CCARPH Partners Meet with His Excellency Peter MacArthur, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines

L-R Donna Magno (CDRRMO), Jessica Dator-Bercilla (UPV), Ruby Napata (UPV), Caridad Jimenez (UPV), Harold Monteclaro (Vice-Chancellor for Research and Extension , UPV), Clement Camposano (Chancellor, UPV), His Excellency Ambassador Peter MacArthur, Jose Roni Penalosa (CPDO), Mary Ann Darroca-Matiling (IHHRA and PCCI-Iloilo City), Joyce Dumangas Masancay Nagnal (Tiu Cho Teg-Ana Ros Foundation Integrated School), Sylvia Elosendo (Aeta Community, Lanit, Jaro), Annalyn Molina Catacutan (Tiu Cho Teg-Ana Ros Foundation Integrated School), Sonia Cardornigara (Homeless People’s Federation), Franco Agudo (Research and Planning, CDRRMO

On 31 August 2022, His Excellency Peter MacArthur, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines, carved time out of his busy schedule to meet with Coastal Cities at Risk Philippines partners in Iloilo City, one of the three project implementation sites for the International Development Research Centre (IDRC)-funded research. The meeting was held in the National Museum of Philippine Economic History. In Iloilo City, CCARPh implemented trans-disciplinary research that laid the foundation for the completion of the Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment (CDRA) required for all development plans in the Philippines, especially the local government units (LGUs). This includes informing derivative plans such as the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan and the Local Climate Change Adaptation Plan. Recommendations for resilience pathways were incorporated by the Iloilo City government in their Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP). The entire undertaking was made possible through the partnership between the City Government of Iloilo, Ateneo de Manila University, Manila Observatory, the National Resilience Council, University of the Philippines in the Visayas, alongside other stakeholders.

The meeting also highlighted how the IDRC-supported CCARPh research output helped inform subsequent work on COVID 19 vaccination strategy and the focus areas addressing cholera outbreak. Moreover, the gathering introduced Ambassador MacArthur to the role of women in resilience building in the City of Iloilo in the work of the Homeless Peoples Federation, Inc for socialized resilient housing and the food security measures for climate and disaster resilience implemented by the resettled Aeta Community and the teachers of Tiu Cho Teg Foundation, Inc. Integrated School at Lanit, Jaro, Iloilo City. Present at the meeting were the (1) University of the Philippines in the Visayas led by Dr. Clement Camposano, Chancellor, and his team composed of Vice Chancellor Dr. Harold Monteclaro, Prof. Caridad Jimenez (Director, UPV-CFOS Institute for Fisheries Policy and Development Studies), Dr. Farisal Bagsit (Director, UPV Pahinungod, the Volunteer Service Corps), Ms. Ruby Napata (UPV University Researcher); (2) City Government of Iloilo’s team involved in the resilience work represented by Engr. Jose Roni Penalosa (City Planning and Development Coordinator), Mr. Neil Ravena (Department Head, City Environment Office, Ms. Donna Magno (Department Head, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office), Mr. Franco Agudo (Research and Planning, CDRRMO), and the other members of their team; (3) Homeless Peoples Federation’s Executive Director Sonia Cardornigara; (4) Sylvia Elosendo of the Aeta Community of Lanit, Jaro, Iloilo City; (5) Annalyn Molina Catacutan and Joyce Dumangas Masancay Nagnal of the Tiu Cho Teg-Ana Ros Foundation Integrated School; (5) Ms. Mary Ann Darroca-Matiling, president of the IHRRA (Iloilo Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants Association) and board member of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)-Iloilo who raised the concern about economic growth and waste management. Jessica Dator-Bercilla (co-proponent of the CCAR Ph and faculty member of UPV) co-organized and moderated the meeting.