NEWS

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) has identified the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) as partner in the management of disaster risks and the adaptation of the impact of climate change towards sustainable development. 

In a media statement, the CCC recognized UPV as a leading academic institution that will collaborate with the commission to raise the capacity of key local actors in the cities and municipalities within the Jalaur River Basin in Iloilo for disaster risks reduction and climate change adaptation. 

The UPV said that as part of this collaboration, five representatives from the university participated in the training of trainers on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation for local partners in Cagayan and Jalaur River Basins held recently in Tagaytay City. 

The capacity-building training ensures that people, institutions, structures and government are better prepared to prevent and cope with disasters in the future, while at the same time working towards reducing risks and building resilience. 

The group was led by Prof. Nestor Yunque, UPV's Vice Chancellor for Administration, along with two faculty members, a university research associate, and the chief of the campus and maintenance development office. 

The implementation of the partnership is part of the project dubbed as “Resilience Capacity Building for Cities and Municipalities to Reduce Disaster Risks from Climate Change and Natural Hazards” on its first phase, supported by the United Nations Development Program. 

The three-year project is also being funded by the Government of New Zealand through the New Zealand Aid Program. 

The CCC, under the Office of the President, is the lead policy-making body of the government tasked to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the programs and action plans of the government relating to climate change.