Guv ensures commitment to Bohol’s resilience, recovery 

by Ven rebo Arigo

Gov. Arthur Yap led all stakeholders in ensuring commitment to Bohol resilience and recovery at a summit on Mar. 16, 2022.

The summit springs hope towards faster recovery from disasters and ensuring resilience of this island province.

Bohol is still reeling from the devastation of typhoon Odette which hit Bohol amid the Coronavirus disease (Covid) pandemic.

At the conclusion of the Bohol Resiliency Summit at the Bellevue Resort, Yap led the signing of the Statement of Commitment which identified the keys to recovery in terms of policy initiatives, investment programs and other intervention.

“One thing we learned from [typhoon] Yolanda, kung maingay ka, that’s when you get help. And that’s why I pay tribute to Governor Yap for holding this conference. You’re only an LGU [local government unit], I first thought this [summit] is [organized] by the national government, but for you [Provincial Government ot Bohol] to do this is an achievement,” Rene Meily president of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) said during the summit.

Yap thanked all those who co-organized and joined the summit and the resource persons for sharing their expertise, wisdom and valuable inputs on disaster resilience.

The Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) led by Yap and Vice Governor Rene Relampagos organized the summit in partnership with Holy Name University (HNU), National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), World Bank (WB) and PDRF.

The summit convened all stakeholders consisting of national government agencies, LGUs led by the Bohol mayors, academe, private sector, development partners, civil society organizations and communities.

They exchanged experiences and knowledge for all to gain better understanding of how development planning, investment prioritization and industrial collaboration can be harnessed for faster recovery.

Other speakers in the summit also included Undersecretary Renato Solidum of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) – Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs); Administrator Vicente Malano of DOST – Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA); Dr. Ma. Laurice Jamero, head, Resilience Collaboratory, Manila Observatory; Director John Aries Macaspac of Local Government and Regional Coordination Bureau-Department of Budget and Management (DBM); Executive Director Raymund Alvina, Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF); Regional Director Armando Malicse of Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Department of Environment and Natural Resources (MGB-DENR); Assistant Regional Director Dolores Molintas, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA);  Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist Lesley Cordero of WB; Project Manager Alice Follosco of World Food Program (WFP) under the United Nations (UN) and Rep. Edgar Chatto of Bohol’s First District who chairs the Committee on Climate Change at the House of Representatives.

Undersecretary Andy Cui of the Presidential Management Staff also attended the summit, according to reports.

Moreover, Yap presented the status of Bohol 90 days after typhoon Odette, highlighting the programs and activities for the typhoon victims.

OBJECTIVE, OUTPUT AND PROCESS

The summit provided the stakeholders an opportunity to develop deeper understanding of disaster risks and integrated approach to manage risks effectively.

The province’s typhoon rehabilitation and recovery programs and plans are comprehensive and guided by the national “build back better” principle in identifying strategies in five sectors—infrastructure development, livelihood and business development, agriculture and fisheries, housing and settlement, and social services.

Summit participants discussed a series of thematic areas which involved understanding hazards and risks, building back better, role of the stakeholders, and financing and leveraging.

The summit explored ways to connect local, regional and national officials; public and private planning, urban design, disaster risk management and finance experts and academe, communities and other stakeholders to mainstream resilient, green and inclusive growth agenda.

Institutional set-up, coordination, communication and implementation mechanism for rehabilitation and recovery needs to be enhanced to ensure faster, effective and targetted interventions and minimize effort duplication and delay.

Financing recovery efforts are critical as various sources and modalities have been identified and discussed, including alternative external sources like overseas grants, contingent funds and multi-donor trust funds. These modalities are more flexible and can be used for immediate response and addressing needs arising after a disaster or calamity.

Meanwhile, the governor has ensured that rice assistance and other relief goods are delivered properly to those who need the aid the most.

“Many asked until when our distribution of assistance and I told them: Until it is necessary. If not, people will fall into the spiral of debt trap and they will never be able to get out,” Yap said.