‘Philippines needs to act vs. climate change’

MANILA, Philippines – In the wake of substantial damage to agriculture and infrastructure from Typhoon Pedring estimated nearly P1 billion, the Climate Change Commission plans to discuss with local governments the potential economic impacts of disasters to communities.

“Climate change is not just about losing lives anymore. It has become an economic development issue,” said Climate Change Commissioner Lucille Sering on ANC’s “Headstart.”

“There are trade-offs in the changes. If we know that this is happening to agriculture, you don’t plant there.”

“We want to sit down with the local government and understand the economic impact, not just the loss of life. Like any business, we need to be able to understand how to reduce the risks,” said Sering.

There’s more urgency to making the paradigm shift given the Philippines’ vulnerability to storms and typhoons, more so in light of the anticipated onset of the La Niña season.

“This is something we’ll have to contend with in the next 10 years. We have been warned as early as a decade ago that things will change and a lot of people won’t admit its climate change but things are changing,” said Sering.

Anticipatory approach

Sering said when it comes to climate change adaptation, today, it is not enough to look at the country’s history with disasters. She added that government should adapt an anticipatory approach to disasters and focus on disaster resiliency.

“It won’t be enough to look at the historical anymore, tumitindi na. When we talk about climate change mitigation, we talk about projection. According to PAGASA, in 10 years, the Philippines during summer months will be drier, during the rainy season its going to be wetter, but in Mindanao its going to be drier. How will that impact hydropower, infrastructure, agriculture, things important to the economy? We have to look at the ‘no regret’ anticipatory adaptation.”

On Tuesday, a section of the Manila Bay sea wall collapsed from the impact of storm surges from Typhoon “Pedring.” Despite being affected by floods, the United States embassy along Roxas Boulevard and Sofitel Philippine Plaza in the CCP Compound have resumed operations.

“We have to be prepared. We should be able to recover faster because it’s that recovery period that hurts the most. When we plan it, we plan on a worst case scenario.”

“When Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng happened in 2009, we suffered 2.7% of gross domestic product. What we need to accept is our money might not be enough to address these things if we just do reaction. We have to do it proactively and lessen our cost.”

“We need to focus on resiliency. This is where we start to look at good governance, leakage of resources, maybe the quality of our infrastructure. Nababawasan ang pera. Napupunta kung saan-saan. Ang appeal natin, huwag naman sana garapal. Ayusin natin ang infrastructure natin,” said Sering.

Risk to storm surges

Aside from being prone to the impact of typhoons, a 2009 study showed that the Philippines is also among the top 10 countries where coastal areas are at most risk to storm surges. On Wednesday, Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary Graciano Yumul said Manila was prone to storm surges.

Sering said amid the Metro Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) plans to develop the Baywalk, the agency should assess the Bay’s vulnerability to storms and typhoons.

“If there is any sea wall in the country that should be sturdy enough to stand anything it would be Manila Bay. No contractor would risk its reputation if Manila Bay would be damaged. (But weather conditions are becoming) intense, coupled with sea level rise, subsidence in Metro Manila, the over-extraction of water and high tide.”

Vulnerability assessment

“The MMDA Chair is thinking of how to develop Manila Bay. We hope he considers a vulnerability assessment on future projection so we can plan that it can stand 20 years based on what we see now. Hopefully, we know enough its going to hurt us not only in terms of lives lost and productivity. Maybe we should sit down and understand the problem and then decide ano ba talaga and gusto natin.”

“There is no right formula. We need to go back in attitude of people. During Ondoy, the trash contributed to the problem,” said Sering.

She noted that every plan should come with vulnerability assessment. “This is what President Aquino is prioritizing during his administration, to start on vulnerability assessment, meaning any program that doesn’t have that would be a waste of money.”

Sering said to better cope with weather-related disasters, the country should include climate change indicators like the rise in sea level and water temperature, and the possibility of extreme weather events in its long term development plans.

Sering noted that the National Climate Change Action Plan is underway adding they just need to finalize their priorities.

Curriculum on Climate Change

In hopes of raising climate change awareness, Sering said, they have also drafted a curriculum with the Education Department which is now in the pilot stage of implementation.

In 2006, U.S. Vice President Al Gore sought to draw attention to the devastating impacts of global warming, what he called a “planetary emergency” and “the greatest challenge the world has ever faced” via the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.” The film won two Oscars: for Best Documentary and Best Original Song, and in 2007 won the Nobel Peace Prize, alongside the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Sering points out 4 Filipinos won the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Al Gore. –Caroline J. Howard, ANC