The Department of the Interior and Local Government National Capital Region, through the Upscaling Plans for Resilient Urban Governance (UPSURGE), Project Governance for Resilience on Adaptive Social Protection (GRASP), and Metro Manila Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Resilience Network, convened development planners and key regional stakeholders at the Tri-Conference 2024 in on December 11, 2024, at the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Quezon City. The conference aimed to strengthen LGUs’ disaster response mechanisms and to provide inputs on the risk-informed governance policy agenda and roadmap for 2025.

Emphasizing the significant role of the local development planning offices in the region in addressing DRR challenges, DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Ana Lyn R. Baltazar-Cortez, CESO IV urged the Local Planning and Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) office representatives, line agency partners, and key actors to commit to the highest standards of good governance, accountability, and people-centered service delivery through advance risk governance and planning. 

“With risk-informed planning at the core of local governance, today’s Tri-Conference 2024 brings forward the integration of resilience-building strategies that address short and long-term challenges faced by the Region. This can range from the overwhelming pace of urbanization to the increasing frequency and intensity of weather events up to the compounded effects of poverty, unemployment, informal settlements, and waste pollution among others,” said ARD Baltazar-Cortez.

Key stakeholders and national government agency partners from different agencies were invited to share their expertise and present their respective topics about innovative strategies in DRR, evacuation management systems, etc.

LGOO VI Marda Alina Dumaong-Acoba and LGOO III Mervin Angelo Tumada, from the DILG-NCR Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation Division (LGMED), gave an overview of the SGLG 2024 and Gawad Kalasag results and key lessons. The two LGMED officers also shared the challenges and gaps identified in the monitoring of the indicators, to understand how the local planners can formulate solutions to the lagging indicators.

Then, Mr. Carlo Soriano from the Office of the Civil Defense discussed the salient features of the newly-signed Republic Act No. 12076 or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act. Mr. Soriano said that the law requires local government units to coordinate with OCD and DPWH to ensure the safety and integrity of evacuation centers. In addition, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Programme Manager Jacqueline Miel-Soliguin, Metro Manila Planning & Development Officer’s Association, Inc. (METROPLANADO) Engr. Nerlisa D. Palomar, EnP, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa Assistant Professor John Aquilino Edmund G. De Lima, and ARISE Philippines Lead Secretariat Ma. Cristina Lee expressed their commitment to localizing the SDGs into all aspects of urban planning, adopting innovative strategies in DRR, and fostering partnerships with fellow LGUs, development partners, and stakeholders to advance inter-locality cooperation in NCR.

In his closing remarks, DILG-NCR Acting Division Chief Luigi Pilarta lauded the participants’ collective commitment to advancing DRR. DC Pilarta also encouraged participants to utilize the lessons learned to accelerate resilience-building efforts across Metro Manila.

The Tri-Conference 2024 brought together three important events of the DILG-NCR, the Post-Seal of Good and Local Governance (SGLG) Symposium, the 2nd NCR Annual Local Planners’ Colloquium, and the 1st Metro Manila Risk Governance Summit to advance risk governance and build sustainable communities in the metro.