CLARK FREEPORT – An executive of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has stressed the importance of honestly “telling the people” the risks they face from climate change, regardless of whether this would initially trigger antagonism from the business sectors in their communities.
The WWF and the Bank of Philippine Islands Foundation (BDI Foundation) have released its latest study that was initially intended to be confidential, ranking 12 major cities according to their “vulnerability” to the effects of climate change.
The study said its findings were “to help Philippine cities prepare for climate impacts.” “We are not scaring you. You know reality. We just want to help you to adapt and be sustainable,” said WWF-Philippines Vice Chair and Chief Executive Officer Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan in presenting the results of Phase 3 of the study here.
The study ranked the cities of Baguio, Dagupan, and Tacloban as being the most vulnerable. The ranking of Tacloban came two months before typhoon Yolanda devastated the city in November last year. Asked whether the ranking would somehow adversely affect the business atmosphere in the cities at the top of the list, Tan replied, “We have to tell the people.”
The final results of the Phase 3 study was released only recently, and also covered the cities of Angeles, Naga and Batangas. Phases 1 and 2 of the study were done from 2011 to 2012 and covered eight other provincial cities.
BPI executive Florendo Maranan said that initially, the study was confidential and was intended only for the business interests of his bank. “Initial results convinced us that the communities would be interested in the findings,” he added.
The cities were ranked according to “climate exposure, socioeconomic sensitivities, and adaptive capacities melded to generate scores which show each city’s climate vulnerabilty.” Tan said. The ranking with scores is as follows: Baguio City 7.43, Dagupan 6.91, Taclocan 6.74, Iloilo 6.69, Cagayan de Oro 6.68, Cebu 6.65, Zamboanga 6.32, Naga 6.10, Laoag 5.80, Davao 5.6, Batangas 5.65, and Angeles 5.56.
Tan said WWF and BPI will also include in the study the vulnerabilities of the cities of Puerto Princesa, Santiago,
Butuan and General Santos.
