DILG secretary to grace climate change and disaster forum in Clark

By Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu

Friday 1st of June 2012

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga, June 1 (PIA) -- Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo is scheduled to attend the Tapatan Roadshow on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Preparedness billed “Magtapatan Tayo, Handa na ba kayo?” on Wednesday, June 6 at the Oxford Hotel in Clark Freeport.

“The activity, which is in adherence to Republic Act No. 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 and Republic Act No. 9729 or the Climate Change Act, aims to advocate and institutionalize the concept of disaster preparedness among local government units region wide and instill in the minds of the public their respective tasks and roles before, during and after a disaster," DILG regional director Florida Dijan said.

Expected to attend and actively participate in the occasion are local chief executives of the provincial, city and municipal governments within Central Luzon along with their respective disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and public information officers; chapter presidents of the Liga ng mga Barangay; the chairmen of the Committee on Environment of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and Sangguniang Panglungsod; non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, people’s organizations and national government agencies.

Topics to be discussed include Policy Framework of National Government on CCA and DRRM, The National DRRM Framework, Disaster and Climate Change Impact and Weather Forecast for 2012, Hazard maps of Region 3 and Enhancing Local Government Unit (LGU) capacity on CCA and DRRM.

Olongapo City and provinces of Bulacan and Nueva Ecija will likewise share their best practices on disaster preparedness.

Dijan added that “a commitment signing of the participants will be administered to seek their full support on disaster preparedness efforts in the region to include their firm resolve on the implementation of the local disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation plans.”

Towards the end of the event, Robredo will lead the awarding of checks to Region 3 LGU beneficiaries and recipients of the Performance Challenge Fund.

The Tapatan on Disaster Preparedness is an offshoot of the success of the series of Tapatan activities conducted by DILG last year focusing on the Full Disclosure Policy requiring LGUs to disclose public pertinent financial information. (WLB/CLJD-PIA3)