Upi takes action plan on climate change adaptation

WORKSHOP --- Upi Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Engr. Paulo Cagara (seated) led the formulation of the Upi Municipal Action Plan assisted by (standing left to right) MDRRMO’s representative Jonas Minted, MARPO Abdullah C. Marohom, Municipal Engr. Gerardo Cariño, and DARMO Development Facilitator Lovella Lao (standing left to right), respectively. (DARMO – Upi - MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

COTABATO CITY --- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the municipality of Upi, Maguindanao  participated in the three-day training on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) for the local government sponsored by the Italian Assistance to Agrarian Reform Communities Development Support Program (IARCDSP) in coordination with the Maranao People Development Center, Inc. as the service provider.

The event took place last February 7-9 in Cotabato City.

The CCA training for the LGU is in line with the implementation of the Local Capacity Building Support (LCBS) and aims to capacitate and provide the local government unit the understanding on climate change, utilized its frameworks, and as well identify the tools and techniques in facilitating planning and design for community- based adaptation initiatives.  

Abdullah C. Marohom, Municipal Agrarian Reform Program officer, said the training expects to increase the knowledge of participants from the local government unit of Upi in regards to the global issues surrounding climate change. In addition, they could also identify ways on how to reduce the effects of climate change to households, the community, and most especially the farmers who are the most vulnerable sector.

Participants from LGU Upi included Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Paulo Cagara, Municipal Engineer  Gerardo Cariño, and Jonas Minted from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

“Our main goal is for our farmers to be imparted with proper knowledge so they become adaptive to climate change and be disaster resilient. This way we could improve the living conditions of our farmer beneficiaries through stabilizing their income and improving access to services,” Marohom said.

Understanding climate change, its science, concepts, causes and effect, climate change adaptation, mitigation, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and climate scenarios at global and regional levels have been introduced during the training. It particularly emphasized on how climate change is affecting the Bangsamoro Homeland.

Among the topics discussed included: Contextualizing CCA/DRR in the 10 Bangsamoro areas of DAR-IARCDSP; the CCA/DRRM planning process on disaster preparedness and prevention and mitigation.

The DRRM facilitates and supports risk assessment and contingency planning activities at the local level. In addition, it also conducts research and development initiatives.  Its plan, design, and program should be consistent with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s standards and guidelines.

Ma. Easterlina Luz S. Canoy, resource person, stressed it is necessary to formulate and implement a comprehensive and integrated local disaster risk reduction and management plan (LDRRMP) in accordance with the national, regional, and provincial framework and policies on DRR in close coordination with the local development council (LDC).

“The LGU may consolidate local disaster risk information which includes natural hazards, vulnerabilities and climate change risks, maintain a local risk map, and as well maintain a database of human resource and their capacities, equipment, directories, and location of critical infrastructures such as hospitals and evacuation centers,” she added.

Meanwhile, the participants from the respective local government units formulated a concrete action plan to mainstream CCA/DRR in their respective development plans and presented it to the plenary. (Lovella Lao, ARPT, Development Facilitator, DARMO – Upi - MINDANAO EXPOSE’)