MILG, USAID-CRC assist Cotabato City enhance climate change action plan

DAVAO CITY – To help Cotabato City improve its resiliency to climate change, the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MILG-BARMM) has assisted the Cotabato City planners through a writeshop co-organized by USAID-Climate Resilient Cities (CRC).

The training was aimed at updating Cotabato City’s Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP). It was heled last February 22-24 at Apo View Hotel in Davao City.

Mayor Mohammad Bruce Matabalao, City Administrator Atty Aelan Arumpac, department heads and personnel from City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), Ciyt Plannign and Development Office (CPDO), City disaster office, city agriculture, Engineering, Budget, and Social Welfare, as well as partners from Cotabato Light, Cotabato City Water District, and CRS, attended the event.

According to CENTRO head Engr. Crisanto Saavedra who also heads the Technical Working Group on LCCAP Updating, the goal of updating LCCAP is to make Cotabato more climate resilient.

The Technical Working Group was formed in accordance with Executive Order No. 32, which was issued on November 28, 2022, one month after Bagyong Paeng struck the city and many areas of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Tohammi Abas and Mauricio Civiles, MILG’s disaster experts, made substantial contributions to achieving this objective.

As one of six cities served by USAID-CRC, Cotabato City is integrating climate forecasting, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) such as mangrove and bamboo planting, policy formulation and implementation, and monitoring and evaluation into its systematic efforts to address climate change.