First district representative of Bohol and chairman of the House Committee on Climate Change, Cong. Edgar Chatto calls for greater unity and continued cooperation in building more resilient communities during two-part webinar series on sea level rise.
He urged to scientific and academic community, government agencies, legislators and local government unit (LGU), the private sector, civil society, and non-government agencies during the first part of the series dubbed “Taking Stock: Why we should be concerned about the climate and sea level changes”.
Chatto cited as example the experience of the islands of Tubigon amid sea level rise and tidal flooding caused by sinking after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake back in 2013.
This fact was also highlighted by technical expert Dr. Ma. Laurice Jamero, Head of Resilience Collaboratory, Manila Observatory in a study conducted on the islands of Batasan, Bilang-bilangan, Ubay, and Pangapasan.
More than half of the Philippine population live in coastal areas.
Climate hazards damage livelihood, infrastructure, cause displacement and unemployment, disrupt delivery of basic goods and services, and even affect agriculture.
Deputy speaker and Antique representative Loren Legarda echoed Chatto’s sentiment, stressing the need, amid more severe challenges to resilience, to not only beat coronavirus disease (Covid) and heal, but also pass in legislation a recovery plan that ensures sustainable economic, environment and climate resilience.
Legarda is author of House Bill No. 6864 of the Better Normal for the Workplace, Communities and Public Spaces Act, of which, climate and environment amendments introduced by Chatto are included in the bill.
The way to a new normal is to put in place public health safeguards and to integrate climate resilience in decisions, she stated.
Legarda hailed Chatto’s leadership as worthy of emulation as outstanding local government official, pointing out the latter’s capacity to teach and mentor local government officials on climate change and environmental protection.
During his time as vice governor, Chatto led the passage of the Bohol Environment Code, a first in the country. Bohol also adopted a no to coal policy under his leadership as governor complementing private sector and non-government organization crusade in environmental protection.
The Climate Change Commission – National Panel of Technical Experts (CCC-NPTE), in collaboration with the Oscar M. Lopez Center facilitated the online discussion among key actors and institutions on the state of knowledge on sea level changes and impacts, and identification of key issues, challenges and opportunities in addressing them.
Distinguished members of the CCC-NPTE include Dr. Carlos Primo David, current NPTE chair; Dr. Fernando Siringan; and Dr. Rodel Lasco, CCC Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman and leading climate experts and scientists including Dr. Benjamin Horton, Director of Earth Observatory of Singapore; Dr. Laura David, Head of Resilience Collaboratory, Manila Observatory; Dr. Enrico Paringit, Executive Director of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development joined the forum.
Dr. Eulito Casas, Associate Professor of UP Visayas Tacloban College; Atty. Josine Alexandra Gamboa, Manager, Government Initiatives, RARE Inc., and Dr. Bjoern Surborg, Principal Advisor and Cluster Coordinator for Climate Change of GIZ-Philippines, served as reactors.