WITH a common goal of resiliency and disaster mitigation in the face of climate change, more than 200 delegates from civil society, local governments, national government agencies, and other sectors including the media, participated in the 9th South-South Citizenry-Based Development Academy (SSCBDA) held from June 22 to 24 at the Manuel Resort at Pilian, Zamboanga De Norte.
This year’s SSCBDA theme “Ecosystem Approach to Disaster Risks and Climate Change,” highlights the challenges faced by the communities in Salug Valley.
One of the most promising food production in the area but prone to severe climate-induced natural disasters such as flooding.
Speakers from various government and non-government organizations across the Philippines presented their good practices and innovative solutions to provide models and case stories featuring nature-based initiatives to address the impacts of climate change.
In its seminar handout material, it was also stated: “Project Participation in Resilience Building and Organizing Safe and Progressive Communities for Empowerment, Climate, and Disaster Risk Reduction has for almost two years contributed to building the adaptive capacity and community resiliency to the hazard of flood in the communities covering the 70,174 at-risk and vulnerable individuals and their families in the three provinces and one key city in the region of Zamboanga Peninsula. After the first phase and the ongoing second phase, the efforts now are in consolidating the gains and learnings to further strengthen the governance and leadership of local government units in the covered areas.”
One of the site visits was to Barangay Lower Tiparak, Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur offered the delegates a personal experience of seeing for themselves the livelihood projects designed to alleviate the economic effects of climate change and natural disasters like flooding that affect the communities.
A press conference was held on the last day of the training with participating Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Officers of the towns of Molave, Tambulig, and Sergio Osmeña as well as the representatives of Pinnovation Academy, Project Prosper, Center for Disaster Preparedness, and Global Network of Civil Society Organization for Disaster Reduction to discuss the challenges involved in the disaster resilience projects, developments, and sustainability of the participating communities.
