River basin approach a way to disaster preparedness
- Published on Friday, 17 February 2012 14:07
- Category: Benguet
by Susan Aro
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet,(PIA) – A river basin approach involving several government units is a way to come up with a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan.
Local Government Academy Executive Director Marivel Sacendoncillo shared the realization of the government that the country cannot continue doing individual provincial disaster preparedness but through a river basin approach.
Sacendoncillo spoke before provincial and local officials and employees and concerned government agencies and the academe in a forum held recently at the Provincial Capitol on Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Climate Change Adaptation with experts from Manitoba, Canada who shared their experiences on disaster management.
Each government unit in a contiguous area which may be located in the upstream to the downstream of the river basin has a key role to play, she stressed.
One of these river basins is where Benguet is located and there is a need to be prepared which is better than responding, she pointed out.
Community preparedness is the call of the hour not just to respond but preparing the community from disasters, Sacendoncillo said.
Due to climate change there is a need to do lots of changes in the way we do things in agriculture, environment among others, according to Sacendoncillo.
According to the United Nations, climate change and disaster risk reduction are closely linked with more extreme weather events in the future likely to increase in number and scale of disasters. (SCA PIA-CAR/Benguet)
