Media’s turn to bolster mainstreaming advocacies and strategies on climate change adaptation
…Albay hosts anew media interfacing

by Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, November 21 (PIA) – With provincial, city and town chief executives across the country earlier demonstrating their commitment to develop resilience and adaptive capacities of communities to the adverse impacts of the changing climate, now it’s media’s share to bolster mainstreaming advocacies and strategies on climate change adaptation in the country.

Governor Joey Salceda of Albay, UN senior global champion on climate change adaptation and UN climate fund advisor, said the conference forms part of the series of sectoral interfacings in mainstreaming strategies on adaptation to the changing climate wherein no doubt the media has very important role to play.

Albay province, acclaimed a key front liner in CCA advocacy in the country and abroad, takes the lead anew in staging the Philippine Media Conference on Climate Change Adaptation set on November 24-26 at the Bicol University here.

Salceda said that President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III is invited to keynote the convention on November 25 and lead the inauguration of the Climate Change Academy.

Salceda furthered that the media convention will gather selected media practitioners and foreign correspondents from different organizations in a three-day workshop to tackle climate change implications and challenges, related disasters vis-à-vis media’s action, along with other sectors, on preparedness, adaptation and mitigation.

The interfacing, according to him, also intends to promote awareness on climate change vulnerabilities and extremities, putting emphasis the need to accelerate programs and policies in pursuit of the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the local level, and advocate the use of science-based analytical and planning tools on climate change adaptation and disaster risk management, among others.

Meanwhile, Manuel “Nong” Rangasa, executive director of the Center for Initiative and Research on Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), told PIA News Service that the Philippine Media Conference on Climate Change Adaptation is part of the over-all effort of the Climate Change Commission (CCC), Presidential Communications Operations Office, Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection, Presidential Adviser on Climate Change, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Science and Technology, National Economic and Development Authority, Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster ng Pilipinas, National Press Club in partnership with the Joint Programme MDG-F1656, United Nations Development Programme and Spanish Government-Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion International Para El Desarollo.

Earlier, a series of Summits on Mainstreaming of CCA among local government units (LGUs) were held in different parts of the country that evidently manifests that the implementation of direct adaptation measures remains local or lies on the hands of LGUs and residents.

Albay already hosted and sponsored the three CCA summits involving the League of Governors of the Philippines held in Albay on November 2010 and League of City Mayors in Iloilo on December, also last year, while League of Municipalities on March this year. (MALoterte, PIA V)