DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/17 May)–The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has classified six barangays here as “most vulnerable” to disasters brought by climate change based on the data of the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).
At the Insulares forum held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Friday, Arcel dela Cruz, DENR ecosystems researcher, said that Talomo, Matina Aplaya, Matina Crossing, Matina Pangi, Tigatto and Maa are the “most at-risk areas” from disasters brought about by climate change.
These areas are among the 24 villages that the agency identified as at risk to disasters.
Talomo and the areas in Matina are at risk of flooding from the Talomo river while Tigatto is in danger of experiencing landslides brought about by rain, dela Cruz said.
She said the city government, in partnership with agencies such as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration and the Office of Civil Defense, has coordinated with the DENR so that observations regarding frequent experience with climate change could be recorded.
A local study on climate change was conducted from December 2012 to July 2013.
It has identified flooding, winds from rains, seawater rise and rain-induced landslides, among others, as among the impacts of climate change in the city.
“The local government unit has learned to adopt a climate change lens to incorporate adaptation measures into their CLUP,” she said.
She added that the local government will also incorporate their findings regarding the drainage and flooding into the CLUP within the year.
The local government’s latest CLUP is based on 2010 data.
Dela Cruz said that the CLUP is now in its final editing stage.
“The prospect for adaptation and mitigation is great for Davao City. Mayor [Rodrigo] Duterte has enforced a pre-emptive approach to governance so that before things could happen, we are already prepared,” she said.
The results of the revisions of the CLUP will also be used to predict the effects of climate change to businesses as well as the need for mitigation measures to protect the power industry.
These will be part of the vulnerability assessment report, which is funded by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and the World Food Programme. (MindaNews)