The Climate Change Commission (CCC) reiterates need to strengthen the climate resilience of our local communities and reducing the loss and damage brought by extreme weather extremes during the four-day Communities for Resilience (CORE) Modular Training Program for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Bohol, August 14-17.
“The recurring impacts of extreme weather events bring enormous loss and damage to our local communities and undermine the hard-earned socio-economic gains of countries. This is the spirit that drives the CCC to launch CORE Modular Trainings to foster the climate adaptation and resilience planning capacity of local government units,” CCC Secretary Emmanuel de Guzman said during his keynote address.
The Communities for Resilience (CORE) Modular Training, the flagship capacity building program, is one whole-of-government-and-society approaches to deliver actions across the development agendas of key sectors and the government at the national and local level.
This program also aims to strengthen the climate adaptation and resilience planning capacity of LGUs.
Since 2016, the CCC has conducted six (6) CORE Convergence Forums for LGUs in Major River Basins as Wave 1, and six (6) CORE Modular Training of Trainers for academic and teaching professionals, since 2017, as part of Wave 2, in a three-phased implementation of the capacity building program for LGUs.
The Commission is set to collaborate with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) to develop an accelerated training program on the CORE Modules Series that pilots Wave 3. This is to recognizing the role of HEIs as one of the institutions in building leadership capacities knowledge generation and research across disciplines.
The CCC and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) envision a formal course on the CORE modules at HEIs. This will then ensure that local planners have access to specialized training and skills upgrading in science and risk-based local development planning.
De Guzman also emphasized the importance of enhancing the Local Climate Action Plans (LCCAPs) in alleviating disaster risks which greatly affects the poor.
“With the increasing prevalence of climate change and disaster risks in our cities and local communities, those who have less in life are bound to suffer most. Us, in the CCC, enjoin all key stakeholders in building the capacity of local government units and assisting them in developing, enhancing, and implementing their LCCAPs,” De Guzman added.
Highlights of the first day were presentations on Climate change Initiatives for Research, Innovation, and Extension; Understanding Climate Change concepts; and Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation-Disaster Risk Reduction (CCA-DRR), LCCAP and Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment (CDRA) processes by Dr. Custer Deocaris, chief of Research Management Division from CHED; Mr. John Leo C. Algo from the Climate Reality Project; and Environmental Planner, Ms. Priscella Mejillano, respectively.
Mr. Elmo Dimaano from the Department of Interior and Local Government – Local Government Academy (DILD-LGA) also presented the Overview of the Enhanced Local Climate Action Plan (LCCAP) process.
During the second day, participants were able to undergo workshops on Impact Chain Analysis, Exposure Database, and Determining Relative Vulnerability and Risks facilitated by Ms. Mejillano.
More presentations on CDRA processes; Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory; and Sharing of Best Practices on conducting Community-level GHG Inventory by Ms. Mejillano; Chief of the Implementation Oversight Division of CCC, Ms. Sandee Recabar; National President of the Philippine League of Local Environment and Natural Resources Officers, Inc. (PLLENRO Inc.), Mr. Oliver C. Gonzales commenced on the third day of the training.
Last day of the training underscored presentations on Climate Change Budget Tagging and Accessing and Developing Project for People’s Survival Fund by Ms. Recabar and Environmental Planner Jean Paula Regulano, both from CCC.
Information and Knowledge Management Division chief of CCC, Mr. Joel Cruz conveyed the closing remarks, embarked that the fruit of this training will be seen on the success of its implementation process at the local level.
By the end of this month, CCC is set to conduct another roll out of CORE Modular Training in General Santos.
