DENR Secretary and TFBBB Chairperson Roy Cimatu during his visit in Siargao Islands on January 15, 2022

In a bid to fast-track the government’s recovery and rehabilitation programs in typhoon-ravaged areas, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu recently ordered the creation of  the regional inter-agency task  forces throughout the country with all of his 16 DENR Regional Executive Directors (REDs)  designated as chairpersons of the Regional Build Back Batter Task Force (RTFBBB) within their respective jurisdictions.

Cimatu’s move was pursuant to his post as Chair of the National Build Back Better Task Force  (TFBBB) under Executive Order 120  issued  by President Rodrigo Duterte on November 18, 2020 to expedite and lead the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of a post-disaster rehabilitation and recovery program for typhoon-ravaged  areas. 

 “The creation of RTFBBB is  in response to the intention of EO 120  for  government entities to work with a clear unity of command and  in a sustained and cohesive form in relation to  current and future   post-typhoon recovery and rehabilitation efforts ” Cimatu explained at the DENR Expanded Executive Committee Meeting held  via on-site and online last  January 18.

The National TFBBB is co-chaired  by the Secretary of Department of Public Works and Highways with 26 national government agencies as its members tasked to provide to the task force.

The DENR heads the Intensified Environment and Natural Resources Management, which is one of the six  Key Result Areas (KRAs) of TFBBB.  

Other TFBBB-KRAs  includes Better and Resilient Infrastructure headed by DPWH; Stronger Shelter and Resilient Settlement ( Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development); (3) Improved Systems and Essential Services (Department of National Defense-Office of Civil Defense) ; (4) Restored Sustainable Livelihood (Department of Trade and Industry); and (5) Strengthened Governance through Broad-Based Citizen(Department of Interior and Local Government)

Cimatu, through DENR Special Order (SO) No. 2022-32 signed last January 17, said the order spells out the mechanism by which the RTFBBBs will   “organize and convene”  their respective RTFBBs in coordination with the regional RTFBBB-member line government agencies “as may be applicable.”

The environment chief said the creation of the RTFBBB draws inspiration and lessons learned from the i success made in the first three focus areas of TFBBB in rehabilitating  the Marikina , Cagayan and Bicol River Basins after they were ravaged by  Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses in 2020. 

Among RTFBBB tasks is to  identify rehabilitation and recovery measures in typhoon affected areas and  formulation of the KRA implementation plans, budgetary requirement and funding proposal for the areas in their respective regions. 

Identified as priority  for the implementation of the order are areas that bore the brunt of Typhoon Odette in December 2021.

“Beginning with those harder-hit by Typhoon Odette, the DENR REDs for  CARAGA, Regions 6,7,8, 10 and MIMAROPA  as Chairpersons of the Regional TFBBB in their respective regions shall, in coordination with the  concerned Regional Line Agencies and Local Government Units, conduct damage assessment and  identify appropriate interventions for recovery and rehabilitation,” Cimatu said in the Order. 

DENR Undersecretary and TFBBB secretariat head Analiza Rebuelta-Teh said Cimatu’s order underscores the urgency for a clear mechanism on how to have a “total response”  at the regional level based on the mandate of EO 120, including the need strengthen the  link between the national and local levels to efficiently respond to the demands and realities in typhoon’s post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation phase as shown in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette.

With the mechanisms in place, RTFBBB can link directly with  concerned TFBBB member national agencies  “in case their regional members are not responsive” through the concerned DENR Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries who have been designated as focal persons  responsible for coordination with the concerned agencies as head of each of the six TFBBB’s KRAs concerned lead  as per DENR SO 2020-470. ###

San Miguel Corp’s. (SMC) massive environment sustainability and flood mitigation initiative to clean up the 27-kilometer Tullahan River system, is shifting to higher gear in December. The company is set to acquire additional new equipment to double its solid waste extraction capacity to 5,000 metric tons per day, it said in a news release.

SMC President Ramon S. Ang said that the company’s commitment to clean up the Tullahan River system is stronger than ever, as the company has made the cleanup of major rivers, one of its foremost sustainability priorities.

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The Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCAM-DRR), chaired by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), has committed to strengthening the country's response to climate change, following the release of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

The United Nations-led IPCC report provides the most compelling and comprehensive information on the state of the world’s climate today.

Citing the pronouncement of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, CCAM-DRR Cluster chairperson and DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said the report findings are considered a "code red for humanity" and that "the need to act collectively and decisively has never been more urgent."

"With the urgent call set forth by the latest IPCC report, we will continue to prioritize actions and investments that will reduce the long-term impacts, and increase our resilience and adaptive capacity to both the coronavirus pandemic and climate change," Cimatu said.

The IPCC report highlighted the irrefutable evidence that human influence caused the unprecedented warming of the planet and has exposed more regions to the increasing and intensifying impacts of climate change.

Cimatu assured that the national government is carrying out wide-ranging reforms in fostering improved environmental governance, sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy, and knowledge management on climate and disaster solutions.

"The CCAM-DRR Cabinet Cluster adopted the Risk Resiliency Program (RRP) as its convergence program to truly help protect our communities, especially in climate-vulnerable provinces and major urban centers, from climate-induced disasters and spare future generations from the worst impacts that climate change could bring about," he said.

Serving as the convergence program of the Cluster, the RRP aims to increase the adaptive capacities of vulnerable communities; ensure the adequate supply of clean air, water, and other natural resources; increase the resilience of critical infrastructures; and enhance knowledge, access to information and institutional capacities of communities.

"Given limited fiscal space for the CCAM-DRR sector, we will put focus on water security and water resilience as our policy thrust and direction in order to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, adapt to climate change, and enable economic growth by enabling the conditions for a healthy and prosperous population through a healthy environment," he added.

The Cluster’s priority programs are on the management of watersheds, protected areas and wetlands, coastal and marine ecosystems, groundwater resources, water quality, and water conservation.

The DENR has an approved budget ceiling in the amount of Php 25.295 billion for 2022.

Cimatu said the Philippines has committed, in its Nationally Determined Contribution to a projected greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the reduction, and avoidance of 75 percent from 2020 to 2030.

Of this figure, 2.71 percent is unconditional, and 72.29 percent is conditional, representing the country’s ambition for GHG mitigation between 2020 and 2030 for the sectors of agriculture, wastes, industry, transport, and energy.

The country’s climate change mitigation actions also include strengthening the resilience and adaptive capacity of the country, including through enhanced access to climate finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity building, especially on the implementation of the policies and measures on, and the uptake of circular economy and sustainable consumption and production practices.

Cimatu also said that the Task Force Build Back Better--an inter-agency body which he co-chairs with Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar--is steadfast in its efforts to improve adaptive capacities of ecosystems and communities in Cagayan, Marikina, and Bicol River Basins, which bore the brunt of typhoons Rolly and Ulysses in November 2020.

Cimatu stressed the opportunity to use green recovery from the COVID-19 to push for investments and reforms addressing underlying vulnerabilities and strengthening resilience.

"The COVID-19 pandemic provides us the opportunity to take a step back, and re-evaluate our programs and projects for the environment and economy. We need to identify recovery interventions that will also drive us towards a low-carbon, resilient, and green development," Cimatu said. #