Northern Mindanao || X Green groups seek survival fund law for disaster victims
Green groups seek survival fund law for disaster victims
Thursday, 02 February 2012 00:00
ENVIRONMENTALISTS here are pushing for the passage of the People's Survival Fund Bill to make sure that people in calamity-stricken areas would receive the kind of help that they need so as to sustain their economic existence. The bill is still pending in Congress. Red Constantino of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities told a forum here that he is hopeful that it would become a law. Constantino said the PSF Bill, once passed into law, can help local governments and communities deal with natural calamities.
The fund would come from the national budget and can be accessed by the local governments who can submit proposed projects and activities based on the actual need of the people in a particular area. Constantino said there is also a need for officials and citizens to rethink their concept of climate change. "Most Filipinos think of Climate Change as 'episodic disasters' (like floods) but it's just half of the problem," Constantino said.
He said there are also far more serious issues communities must face like the rise of the sea level, drought even in wet season, higher than average rainfall, among others. He cited a weather prediction that by 2020 and every year afterwards, some parts of the country would be experiencing prolonged dry conditions even during the rainy months. Task Force Macajalar and the Federation of People's Sustainable Development Cooperatives have expressed their support for the passage of the PSF Bill.
The forum cum action planning activity was spearheaded by the Cooperative Development Authority here and co-sponsored by Task Force Macajalar and FPSDC. They gathered some 200 delegates, representing cooperatives, people's organizations, civil society groups and non-government organizations, here, Tuesday afternoon. Entitled: "Quo Vadis," the forum featured presentations by natural resources management expert Raoul Geollegue, environmental activist Bencyrus Ellorin of TFM and Constantino of the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities.
TFM spokesperson Kristine Ravanera said they came up and agreed on to two major points. "First is on the proposals on activities and programs on (Disaster and Risk Reduction Management) training at the grassroots level and the preparation and compilation of case briefer in relation to DRRM administrative case, etc. And maybe filing of additional case (based on the) DRRM Law."
Constantino said most of the calamities in the country have been tragic because of complacent local governments that continually make Climate Change as its "trash bin of blames. "The forum cum action planning activity was spearheaded by the Cooperative Development Authority here and co-sponsored by Task Force Macajalar and FPSDC. They gathered some 200 delegates, representing cooperatives, people's organizations, civil society groups and non-government organizations, here, Tuesday afternoon.
Entitled: "Quo Vadis," the forum featured presentations by natural resources management expert Raoul Geollegue, environmental activist Bencyrus Ellorin of TFM and Constantino of the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities.
TFM spokesperson Kristine Ravanera said they came up and agreed on to two major points. "First is on the proposals on activities and programs on (Disaster and Risk Reduction Management) training at the grassroots level and the preparation and compilation of case briefer in relation to DRRM administrative case, etc. And maybe filing of additional case (based on the) DRRM Law."Constantino said most of the calamities in the country have been tragic because of complacent local governments that continually make Climate Change as its "trash bin of blames."
By JIGGER JERUSALEM and CONG CORRALES Correspondent
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