Press Release
October 25, 2009

LOREN RALLIES ALL SOCIAL SECTORS
TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE RISKS

Sen. Loren Legarda today (Oct. 26) called upon all sectors of society to cooperate in addressing the challenges of climate change, warning of worst disasters in the future unless immediate measures are taken to mitigate climate change.

"It is a challenge that must be taken up by local, national governments, academe, scientific community, civil society, private sector and everyone, for it is a reality that confronts our communities, families, our daily lives. It is by no means distant; it is here and now," said Loren.

Loren, chair of the Senate committee on climate change, issued the warning in an address to the plenary session of the National Conference on Climate Change Adaptation held at the Diamond Hotel in Manila.

"Tropical storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng recently reminded us that words alone are not enough to address climate change," Loren declared. "We need to start doing something lest our roadmaps, action plans, and blueprints be washed away by swelling floods.

"There is indeed no more fitting time to say that reducing disaster and climate risk has become a moral imperative for governments and a social responsibility for all than now --- when having less in life means losing life."

Loren praised the provincial government of Albay for being consistently at the forefront of mainstreaming adaptation into local policy and decision-making.

She said that the Albay Declaration, the outcome of the First National Conference on Climate Change Adaptation, served as an inspiration for her in pushing two Senate resolutions adopting the declaration, and for her filing a bill which is now a law, the Philippine Climate Change Act, now Republic Act No. 9729.

She explained that "through this measure, we can speed up the capacity building for local adaptation planning, implementation and monitoring of climate change initiatives in vulnerable communities. The Commission on Climate Change will be tasked to provide technical and financial support to local research and development programs and projects.

"To mobilize resources for adaptation, government financial institutions will be mandated to provide preferential financial packages for climate change-related projects. All these features aim at mainstreaming climate change in our development plans and poverty-reduction strategies."

She also co-sponsored the Disaster Risk Reduction, Management and Recovery Act which tackles disaster risk management. "Through this bill, the local calamity fund and the national calamity fund can be used for climate change-related activities and not just for post-disaster response."

She also convinced the Senate to create a Standing Committee and an Oversight Committee on Climate Change which she now chairs.

As the UN Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific, Loren had been going around the Asian region in the last several months campaigning for the concerted efforts of the international community in combating the threats of climate change and in disaster risk reduction.

Loren told the assembly that to address climate change, societies must "tackle the drivers of our vulnerability to disasters and climate change -- poor urban governance, vulnerable rural livelihoods and ecosystems decline.

"We must strengthen governance in the urban centers, clean all clogged esteros, canals, and other waterways, dredging rivers and make use of geo-hazard maps to avoid exposing people, homes, and industries to disaster risks.

"Second, we must protect our ecosystems because ecosystem services are declining. This means massive planting of trees. This means protecting our forests and our people from risks of landslides.

"And third, we must enhance rural livelihoods which 75% of the poor depend on for their subsistence. This means improving agricultural productivity and supporting our farmers better."

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