Climate change advocates trained

Climate change

advocates trained

By Dominic I. Sanchez

ZAMBOANGA CITY – In an effort to further advocate the need for communities to be prepared for the looming effects of climate change, the Philippine Information Agency – Zamboanga-BasilanSulu-Tawi-Tawi Information Center (PIA-ZamBaSulTa) conducted a two-day trainers’ training on advocacy for climate change adaptation and mitigation on Sept. 4-5 at the Zamboanga Seafood House here.

Participants include city links from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), teachers from the Department of Education (DepEd), a representative from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and staff from non-government organizations including Zabida, Silsilah Dialogue Movement, Social Action Center, and some representatives of barangay local government units.

PIA-ZamBaSulTa Manager Dave Malcampo emphasized that “although climate change adaptation advocacy is not new, there is an impending need to strengthen advocacy efforts to address public apathy towards this phenomenon.”

“We have limited resources. This is why we are conducting this training to multiply our efforts through the participants as advocates. They can relay the advocacy to their own clients in the communities,” Malcampo asserted.

Prior to the workshops, speakers including Office of Civil Defense (OCD-9) Regional Director Emilia Julhajan, PAGASA-9 chief Maribel Enriquez, and PHIVOLCS chief Engr. Allan Labayog gave short talks on climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness. Zamboanga City Assistant Administrator Dr. Elmeir Apolinario also the head of the ad interim City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Committee (CDRRMC) joined in the subsequent open forum, sharing the local government’s proactive stance in disaster preparedness and mitigation. Apolinario underscored the need for community involvement in this campaign.

“It is better to spend one peso to be prepared than ten pesos to respond (to disasters),” Apolinario said, highlighting the importance of being prepared in order to mitigate the effects.

Meanwhile, Engineer Labayog emphasized to the participants that “there is no time to waste to be prepared.”

“Preparedness for calamities is an everyday activity, which involves every one of us,” Labayog emphasized.(PIA) (091214)