Resilience roadmap to prioritize PPP projects for climate-vulnerable LGUs

The PPP Center and the Climate Change Service (CCS) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) received on Monday, December 19, 2022, the Resilience Roadmaps and Investment Portfolios for Risk Resilience (IPRRs) of 16 identified climate-vulnerable areas. The identified climate-vulnerable areas include the LGUs in Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Siquijor, Cotabato Province, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Catanduanes, Ifugao, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Metro Cebu, Metro Iloilo, Metro Davao, and Metro Manila.

The Resilience Roadmaps and IPRRs of Local Government Report were developed under the Risk Resilience Program (RRP) that was made possible through the support from the Urban Climate Change Resiliency Trust Fund (UCCRTF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). UK Climate-Change Attache Jacqueline Miel-Soliguin and ADB Senior. Urban Climate Change Resilience Specialist Ramon Abracosa, attended the turn over ceremony last December 19.

PPP Center Executive Director, Usec. Ma. Cynthia C. Hernandez, reaffirmed PPP Center’s support to identify potential projects from the IPRR and help realize the intended benefits through technical and advisory support in project development and implementation.

DENR Undersecretary for Finance, Information Systems, and Climate Change, Atty. Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, underscored the critical need to integrate climate change elements in developing and implementing the country’s budget and identifying the necessary climate-resilient projects that can save lives and livelihoods.

PPP Center Deputy Executive Director, Eleazar E. Ricote, noted the significance of the Reports. He underscored the three major components under the Risk Resiliency Program. “First, it is a resiliency roadmap, a database, and reference not just for PPPC but also DENR, LGUs, and development partners. Second, it is a portfolio of prospective LGU PPP projects where resilience and climate change elements will be concretized into project development and structuring work. Finally, under the RRP, the PPP Center is developing an Assessment Tool for Risk Resiliency that will further enable and equip the Center in its mandated interventions: technical assistance and project development, project evaluation, capacity building, and policy formulation.”

On the other hand, UK Climate-Change Attache Jacqueline Miel-Soliguin, expresses the UK’s continued support for the Philippine Government’s efforts to address the huge challenge of mitigating the effects of climate change, especially to the highly vulnerable communities in the country. ADB Senior Urban Climate Change Resilience Specialist Ramon Abracosa also highlighted the importance of holistic approach in developing bankable project through nature-based solutions and climate blending financing.

The Resilience Roadmaps include a risk assessment undertaken by the ADB consultants led by Donato S. Dela Cruz, Risk Resiliency Project Manager of Team A and Noela C. Lasmarias, Risk Resiliency Project Manager of Team B, on the relevant climate and disaster risks of the 16 identified provinces and major urban areas. It cover climate-resilient investments across all national government agencies, including the DENR, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) among others.

The Risk Resiliency Program is aligned with the National Framework Strategy on Climate Change and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by laying the groundwork for convergence of existing policies, programs and plans of the Philippines on climate change and disaster risks.