Climate change forum points to Dagupan’s vulnerabilities
A FORUM-workshop dubbed “Business Risk Assessment and Management of Climate Impacts” sponsored by the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) Foundation and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) was held in Dagupan August 23 and discussed the city’s vulnerabilities.
Participants included city government officials and personnel, and stakeholders from various professional, religious, media and business sectors in Dagupan.
WWF Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan said the climate-change phenomenon “changes everything, triggering extreme storms and floods with the humankind as the culprit.”
Citing the haphazardly-built cities in Asia as an aggravating factor, Tan described Dagupan as a booming metropolis but pales in comparison with other cities when it comes to land use and urban management planning.
SOLID GROUND TO WATER
WWF-BPI Project Assistant Joaquin Del Rosario presented studies showing that while Dagupan is relatively isolated from the adverse climate effects, the conversion of solid ground into water is proving to be a major problem.
“This is the reason why more businesses closed shops this year compared with previous years,” del Rosario said, citing figures from the One Stop Business Center (OSBC).
Former National Economic and Development Authority Director General Cielito Habito said the worsening environmental reality has been hampering the city’s economic progress.
The forum organizers will return to the city in October to present the outcome of their studies in the city.(CIO)
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