Consolacion, Sta. Fe to prepare climate change plans

AT least two local governments in Cebu will submit their climate change mitigation plans in order to secure funding from the national government.

“This year, our office is urging local governments to come up with the local climate change action plan or LCCAP. As of now, the towns of Consolacion and Sta. Fe are starting their LCCAPs,” said Baltazar Tribunalo, chief of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).

Last March 7, San Francisco town in Camotes Island, northern Cebu received P48 million sourced from the People’s Survival Fund (PSF) of the Climate Change Commission (CCC).

Aside from San Francisco, other recipients were del Carmen town in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, Lanuza town in Surigao del Sur and Gerona town in Tarlac province.

Each received P48 million or P192 million from the government.

In an interview with state media, incumbent San Francisco Mayor Aly Arquillano said they will build a water system for the town since saltwater intrusion under ground caused by climate change endangered their freshwater supply.

Tribunalo said the San Francisco municipal government and the PDRRMO had worked on designing the water system since 2009.

“Small islands like Camotes are greatly affected by climate change. In the case of San Francisco, they don’t have any mountains and rivers. They’re sourcing their water from underground,” Tribunalo said.

He said one of the features of San Francisco’s water system include a rainwater catchment device to impound freshwater brought by rain and planting more trees to raise the level of the soil’s water absorptive capacity.

Tribunalo said work on San Francisco’s water supply project starts late this year and will be finished in two to three years.

“The water supply system serves as a testament that San Francisco is a champion on climate change mitigation,” Tribunalo said.