Philippines: Consultative workshop revises community based disaster management user guide
Press release
Silang, Cavite - Consultative Workshop among Local Government Units and Civil Society Organizations for the Revision of User’s Guide on Community Based Disaster Management Successfully Held
(Silang, Cavite, Philippines) In the recent UNCRD Expert’s Meeting held in Kobe, Japan, it was agreed that the 2004 User’s Guide on CBDM needs to be revised to specifically integrate Climate Change Adaptation and new updates related to disaster risk reduction and management. The need to highlight best practices and caselets related to CCA integration in the user’s guide was also raised. In the same meeting, the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction agreed to take the lead in the Philippines for this initiative.
To be able to gather inputs from key stakeholders in the revisions to the user’s guide, IIRR organized a consultative workshop among local government units and civil society organizations on February 10, 2011 in IIRR, Silang, Cavite.
Fifteen participants from Civil Society Organizations and Local Government Units joined the recently concluded Consultative Workshop on the revisions of User’s Guide on Sustainable Community Based Disaster Management of the United Nations Center for Regional Development held in Jim Johnson Hall of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction in Silang, Cavite.
The Local Government Units were represented by Hon. Mayor Ronaldo Golez of the Municipality of Dumangas in Iloilo, Mr. Cedric Daep of the Province of Albay ; Mr. Isagani Tan of the City Government of San Pedro, Laguna; representatives from the Municipality of Bacoor and Cavite Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the City Government of Makati City. The Office of the Civil Defense Region IV-A also joined the workshop represented by Retired Col. Tomas Ortega.
CSO representatives who attended the consultative workshop include Marije Broekhuijisen of CARE Nederland; Ms. Malou Cagay of the Center for Disaster Preparedness; Dr. Sharon Taylor of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement; Darlene Madrona of Ecosystems Works for Essential Benefits; Rex Teves of Mahintana Foundation and Mr. Goran Hansen of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency.
One of the general comments to the User's Guide is to change disaster management to disaster risk reduction and management to be consistent with the current framework that the Philippines use. Other comments include merging of existing tools and specific suggestions towards integrating climate change adaptation in the User’s Guide.
Reference:
Mark Cervantes
Program Specialist
Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation