studies.

The project proposals, when approved by the Climate Change Commission, will be the basis for funding by donor countries.

Some of the projects are:

Batanes province. Ivana: Payaman integrated agricultural development; Mahatao: rehabilitation of Mahatao Bay protective Seawall and fishing port; Sabtang: construction of six units flood control; Uyugan: development of irrigation system to ensure food security.

Eastern Samar. Llorente: construction of seawall; Borongan: riverbank stabilization through bamboo plantation and construction of river control;

Romblon. Magdiwang: resettlement projects in Barangay Jao-asan, Ambulong and Silva; Caidiocan: construction of flood control project.