Village Connect
The Philippines, known for its rich natural resources, faces significant challenges due to its susceptibility to disasters and environmental hazards. As an archipelagic country situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, it experiences frequent natural catastrophes and environmental threats that jeopardize essential sectors like agriculture and fisheries, which support millions of Filipinos. The problems are exacerbated by poor resource management, weak enforcement of environmental laws, pollution, rapid urbanization, land conversion issues, improper waste disposal practices, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions due to energy and transportation demands.
In response to these challenges, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has launched Project TRANSFORM (Transdisciplinary Approach for Resilience and Sustainability through Multistakeholder Engagement). This initiative aims to foster resilience and environmental sustainability in cities and municipalities across the nation by bringing together government agencies, academia, the private sector, and civil society.
The DENR Secretary Antonia Loyzaga signed an administrative order on January 11th 2024 establishing a management office for Project TRANSFORM within DENR – the Project TRANSFORM Management office (PTMO). The PTMO will focus on resiliency-building projects in collaboration with various stakeholders. It’s structured with a director at its helm along with three monitoring units: one for central oversight (COPMU) and two regional units (LVPMU for Luzon & Visayas; MPMU for Mindanao). Their responsibilities include identifying local issues related to sustainability projects in their respective jurisdictions.
Project TRANSFORM addresses the Philippines topping the 2022 World Risk Index as a disaster risk hotspot. It advances LGUs’ Leadership Commitment towards robust human development focusing on local economy improvement as well as enhancement of infrastructure conditions framed within environmental conservation parameters. The project promises integrated development planning from conception through evaluation stages involving all stakeholder groups.
A notable aspect is Project TRANSFORM’s comprehensive “ridge-to-reef” approach targeting forests management alongside coastal/marine preservation while addressing land use reformations aligned with solid waste control measures complementing water management facilities. Furthermore this strategy is consistent with international frameworks such as Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction targets alongside Paris Agreement compliance mechanisms including Sustainable Development Goals synchronization while dovetailing Philippine Development Plan aspirations set forth till 2028.
Reflecting back on October 2022 when DENR hosted a Luzon multistakeholder forum in Manila which led to significant consensus favoring collaborative mechanisms superseding traditional siloed operational tendencies; thus catalyzing Project TRANSFORM’s initiation executed via pilot programs originally rolled out in Ormoc City serving now as model paradigms being replicated across numerous other locales currently under implementation spanning diverse geographic regions within Philippine territory encompassing potential high-risk priority areas requiring substantial safeguard measures informed through evidence-based policy enactment conducive towards sustainable mitigation strategies articulated by competent local governance leaderships owning associated risks & opportunities alike consequently driving progressive societal evolution forwardly.
In conclusion Secretary Loyzaga underscores criticality behind strong partnerships among varied societal segments aimed at sealing gaps persistently plaguing climate-related directives propelling transformative measures deemed essential countering climate crisis efficaciously advocating concerted efforts amongst local governments consulting continuously with DENR alongside all pertinent stakeholders deriving from government echelons extending into private sector orbits supplemented further by academic contributions fostering holistic societal participatory investment decisions ultimately shaping Philippine environment plus Filipino livelihoods progressively whilst inviting more LGUs joining transformative agenda underpinned firmly upon scientific collaborations promising myriad benefits spearheaded through strengthened community partnerships innovatively enhancing ecosystem resilience significantly boosting local governance capacities enforcing robust environmental protection protocols effectively combating pollution comprehensively.
