PDRRMO head points out “gaps” in resolving climate change

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CPDRRMO) head Baltazar Tribunalo admitted that there are governance “gaps” in the efforts to mitigate the impacts of Climate Change.

Tribunalo, in a recent forum on Climate Change adaptation held at the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) center in Cebu City, said there are “lots of gaps in governance” in addressing issues regarding climate change.

The PDRRMO chief said people in the government and private sectors “must work together” in handling this issue, especially that Cebu is “very much in danger” with the effects of Climate Change.

“It is not enough to go out in the streets and shout but work with the government,” he said, also in reference to advocates on environment protection.

“(We must) work together regardless of political color and status,” he said.

One thing that must be worked out, he said, is the comprehensive land use plan (CLUP) which allows for the classification of lands in a certain area, which most of the local government units and barangays in the province have none.

In that forum, Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, vice chairman of the World Wildlife Fund Philippines Nation Advisory Council, said major cities like Cebu must prepare for the migration of people living in big areas like Metro Manila in case they evacuate before or after a calamity.

In that forum, Tan said that even if only 10 percent of the 14 million people in the National Capital Region move to Cebu, it would still create a great problem especially that the province, especially its capital, Cebu City, where most migrants are likely to converge, is already crammed as it is.

Tan said CLUP would have solved the problem at least.

As to the Climate Change adaptation, Tribunalo said education on this must also be put on top priority so more people especially in the lower can get to understand this global issue. — (FREEMAN)