Download In less than 100 words, please describe the

In less than 100 words, please describe the remarkable and innovative
effort carried out by the nominee to reduce the impact of disasters
and build disaster resilience under the theme “Acting As One.”
Since its creation in 2008, the Philippine Senate Committee on Climate
Change (PSCCC)i has continuously engaged, consulted and coordinated
with various sectors and stakeholders towards a common effort to
reduce disaster and climate change risks in the country. Its efforts
resulted in the expeditious legislation of two landmark laws on disaster
and climate risk reduction, namely the Climate Change Act of 2009 ii and
the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010,iii
and enshrined as national policy the mainstreaming of disaster risk
reduction and climate change adaptation in national development
plans, government programs and budgets.
In less than 100 words, please describe how the nominee’s actions
have heightened awareness about the need to reduce disaster risk. In
doing so, please indicate where (local, national, regional or global) the
impact of the individual’s or organization’s actions has been felt.
The PSCCC endeavored unrelentingly to enhance awareness across all
sectors on the importance of reducing disaster and climate risks
through public hearings and advocacy forums. With UNISDR, it hosted
the launch of GAR-09iv, GAR-11v and the World Bank-United Nations
report, ‘Natural Hazards, Unnatural Disasters: The Economics of
Effective Prevention,’vi and conveyed their key messages to legislators,
policymakers, national agency heads, local chief executives, civil society
and
private
business
leaders,
diplomatic
corps,
and
media.
Internationally, it hosted the UNISDR Consultative Meeting for Asian
Parliamentarians on DRR as an instrument for achieving the MDGs in
November 2010 in Manila.vii
In less than 100 words, please describe how the nominee’s actions
resulted in new partnerships that strengthen disaster resilience. If
applicable, please describe the nature of these partnerships.
In ensuring the implementation of the new laws, the PSCCC, together
with UNISDR, engaged key legislatorsviii and local chief executivesix in
policy, institutional and systems reforms to strengthen disaster
resilience. It facilitated the institutional collaboration and coordination
between two lead institutions, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council and the Climate Change Commission, to
implement jointly the laws under a partnership called ‘One Against Risk’
forged in February 2011.x These efforts have led to broader
collaboration among local chief executives in building disaster-resilientxi
and climate-adaptive local governments and in pursuing an integrated
river basin-based development planning approach.xii
In less than 100 words, please describe how the nominee’s efforts
satisfy different elements essential to reducing and mitigating disaster
risk. These can include: using a multihazard approach, gender
perspective, community participation, cultural diversity, capacity
building, technology transfer and training and education.
The PSCCC advocated for capacity building of local government units,
considered frontliners in planning and implementing programs for
disaster resilience. It has begun to distribute and conduct public
briefings on the use of geo-hazard maps to provinces and municipalities
to facilitate effective local urban planning and critical infrastructure
development
nationwide.xiii It
also
produced
and
distributed
handbooksxiv and audiovisual materialsxv on disaster preparedness and
climate change to schoolchildren, women’s groups, media, and the
general
public
to
encourage
volunteerism
and
community
participation. It also engaged the youth in environmental advocacies
through nationwide information-education-communication drives and
the establishment of school forest parks. xvi
In less than 100 words, please describe how the nominee’s work is
funded.
The work and initiatives of PSCCC have been funded through the
regular office budget of the Philippine Senate and the resource support
of collaborators and partners which included national government
agencies, local government units, and international organizations such
as UNISDR, UNDP, AusAid, and the Agencia Española de Cooperacion
Internacional para el Desarrollo, among other partner organizations.
ENDNOTES
i
The Philippine Senate Committee on Climate Change was created in December 2008 through Resolution
No. 303 filed by Senator Loren Legarda and adopted by the Senate plenary. It is tasked to deliberate on
legislative proposals relating to climate change, to ensure the implementation of laws and the
sustainability of initiatives for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the country, and
to monitor the country’s compliance with its international commitments relating to climate change and
global warming. The creation of this committee reflected the change in mindset in the Senate towards
greater concern and commitment for national government action for disaster and climate risk reduction.
ii
Republic Act No. 9729 | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines,
http://www.gov.ph/2009/10/23/republic-act-no-9729/.
iii
Republic Act No. 10121,
Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines,
http://www.gov.ph/2010/05/27/republic-act-no-10121/.
iv
Global Assessment Report launched in Philippines - UNISDR.
v
Philippines Government, UNISDR to Launch 2011 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction
in Manila, 26 July 2011 - UNISDR.
vi
Report paints grim scenario of impact of climate change | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online
vii
The Manila call for action of parliamentarians on applying disaster risk reduction as an instrument for
achieving the Millennium Development Goals - UNISDR.
Asian Parliamentarian Network consultative meeting: DRR - an instrument for achieving the Millennium
Development Goals - Training & Events - Professional Resources - PreventionWeb.net.
viii
Philippine Parliamentarians Call for Mainstreaming DRR and Climate Change Adaptation in National
Budget Legislation http://www.unisdr.org/archive/20854.
ix
DRR exchange between Japan and the Philippines - UNISDR The outcome of this meeting was the Kobe
Resolution of Local Government Officials on Effective Risk Governance in the Philippines
http://www.unisdr.org/files/24347_koberesolutionsigned2011.11.24final.pdf.
x
Philippines: ‘One against risk‘ - Top bodies join forces to combat disasters and climate change
http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/news/v.php?id=18146.
xi
The Philippine Senate Committee on Climate Change, together with UNISDR, spearheaded the
campaign launch of ‘Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready’ at a public elementary school in
Makati City. Thirteen mayors from Metro Manila, including the mayors of towns and cities hardest hit by
Tropical Storm Ketsana, committed to pursuing the ‘Ten Essentials’ under the initiative ‘One Against
Risk.’ The mayors set aside their political affiliations and pledged to work as one in making the
metropolis disaster-resilient.
Philippines: Makati hosts 'Making Cities Resilient' campaign - News - Professional Resources PreventionWeb.net.
xii
‘Building Disaster Resilient and Climate Adaptive Local Governments and River Basin-Based
Development Planning in the Philippines’ is a collaborative initiative of the Philippine Senate Committee
on Climate Change, the Local Government Academy of the Department of Interior and Local
Government, and the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarrollo, which held
consultative forums for local chief executives and development planning officers throughout the country
from July through September 2012. Press Release - Legarda: Building a Resilient Central Luzon.
xiii
The PSCCC conducted on 7 January 2013 its first distribution and public briefing on the use of
geohazard maps in the Provinces of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley in Mindanao, hardest hit by
Typhoon Bopha. Distribution and briefing immediately followed for the provinces of Pangasinan,
Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, and Panay Island.
xiv
The Disaster Preparedness Handbook is an integration of information-education-communication
materials from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, National Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Council, Department of Education, Department of Health, Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Bureau of Fire Protection, Mines and
Geosciences Bureau, and Vigan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
xv
BUHOS, a climate change documentary, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESW_S8ZHS80.
xvi
The PSCCC partnered with the Philippine Department of Environment, Department of Education, and
Department of Agriculture to launch in June 2012 a nationwide search for the best school forest parks
among public high schools. Criteria were sustainability of the park establishment, creativity and
aesthetics, number of trees or seedlings planted based on size of site, and community involvement in
planning and supervision of the park.