WWF-BPI FOUNDATION STUDY

A STUDY by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Philippines) and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Foundation on climate adaptation for seven major cities in the country will be presented in Dagupan on December 6 at the Star Plaza Hotel.

Entitled Business Risk Assessment and the Management of Climate Impacts, the study analyzes economic and climate trends and predicts probable scenarios, which will help planners and decision-makers assess climate change impacts, identify opportunities and sustainability strategies.

For Dagupan, dubbed the Bangus Capital, one of the recommendations is to favor the use of rainwater and surface water over groundwater.

Over-extraction of groundwater can lead to saltwater intrusion and the deterioration of water quality, which will negatively affect Bangus farmers.

Dagupan sits on a natural bog, bordered by the Lingayen Gulf and fed by the rains of Central Luzon plus the Cordilleras. Generally situated on mudflats and reclaimed land, seven of the city’s 31 barangays are frequently inundated by floods and high tides.

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

“With the proper mindset, what may be seen as a local vulnerability can be transformed into a development opportunity,” says WWF-Philippines Vice-chair and Chief Executive Officer Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan.

Phase two of the multi-year study was conducted from January to September this year and assessed the cities of Dagupan, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, and Laoag. Phase one was conducted in 2011 and surveyed the cities of Baguio, Cebu, Davao and Iloilo.

BPI Foundation Executive Director Florendo Maranan, for his part, says, “The study results provide us with a good starting point for the critical actions that we need to address. More importantly, the vulnerability assessment of each city provides highly valuable insights on business opportunities if we pursue a more sustainable development plan.”

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