CITY OF MALOLOS—The provincial government of Bulacan will conduct today, June 21, an environment summit at the Hiyas Pavillion to plan and come out with strategies for an effective disaster-risk reduction and climate-change adaptation in the province.

Around 500 participants from various sectors are expected to attend the event and provide inputs and strategies to save the environment from the ill effects of climate change.

Gov. Wilhelmini Sy Alvarado said the summit is part of the province’s aggressive campaign against climate change and serious efforts to promote a balanced and healthful ecology in the province.

“It is part of our seven-point agenda to address the environmental issues concerning our province particularly climate change. We need to be prepared from any kind of disasters that may occur in our province,” the governor said.

Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office (Benro) chief Rustico “Teddy” de Belen said the environmental summit is in collaboration with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Bulacan Chapter and the Bulacan State University.

He said the summit’s objectives are to increase local understanding of natural hazards, climate change and their impacts on the region and surrounding provinces; call the attention of all concerned organizations, public and private entities and in-line agencies (local and national) organizations to advocate environmental protection and progression of the right of people to healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature; and establish strategic groups that will focus on the key areas of the protection and development campaign for environment and human security.

De Belen said expected outputs are to come out with framework of the created strategic groups focus on the three areas with established policies and an area of concern with set regular meetings and whole year activities; finalized disaster-risk reduction and climate-change agreement declaration, and also to come with a provincial resolution/ordinance.

He said among the topics to be discussed are disaster and climate change: science, impacts and policy responses; managing disaster risk from natural hazards; managing risks from a changing climate; katutubong kaalaman pangkapaligiran, hamon sa makabuluhang lipunan; and legislative actions addressing the emerging disaster-risk reduction and climate-change agreement.

He also said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Undersecretary Benito Ramos, Climate Change Commission Vice Chairman Mary Ann Lucille Sering, Bulacan State University President Mariano De Jesus, College of Social Science and Philosophy Dean Reynaldo Naguit and CIBAC Party-list Rep. Sherwin Tugna will be the resource speakers of the summit.

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Business World
By Ramon Efren R. Lazaro
June 21, 2012