Climate Change Workshop Held

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 19  - Albay governor Joey Salceda has urged all local government units throughout the province to strictly integrate climate change adaptation and proofing in the municipal and city plans.

During the Climate Check workshop held here on August 18-19, Salceda told all planning officers that the spreading of awareness on climate change issues are now being pushed down to the local levels to mitigate its impact and incorporate this important issue into development planning efforts in Albay province.

The governor said climate change is the biggest obstacle in the attainment of the Medium Development Goal (MDG) and needs prompt action by stakeholders.

He said local government units should come up with a preliminary analysis of climate change risks as well as initial adaptation strategies to adjust the local plans.

Salceda said the technical planning of LGUs on climate check platforms should focus on adaptation and mitigation in the community and in homes.

"There is a need to translate the burst climate change into technical and technology and people to respond. As early as possible, all planning officers must be knowledgeable on these issues so that they can give proper advice on the matter," he noted.

Salceda also explained that local planning officers must ensure that their respective municipalities and cities will come up with a comprehensive climate change adaptation and mitigation program.

"We need to translate the burst climate change into technical aspect and technology and let the people respond," he said.

"Planning officers are expected to become aware of the issues in relation to their respective localities and be able to understand concepts on proofing mechanisms and its tools as well as to develop ideas of how to apply climate proofing tools to their work reality," he added.

On the other hand, Jojo Elvira said the climate change has taken its toll to the agriculture sector with its big blow on crops and even on livestock which has not fully recovered since Reming in 2006.

"The effects of climate change can drastically affect our local farmers if the issue would not be addressed promptly particularly on its impact to agriculture," he said.

Handicrafts is the major source of income to rural communities which contributes fairly large share in the small-scale industries of the province. Forestry and paper making are another source of livelihood.

The manufacture of abaca products such as Manila Hemp, hats, bags, mats and slippers is one of the main sources of income in the rural areas. Fishing is also done along both shores of the province. Tourism, primarily because of Mayon Volcano, also draws income for Albay.

"You see the climate change as a very wide effect to our province and that includes infrastructures that need to adapt to new designs that would withstand stronger typhoons and calamities. But the most directly hit by calamities is the agriculture," Elvira explained.

Elvira particularly cited the case of swine production in Albay that has no longer been able to recover since Reming.

"Another hindrance is the swine flu that has driven the fear among farmers to pursue their businesses," he said adding that the Albay Agriculture Rehabilitation Task Force is doing measures to help the farmers cope with their problems. (PNA)