Sorsogon, December 15 2010 — Sorsogon City played host to Bicol cities and municipalities, national and regional government agencies, local partners and youth for the first Region V Cities Climate Change Forum on December 14-15, 2010 at the newly-furbished Conference Venue of the City Hall.  Experiencing similar challenges brought about by the changing climate and environmental conditions, Bicol mayors and officers shared their experiences, insights and innovations to face up to the new challenges and committed to work together in adapting to climate change.  At the end of the forum, participants signed the Bicol Cities and Municipalities Declaration on Climate Change Actions to signify their commitment to the issues and actions identified and agreed on during the two-day event.

Sorsogon City Mayor Leovic Dioneda welcomed the participants and shared the city’s experience in developing its climate change strategy with the support of UN-HABITAT.  He outlined the process that the city went through especially highlighting the vulnerability and adaptation assessment (VAA) process that involved all city stakeholders.  He emphasized the city’s commitment to follow through with the recommended actions identified in the VAA by implementing demonstration projects in identified hotspot barangays and reviewing its comprehensive land use plan (CLUP) to integrate climate change considerations.  He proudly shared the audio-visual presentation prepared by the city with his personal guidance in what would be the global premiere as they plan to share homegrown city-level climate change responses with the rest of the country and the world.

UN-HABITAT Philippines Programme Manager Eden Garde, League of Cities of the Philippines- National Executive Board (LCP-NEB) member Mayor Linda Gonzales, Department of Interior and local Government (DILG) Regional Director Blandino Maceda and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Director Ronald Fontamillas expressed their support for the event and to the participants.

Iriga City Mayor Madeline Gazmen and Ligao City Mayor Linda Gonzales also shared their city’s programs addressing climate change and the environment.  Experts from the PAG-ASA, DENR, DILG, OCD and DA shared their department’s programs and how they can support and work with the local governments.  It was emphasized that although the Philippines is a non-Annex 1 country (in the
Kyoto Protocol) and therefore not significantly contributing to ghg emissions, the national average hides the fact that Philippine cities and urban areas contribute most to ghg emissions because of human/anthropogenic activities.  Land use planning and forest land use contribute significantly to the shift in the GHG emission profile of the country. It is important to protect the country’s airsheds to mitigate the acceleration of climate change.
Urban planner and environment expert Nathaniel von Einsiedel presented the green community framework for the cities’ consideration in planning for their cities.  This could be integrated in the legally-mandated Comprehensive Land use Plan (CLUP) and Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP).

UN-HABITAT Climate Change Coordinator Adelaida Mamonong presented the various financing mechanisms supporting climate change actions.  She stressed that accessing the global Adaptation Fund would be difficult for local governments but there are other financing options that the local governments can explore to finance their adaptation programs.

On the second day, participants identified issues and strategies to address climate change.   Participants from other LGUs particularly Masbate, Camarines Sur, Donsol, Gubat, Aroroy shared their insights from the forum and gave feedback on the following:

1. Some participants just learned from the forum about the new DRRM Law (RA 10121). This is due to the slow downloading of national government circulars to local governments.  Knowledge-sharing like the forum facilitate dissemination and exchange of information among local partners.
2. They will study the VAA toolkit (provided as part of the conference kit) for possible application in their own locality especially since the LGUs have similar climactic conditions as Sorsogon City.
3. League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) should also be involved in knowledge sharing regarding climate change.
4. Climate change as a theme will be included in the 2011 trainings for local officials and personnel.
5. The organizational restructuring to comply with the DRRM law faces the challenge of the legal limit on professional services that the local governments can budget.
6. Environmental challenges like small-scale mining have to be dealt with collectively by neighboring local governments.

A separate and concurrent workshop was conducted among the youth participants.  Results of the workshops were presented, discussed, agreed upon and documented into a Bicol and Municipalities Declaration on Climate Change Actions.  The signing of the declaration culminated the 2-day event.