Government further stepped up its campaign for resilient communities nationwide by providing local government units (LGUs) a tool for better protecting life, limb and property from impacts of climate change and disasters.
Officially unveiled in Metro Manila this week, the tool consists of supplemental guidelines that’ll help LGUs factor in such impacts into their respective existing and forthcoming comprehensive land use plans (CLUPs) to either minimize or prevent communities’ exposure andvulnerability to natural hazards.
“It’s the most important policy government ever passed on climate change,” said Climate Change Commission Vice-Chairperson Lucille Sering.
She raised urgency for the guidelines, noting LGUs must plan communities accordingly so these can be better prepared for and resilient to the changing climate.
“We need new ways of looking at how we use land resources,” she said.
CLUP is the planning document LGUs prepare to rationalizeallocation and use of land resources within their respective areas of jurisdiction.
Such rationalization will help either lower or eliminatecommunities’ exposure and vulnerability to landslides, earthquakes and other natural hazards by setting non-danger areas as locations for people, infrastructure and economic activities.
“Disasters are always painful but can be minimized,” noted CCC Commissioner Naderev Saño.
He continues advocating pro-active efforts on climate change, saying the price of inaction on this problem is more costly than that for making communities resilient.
Experts earlier cited onslaught of weather extremes as well as sea level and temperature rise as climate change’s impacts on the country.
Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991) requires LGUs to prepare, revise and update respective CLUPs.
Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) provide LGUs technical assistance on preparing such plans.
“CLUP is an effective disaster risk reduction instrument,” said HLURB CEO and Commissioner Antonio Bernardo.
He noted the supplemental guidelines will help LGUs develop CLUPs that are climate-resilient.
This year, HLURB’s board approved the supplemental guidelines after holding with CCC and other partners several consultations on the matter.
The partners include DILG, National Economic and Development Authority, UNDP and the Australian government.
Authorities reported pilot-testing the guidelines in Misamis Oriental province’s Opol municipality.
CCC noted the supplemental guidelines are among major outputs of Project Climate Twin Phoenix.
The agency implemented the project since 2012 in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Cities as well as Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental provinces.
Through the project, CCC sought to help improve adaptive capacity of those four areas and mainstream climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction there. [PNA]
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