The DILG-NCR held a Climate Change Forum titled “Operation LISTO – Enhancement of Local Government Units Capacity on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management.”

The three-day forum, which ran from September 21 to 23, 2022 and held at Hotel Rembrandt, Quezon City, was a joint undertaking among the DILG-NCR, the Office of the Civil Defense-NCR (OCD-NCR) and the Climate Change Commission (CCC).

With the objective of strengthening institutional capacity and developing resilience of local Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) offices at the city and municipal levels, the forum was participated in by functionaries from the local offices involved in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Planning and Development, Environment and Natural Resources and Public Order and Safety.

In her opening message delivered virtually, DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III, stated “…as with everything of great consequence in our national life, we start by capacitating our institutions to think resilience in everything they do, do action planning based on tried-and-tested protocols and procedures, ensure that plans and budgets are in sync, and mainstream the CCA and DRM mindset among the general public.”

Resource persons from the DILG-NCR, OCD-NCR, and CCC discussed current policies and practices in regard to DRRM as well as Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Mitigation.

The conference provided participants the opportunity to deepen their knowledge on the most up-to-date disaster preparedness practices, including strategies for CCA. It also afforded the participants and the resource persons the chance to engage in a wide-ranging discussion about the subject matter, share ideas and best practices, and for local officials in particular, talk about field experiences in their respective LGUs.

DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Ana Lyn R. Baltazar-Cortez, CESO V, wrapped up the event virtually by reminding and encouraging everyone that “…as government workers and citizens, we should all be climate warriors to ensure that the world we pass on to our children and grandchildren is better, cleaner and safer than the one we found.”