The Department of the Interior and Local Government-National Capital Region (DILG-NCR) participated in the Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Localities Against Disasters and Climate Change (SHIELD) Annual Stakeholders’ Forum held on January 22, 2025, at Marco Polo Hotel, Ortigas Center, City of Pasig.

The forum, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the lead implementing agency of the SHIELD Program, aimed to take stock of the program’s gains and lessons learned, while identifying strategic opportunities to accelerate financing for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III, was invited to speak at the panel discussion titled, “Mapping Trends and Opportunities in Financing Inclusive DRR-CCA and Advancing Resilience,” to share insights on the role of the Metro Manila Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Resilience Network.

Speaking on behalf of RD Agustin, Mr. Luigi D.C. Pilarta, Acting Division Chief of the DILG-NCR Local Government Capability Development Division, engaged in an in-depth conversation with Ms. Jacqueline Miel-Soliguin, SHIELD Program Manager.

Q: In 2024, DILG-NCR spearheaded the establishment of the Metro Manila Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Resilience Network. Could you further elaborate on the objectives of the network and their composition?

A: The establishment of the Metro Manila Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Resilience Network finds legal basis in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10121, or the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.” Under Rule 3, Section 3 of the IRR, the DILG, along with other member agencies, is mandated to develop vertical and horizontal coordination mechanisms for a more coherent implementation of disaster risk reduction and management policies and programs by sectoral agencies and local government units. The Resilience Network, to simply put, is an open government partnership and collaborative network that aims to establish community of practice among NGAs/RLAs, academia, civil society, private sector, and local formations of LGU functionaries existing in the Region (e.g., League of NCR LDRRMOs, Metro Manila Planning and Development Officers’ Association, etc.) to foster co-creation and exchange of knowledge, information, local best practices, and innovations on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation (DRR-CCA).

Prior to the launch of the Network in July 2024, we would normally respond to questions such as, “How is it different from the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council? Is there a duplication of roles or functions?” Our response is, first, that in terms of membership, the Network is not limited to a law-defined number of members. Its membership is meant to grow over time. Anchored on the principles of open government partnership, the Network is designed to be more dynamic and inclusive, encompassing a broader range of stakeholders, including private sector entities, non-government organizations, and even international partners. And secondly, the Network is not to duplicate the efforts of the MMDRMMC, but to complement and strengthen the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. In terms of leadership, the Network is steered by the Regional Resilience Network Coordinating Committee. It is chaired by the DILG-NCR Regional Director and vice-chaired by a multipartite body representing the Regional Government Sector, the Local Government Sector, the Private Sector, Civil Society and Non-Government Organizations, and the Academic Community. For the first quarter of 2025, DILG-NCR will issue a Regional Memorandum Circular on the establishment of the Metro Manila Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Resilience Network and convene the Regional Resilience Network Coordinating Committee to formulate its three-year roadmap. Its founding members include SM Prime Holdings, ARISE Philippines, the National Resilience Council, Women’s International Network on Disaster Risk Reduction-Philippines, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative, and Build Change.

Q: Metro Manila is a huge investment hub in the country. How can the Resilience Network build or bolster the resilience of Metro Manila against climate and disaster risk in the context of financing?

A: While the Resilience Network is not geared to become a direct funding institution, it can bolster the resilience of LGUs through capacity development by supporting and facilitating the effective and efficient delivery of quality, strategic, and responsive CapDev interventions through formal and informal training programs and educational initiatives tailored to enhance the disaster and climate risk governance of LGUs and barangays; research and innovation by generating knowledge products and tools and by collaborating with academic and research institutions for the development of innovative solutions, approaches, and technologies useful for local disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation; support to local planning and policy development by providing technical assistance in the formulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of local disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation plans and investment programs; advocacy building and public awareness by organizing regional and local advocacy campaigns, media outreach, and public engagement activities to enhance local understanding of disaster and climate risks and mobilize support and resources for the resilience efforts in the Region, LGUs, and barangays; and linkage and network building by brokering partnerships and collaboration among various actors and stakeholders within and beyond the Region and an LGU/barangay.

Q: If you’re going to select one sector that needs resilience funding support right now, what is it?

A: The Local Colleges and Universities, or LCUs – a sector with much potential, yet is highly dependent on the limited funds provided by their local government units. For DILG-NCR, providing funding support to LCUs is a smart investment for several reasons. First, LCUs can support local government units in terms of developing context-specific research studies and producing knowledge products, from which local policies, solutions, technologies, and tools tailored to address local challenges in DRR-CCA may arise; second, as LCUs are uniquely positioned to engage directly with the residents and stakeholders of their respective local government units, hence, they help strengthen LGU’s community volunteer programs, for example, to foster community ownership of various local DRR-CCA initiatives; and lastly, LCUs as local knowledge centers can develop and implement training programs that can equip LGU and barangay functionaries with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively perform their respective functions and roles in resilience-building.

The establishment of the Metro Manila Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Resilience Network is one of the commitments under DILG-NCR’s Upscaling Plans for Resilient Urban Governance (UPSURGE) Project, supported by the UNDP SHIELD Program and the Australian Government.