Legarda Lauds Adoption of the Incheon Resolution of the Philippine Parliamentarians on Effective Disaster Risk Reduction
and Climate Change Adaptation

Senator Loren Legarda commended sixteen members of the House of Representatives who unanimously adopted "The Incheon Resolution of the Philippine Parliamentarians on Effective Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines" at a legislative workshop held in Incheon, South Korea yesterday.

"This document fortifies the commitment of a growing number of policy makers in the country to decisively confront the issues of worsening disasters and climate change impacts," said Legarda.

Legarda, United Nations Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia and the Pacific and Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, was particularly pleased that the forum facilitated discussions on how legislators can harmonize and further strengthen our legislation on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

"While the Climate Change Act of 2009 and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 are considered model legislation by the UNISDR and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the greater reward is to translate these laws into concrete and measurable targets towards building the resilience of the vulnerable to climate impacts," the Senator stressed.

"It is encouraging that we found partners in the House of Representatives who resolved to exercise our oversight function in the effective implementation of the laws on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation at the national and local levels and who echoed our call for the convening of the Climate Change Commission."

According to Legarda, the resolution was adopted at an opportune time, as there is growing clamor for President Aquino to make climate change a government priority and declare this commitment in the forthcoming State of the Nation Address.

"The administration should demonstrate leadership on this issue that affects food security, livelihood, public health and economic development goals, lest our strategies and action plans be washed away by swelling floods. I urge the executive department to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in its development plans and investments", Legarda concluded.

Senator Loren Legarda, in collaboration with the United Nations International Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction, will hold a forum to assess the state of the country's resilience against disasters on July 26, a day after President Aquino delivers the SONA.

The Incheon Resolution was signed by Cong. Imelda Calixto Rubiano, Cong. Ben Evardone, Cong. Alfredo Garbin, Cong. Lucy Marie Torres Gomez, Cong. Roger Gaviola Mercado, Cong. Rene Relampagos, Cong. Cesar Sarmiento, Cong. Mel Senen Sarmiento, Cong. Maria Carmen Apsay, Cong. Jocelyn V. Bernos, Cong. Danilo Fernandez, Cong. Rodolfo Biazon, Cong. Jose Carlos Cari, Cong. Rodante Marcoleta, Cong. Ana Cristina Go, and Cong. Jesus Sacdalan.

_______

The Incheon Resolution of Philippine Parliamentarians

on Effective Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines

We, Parliamentarians fromthe Philippine House of Representativesparticipated in the Legislative Workshop on Effective Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines, held in cooperation with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, on 14-17 July 2011, in Incheon,Republic of Korea,recognizing that:

(1) Disaster risk and climate change are developmental issuesand that implementing disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation is a fundamental strategy for the Philippines to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

(2) Parliamentarians play a critical role and assume a shared responsibility in reducing disaster and climate risks that set back development gains and the attainment of the MDGs.

(3) Since "The Manila Call for Action of Parliamentarians of 2008", parliamentarians from all the regions of the world have met and amplified the Call, resulting in increased awareness of policy makers.

(4) The Philippine Climate Change Act of 2009 and Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 are considered model legislation by the UNISDR and the Inter-Parliamentary Union for other countries to emulate.

(5) The Future City of Incheon presents examples of good practices of development planning that integrates environmental protection, disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation.

Resolved to:

(1) Exercise our oversight function in the full implementation of the Republic Act 9729 and Republic Act 10121 at the national and local levels, particularly in reviewing their respective Implementing Rules and Regulations, Framework, and Action Plan, and the implementation challenges for possible enactment of amendatory legislation.

(2) Review existing laws and policies, including but not limited to provisions of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, National Integrated Protected Areas Law, Indigenous People's Rights Act, Philippine Mining Code and Revised Forestry Code, to harmonize them with our disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation policies.

(3) Call on the Climate Change Commission to convene immediately in order to identify priority climate change adaptation programs and optimize climate finance opportunities, and on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to immediately implement priority programs, projects and activities for disaster risk reduction.

(4) Ensure that disaster risk reduction and climate change considerations are mainstreamed in the national budget legislation, with preferential attention to the requirements of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-Office of Civil Defense and the Climate Change Commission.

(5) Advocate for the harmonization and strengthening of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation policies, practices, programs, and projects for building resilience against disaster and climate change.

(6) Promote effective risk governance and responsible political leadership for the benefit of the people and the nation as a whole.

(7) Call on all sectors of society to participate actively and take necessary actions to reduce disaster risks and to adapt to climate change.

(8) Convene again prior to the national budget deliberations and regularly towards taking actions and interventions to actualize these commitments.

Adopted unanimously on 16 July 2011.