Bohol Governor Erico Aris Aumentado (left) and His Excellency David Hartman, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines (right). | Photo from the FB page of Erico Aris Aumentado
The Provincial Government of Bohol received a much needed boost from the Canadian Government for its campaign for climate and disaster resilience.
Last April 10, Governor Erico Aris Aumentado signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Dr. Anthony Damalerio, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management (PDRRM) Officer, and Alinea International through Edgardo Catalan, Alinea Philippines Country Project Manager, for the implementation of the Governance for Climate and Disaster Resilience (Gov-CDR) project in the island province.
The MOA signing was witnessed by His Excellency David Hartman, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines; John Lok, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Head of Cooperation; and Isabel Hernando, GAC Senior International Assistance Officer.
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Gov-CDR
Gov-CDR is a six-year project that will be implemented form 2025-2030 by Alinea International with funding support from GAC, the government office that is tasked to manage Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations, promote international trade, and lead international development and humanitarian assistance.
“The project aims to help local governments, and their communities improve the way they assess risks and natural hazards, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from related disasters and the adverse effects of climate change,” the provincial government said.
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Bohol is among six provinces in the country that are taking part in the Gov-CDR project. The five others are Kalinga, Aklan, Samar, Bukidnon and Davao de Oro.
Aumentado said that after their experience from the 2013 Great Bohol Earthquake and Super Typhoon Odette in 2021, the provincial government “is striving to help and protect people from the harms brought by climate change.”
“This program, which aims to improve the way LGUs assess risk and natural hazards, is a welcome addition to existing efforts the provincial government is currently undertaking to ensure the protection of our people from irreversible impacts of the changing climate,” Aumentado said during the MOA signing ceremony held at the Ceremonial Hall of the Bohol Capitol.
Climate change
With their recent partnership with the Canadian government and Alinea Philippines, Aumentado hopes to “strengthen communities against the natural disasters caused by climate change.”
Catalan said the project entails a three-pronged approach. These include the need to strengthen the enabling environment for CDR by assisting National Government Agencies (NGAs), national Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)/Non Government Organizations (NGOs) and support institutions to enhance and harmonize their policies, resources, programs and tools related to Climate Change Action (CCA) and DRR.
In addition, there is a need to strengthening CDR in the province by supporting provincial and municipal LGUs to improve the completion, financing, implementation, and monitoring of local CCA and DR programs, projects and activities.
Moreover, the project aims to enhance leadership, representation, and engagement of women and diverse populations in CDR by supporting national women’s networks, women-led and community-based organizations to increase their participation in all aspects of CDR.
“The Province of Bohol, being the country’s first and only UNESCO Global Geopark and Regenerative Island, is treating this partnership as one bold concrete step to achieve our shared goals for smarter and climate resilient communities,” Aumentado said.