Attending the Public Advocacy on Climate Change for Local Chief Executives on Aug. 5, they signed the “LakasLikasan Pledge of Local Chief Executives” which stated their vow of commitment to go an extra mile of safeguarding the environment.
The signing of the pledge wrapped up the one-day Public Advocacy on Climate Change for LCEs organized by the Regional Task Force on Public Advocacy on Climate Change and held at the Social Hall of the University of Southern Philippines (USEP) Bo. Obrero Campus, Davao City.
Spearheaded by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) XI, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XI and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) XI, the Regional Task Force on Public Advocacy on Climate Changes takes as members the regional offices of the departments of Agriculture, Health, Interior and Local Government, Science and Technology, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) XI and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) XI.
DENR Regional Executive Director Joselin Marcus Fragada took advantage of the presence of municipal mayors to discuss the National Greening Program through which the DENR this year targeted to etch a record of the most number of trees, in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Other topics discussed during the event were the Overview of Global Warming and Climate Change by Ma. Socorro Mallare of the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau; the New Normal Weather by Engr. Gerry Pedrico of PAGASA ; and the Sustainable Environment under the Regional Development Plan by Regional Development Council Vice Chairperson Ma. Lourdes Lim of NEDA XI.
Meanwhile, in his message during the forum OCD Regional Director Loreto Rirao (AFP retired Brig. Gen) lauded the municipal mayors who personally came to attend the event which he viewed as a necessary advocacy initiative to help LCEs better understand the need to prepare and mitigate disaster caused by catastrophic weather conditions that might happen as a result of climate change.
PIA XI Regional Director Efren F. Elbanbuena also lauded the LCEs for their support to the activity but he urged them to widen climate change awareness among its constituents especially those at the grassroots level to help them prepare for the adverse weather conditions that might cause disaster.
Among the mayors who personally came were Compostela Valley President of the Municipal Mayors League, Mayor Eutropio Jayectin of Montevista; and Davao Oriental Municipal Mayors League President, Mayor Vicente Orencia of Governor Generoso.
Other LCEs present were Mayor Justina Yu of San Isidro, Davao Oriental; Mayor Lorenzo Balbin of New Bataan, Compostela Valley; Mayor Benigno Andamon of Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte; Mayor Joel Lopez of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. Other LCEs in Davao Region sent their representatives who were either their information officers or their disaster risk reduction and management officer. (PIA 11/ Jeanevive D. Abangan)
