UN lauds Albay, Makati, Cebu town for disaster preparedness
By Janine Marcelle Baluyan
When typhoons and other disasters strike, these Philippine areas stay alive.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNODRR) recognized three Philippine local government units (LGUs) as part of the 29 model communities that are exemplary in disaster risk management and reduction.
Albay province, Makati City and San Francisco town on Camotes Island, Cebu have been noted for their best practices in flood management, early warning earthquake reconstruction and legislation.
Also on the list are Venice, Italy; Bonn, Germany; Austria’s Tyrol province; Mumbai, India; Bangkok, Thailand; Cape Town, South Africa; Santa Fe, Argentina; Santa Tecla, El Salvador; Cairns, Australia; North Vancouver, Canada; Nashhad, Iran; and San Francisco, California.
In its “Making Cities Resilient” report, the agency also named the Philippines for 2010 passage of the Natural Disasters Risk Reduction Act, described as a proactive approach to disaster risk governance.
In the report, the UNODRR renowned that Albay’s disaster risk reduction strategy centered on relocating businesses over 10, 076 households, also supported 18 municipalities and involved them in community risk training programs.
Makati made it to the list for sophisticated and efficient disaster risk management system which fully institutionalized disaster risk reduction, preparedness and emergency management. The city is integrated to urban planning, health, disaster response and risk governance, the report said.
San Francisco town, on the other hand, has integrated disaster risk reduction into environmental and social development programs which prioritized practical and tangible resilience targets that included solid waste management, tree planting, mangrove rehabilitation and integrated farming.
Last year, San Francisco won the UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction for its purok (subvillages) system, which is essential in mobilizing and empowering communities through connecting them into a wider model of participatory governance, to develop the citizen’s ability to deal with risks.
More than 1,050 local governments worldwide, including the 29 model cities, have joined the program, as of August this year.
The model cities shared their knowledge of best practices on a wide array of challenges, including flood management, early warning, earthquake reconstruction and legislation.
Margaret Wahlstrom, UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) head, uttered hope that more countries will desire to become a model like the Philippines, which has already advanced in disaster risk reduction policies.
Sometime in mid-January, Wahlstrom visited the flood-hit areas in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities after tropical storm “Sendong” hit Northern Mindanao last 2011 to discuss ways to recover the resilience of their communities to similar disasters in the future.
She called for increased funding for disaster risk reduction and the institution of a comprehensive land use policy to better defend LGUs against increasing and more severe climate-related hazards.
When typhoons and other disasters strike, these Philippine areas stay alive.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNODRR) recognized three Philippine local government units (LGUs) as part of the 29 model communities that are exemplary in disaster risk management and reduction.
Albay province, Makati City and San Francisco town on Camotes Island, Cebu have been noted for their best practices in flood management, early warning earthquake reconstruction and legislation.
Also on the list are Venice, Italy; Bonn, Germany; Austria’s Tyrol province; Mumbai, India; Bangkok, Thailand; Cape Town, South Africa; Santa Fe, Argentina; Santa Tecla, El Salvador; Cairns, Australia; North Vancouver, Canada; Nashhad, Iran; and San Francisco, California.
In its “Making Cities Resilient” report, the agency also named the Philippines for 2010 passage of the Natural Disasters Risk Reduction Act, described as a proactive approach to disaster risk governance.
In the report, the UNODRR renowned that Albay’s disaster risk reduction strategy centered on relocating businesses over 10, 076 households, also supported 18 municipalities and involved them in community risk training programs.
Makati made it to the list for sophisticated and efficient disaster risk management system which fully institutionalized disaster risk reduction, preparedness and emergency management. The city is integrated to urban planning, health, disaster response and risk governance, the report said.
San Francisco town, on the other hand, has integrated disaster risk reduction into environmental and social development programs which prioritized practical and tangible resilience targets that included solid waste management, tree planting, mangrove rehabilitation and integrated farming.
Last year, San Francisco won the UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction for its purok (subvillages) system, which is essential in mobilizing and empowering communities through connecting them into a wider model of participatory governance, to develop the citizen’s ability to deal with risks.
More than 1,050 local governments worldwide, including the 29 model cities, have joined the program, as of August this year.
The model cities shared their knowledge of best practices on a wide array of challenges, including flood management, early warning, earthquake reconstruction and legislation.
Margaret Wahlstrom, UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) head, uttered hope that more countries will desire to become a model like the Philippines, which has already advanced in disaster risk reduction policies.
Sometime in mid-January, Wahlstrom visited the flood-hit areas in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities after tropical storm “Sendong” hit Northern Mindanao last 2011 to discuss ways to recover the resilience of their communities to similar disasters in the future.
She called for increased funding for disaster risk reduction and the institution of a comprehensive land use policy to better defend LGUs against increasing and more severe climate-related hazards.