PhilDHRRA participates in the La Niña Summit

by: Macario T. Jusayan

PhilDHRRA Regional Coordinators Macario T. Jusayan for Luzon, Caring Caridad for Visayas, and Glenn Bais for Mindanao were in full force for the La Niña Summit held last August 23-24, 2010 at the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Soil and Water Management. Also attending from member NGOs were Salvacion G Pernito, Executive Director of Lingap para sa Kalusugan ng Sambayanan (LIKASA) and concurrent Chairperson of PhilDHRRA Luzon RBOT, and Albert Aquino, Executive Director of St. Catherine Family Helper Project, Inc. (SCHFI).

The overriding objective of the summit is to draw national attention and to inform government officials and policy makers as well as civil society leaders and stakeholders on the La Niña phenomenon so as to enable them to enhance adaptation, cooperation and coordination for economic, environment and human security vis-à-vis La Nina devastations. 

Major themes discussed during plenary and in different workshop groups were the following: a) The Risks and Challenges of La Nina Facing the Nation; b) The Preparedness Program of Government; c) CSO Initiatives; d) Anticipation, Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies; e) Ways Forward:  Calls, Options and Major Declarations; and f) Partnership Building on La Nina and Climate Change.

The Summit was attended by around 180 delegates from the basic sectors from the regions and Metro Manila, religious and church groups, scientists, businessmen, academe, government officials, media and the international community.

From the Government: NGAs – NDCC/ RDCC, PAG-ASA, DSWD, Coast Guard, Red Cross, DAR, DA, CCC, DENR, DPWH, DILG, Leagues of Provinces, Cities and Municipalities, DOH, DOT, Department of Education, Culture and Sports, DOE, DOTC, CCC, MMDA, PNP, CHED, NEDA, House of Representatives, and Philippine Senate.  

From the Peoples Organizations/ Civil Society: Farmers, Fisher folk, Farm workers, Rural Women, Cooperatives/social enterprises, Indigenous People, Formal and Informal Labor, and Urban Poor and Informal Sector,

From the Church: CBCP, AMRSP, UCCP, and NCCP. The academe and scientific Community were also represented. International groups were also present like ADB, WB, GTZ, FAO, UNEP, ILO, UN-WFP, embassies, EU Delegation. The business sector was also represented by only a few like PCCI, MBC, BBC, and Foreign Chambers.

            Common feedback and observation gathered from many participants was that the program failed to provide enough time for plenary discussion. There were too many and too much inputs from all government agencies that ate up much of the time. The workshop activity of different sectors, while it was able to generate substantial results and feedback, was done in haste due to time limitation.  Many also expressed their disappointed with the way the government is responding to issues in mining, illegal logging, use of synthetic farm inputs, etc that added cause to environmental degradation. The IP group in particular, lambasted the inefficiency of the government to resolve the issue of mining in areas where disaster are happening. The urban poor sector also blamed the government of its inefficiency in addressing the problem of urban housing. The sad thing, says Mr. Jose Morales from ULAP, the government made blame on the urban poor settlers as the cause of clogging of canals and creeks in Metro Manila.

            The organizing group made a promise that the results particularly the calls and recommendation coming from workshop activities of the different groups will reach the attention of the Climate Change Commission for appropriate action.