The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and CRS Philippines’ Climate Resilient Cities Project, in partnership with the Philippine Disaster Relief Foundation (PDRF), launched a back-to-back event in Makati City that tackled climate resilience and sustainability initiatives of different sectors that can be implemented in the country.
CRC Project stakeholders and climate leaders pledged their support to the Innovations for Resilience Challenge
Titled “Resilience Reimagined: Beyond the Boundaries of Tradition" and “Innovations for Resilience Challenge,” the program was held on Sept. 20 at the Makati Diamond Residences in Makati City.
The symposium brought together climate and industry leaders who shared their valuable insights on the role of private sector in climate resilience, various climate strategies from the city government of Makati led by Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, Oscar M. Lopez (OML Center), and Climate Resilient Cities’ consortium partner, Conservation International, and accessing the People Survival Fund.
(From left ) PDRF Chief Resilience Officer and Liveable Cities Philippines Chairman, Mr. Guillermo Luz moderating the panel discussion with Makati City Urban Planner, Mr. Xenon Walde, CCC Development Management Officer Gene Sophia Constantino, PDRF Emergency Operations Center Director, Mr. Arnel Capili, OML Center Executive Director, Dr. Rodel Lasco, and CRC Nature Based Solutions Director (Conservation International Philippines), Mr. Wilbur Dee
The Innovations for Resilience Challenge aims to empower cities and strengthen their capacity for developing and implementing nature-based solutions (NBS). The challenge will enable participating cities to identify and support scalable or replicable community-led innovative projects that contribute to climate and disaster resilience; and conduct knowledge-sharing sessions and mentorship opportunities for the local innovators working in the resilience space.
This is also an opportunity for them to engage with different stakeholders and promote collaboration within the nexus of climate, disaster, and development.
“This is our third year of implementation and we have now shifted our focus to ensuring that the increased capacities of our partner cities are translated into robust climate risk planning, programming, and aim to support them in implementing nature-based solutions and adaptation solutions” CRC Project Chief of Party Alan Silayan said as he underscored that now is the time for the partner cities to demonstrate the capacities they built in the last two years with the CRC Project.
The pilot run of the challenge will only be open to the six CRC-supported cities namely Batangas, Borongan, Cotabato, Iloilo, Legazpi, and Zamboanga.
PDRF Executive Director Veronica Gabaldon emphasized the significant role that the private sector plays in achieving a sustainable future for the country, “Innovation should be people centered and the climate resilience for cities is a shared responsibility–this is everybody’s business.”
The event closed with the climate leaders, city representatives, and partners from various sectors signing the Innovations for Resilience Challenge commitment pledge.