By Sentinel Times Quezon Province Governor Doktora Helen Tan and UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran agreed to c...
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| Quezon Province Governor Doktora Helen Tan and UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran agreed to co-develop solutions and explore innovations to build the resilience and address the province's unique challenges. (Photo from UNDP Philippines) |
LUCENA CITY - Quezon Province and United Nations Development Program (UNDP)-Philippines have recently joined forces to strengthen climate resilience in the region to address the increasing vulnerability of Quezon Province to climate change impacts.
The signing of a partnership agreement between UNDP-Philippines and the Australian Government, led by Quezon Governor Helen Tan, marks the beginning for the SHIELD (Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Localities Against Disasters and Climate Change) Program to be implemented.
The partnership aims to enhance capacity-building initiatives, promote sustainable practices, and implement innovative solutions to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change in Quezon Province.
“We want our policies to be evidence-based. We need experts’ intervention in determining the areas where we need to improve and providing capacity building activities to our partners on the ground,” Tan said.
The provincial government said SHIELD is an important initiative that will help address the impacts of climate change in Quezon Province. By aligning with their development roadmap, it ensures that efforts are focused on key areas such as health, education, agriculture, livelihood, infrastructure, nature, tourism, and good governance.
This holistic approach will not only mitigate the effects of climate change but also contribute to the overall sustainable development of the province.
Through SHIELD, the Australian Government has invested AUD 18 million to support the implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in Quezon Province.
This funding will enable the province to enhance its resilience to climate-related hazards, promote sustainable livelihoods, and protect its natural resources for future generations.The partnership with Australia will facilitate knowledge exchange and capacity building, empowering local communities to actively participate in climate action initiatives.
The initiative will be carried out in 11 of the country's most disaster-prone provinces: Albay, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Cagayan, Cebu, Davao Oriental, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Pampanga, Pangasinan, and Quezon.
“With our consortium partners and the Australian Government, we reaffirm our strong commitment to support Quezon Province in protecting the welfare of its people by developing its resilience to the effects of climate change,” said Dr. Selva Ramachandran, UNDP Philippines resident representative.
A whole-society approach is used by the UNDP SHIELD, in which ten organizations, including the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), will assist the government, civil society organizations, and academic institutions in developing resilience.
“Tayong lahat ay magiging bahagi ng programa with a common goal, which is to build resilience. Lahat ng may kinalaman sa pagpapatakbo ng pamahalaan sa Quezon, gusto sana naming makasama sa programa,” explained UNDP SHIELD Program Manager Ma. Victoria de Guzman.
A Technical Working Group (TWG) will be formed under the MOU to ensure that the province has appropriate plans and policies in place to lay the groundwork for furthering its economic development. The agreement will be in effect until 2028.
According to De Guzman, this will open up potential areas for collaboration, such as the launch of an application that can disseminate information to the public before, during, and after a disaster. (with reports from UNDP Philippines)
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