Rain, Rain Go Away, Please Let Us Develop Starting Today
As the ‘Ber’ months begin, we take a look back at our country that has gone through a year consisting of days peeking out the window and seeing either a scorching, hot sun just begging to cry; or gloomy and dark, punctuated by tremendous rainfall. With the struggles the weather bears upon us Filipinos, we flail through basic problems like commuting in pouring rains and floods, making up for school suspensions, or even fixing a leak at home. Despite all these problems brought upon us, so long as we have a roof over our heads, we’ll be just fine, right?
Let’s look at the bigger picture of these occurrences by understanding the phenomenon known as climate change. According to NASA in 2014, climate change is a change in a place’s weather, temperature, or amount of rainfall in a year. The earth’s climate is always changing, and naturally we experience the effects of this change. A known effect includes the warming of the earth’s climate, causing snow and ice to melt, and oceans to rise.
Unknowingly though, climate change also affects the development of a nation. In March 2014, a report on Climate-Resilient Development conducted by the USAID explains that there is a call for developing countries to recognize and respond to the effects of climate change — an increase in risk of human health, welfare, and ecosystems threatens primary development goals such as reducing poverty, increasing access to education, improving child health, combating disease, and sustainably managing natural resources.
With our tropical country located along the Ring of Fire or typhoon belt — a large region in the Pacific Ocean where many of the earth’s volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur — we are at a higher risk of experiencing deadly typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural disasters.
In an effort to address this pressing issue, a forum entitled “Climate Smart CaMaNaVa: Leadership for Climate Resilient Development,” was held last August 30, 2017 at De La Salle Araneta University, from 9:00am- 12:00pm in collaboration with the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association of the Philippines — Harvard Club of the Philippines (HKSAAP-HCP) and Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP).
The forum was conducted by the Environmental and Climate Change Research Institute (ECCRI), an institute founded in 2010 by Glenn Banaguas, an Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) of the Philippines and Harvard Kennedy School alumnus. The organization is composed of Junior Research Scientists with a vision of creating a climate-smart Philippines by educating society about the risks and impact of climate change and other environmental concerns, empowering value creation in the country through technical procedures and science-based policy solutions, and promoting and facilitating innovative research solutions that will address the present societal and environmental dilemma.
The forum welcomed representatives from flood-prone cities: Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela. At 10:00 am, after a few remarks from the representative of each city, Professor Glenn Banaguas began by sharing first the Food-Energy-Water (“F-E-W for U” System) Nexus system: A Climate Change Adaptation-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CCA- DRRM) Solution Project, following a basic overview of how to access the People’s Survival Fund (PSF).
Scientists are able to predict the coming, duration, and strength of a typhoon in order to give us an advantage to prepare; however, we overlook the aftermath of the typhoon, where there is a need for a systematic emergency food and water distribution.
Hence, with clear details and passion in such advocacy, Professor Glenn explained that the F-E-W Nexus system aims to be able to provide an innovative, integrated, and comprehensive system that looks into the interactions among water, energy, and food systems. As a result of this, it will be able to provide assessments in the forms of charts, graphs, tables, and maps.
Furthermore, the role of ECCRI in executing such a project involves conducting trainings and workshops for various stakeholders, including provincial and local government officials, higher education institution personnel, civil society organizations, church leaders and the private sector. This falls in line with Professor Glenn explaining training and consultation workshops in understanding and attaining the People’s Survival Fund (PSF).
With such a clear plan and vision of the ECCRI presented before the representatives of the Local Government Units (LGU) of the flood-prone cities (CaMaNaVa), all that’s left is their willingness to move forward. The decision lies in their hands, whether to choose to take part of what exactly ECCRI is envisioning: a climate-smart Philippines.
About the author:
Kayleen Cheng graduated with honors from De La Salle University-Manila with a bachelor’s degree in Development Studies. She is currently working as the club administrator of the Harvard Business School Club of the Philippines, where she coordinates among the alumni.
