October 2018

The Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum was hosted in the Philippines in October 2018. Several events on climate change and climate action were held in the Asian Development Bank (ADB) offices. These events provided an opportune platform for highlighting best practices from partner local government units.

A deep dive Session entitled “Climate Roadshow” provided a platform for local champions to share their stories and experiences with national and international decision makers on adaptation planning and investments. The panel of experts highlighted several initiatives including Guiuan, Eastern Samar, presented by Rectito Melquiades from the Guiuan Recovery and Sustainable Development Group for Resilience (GRSDGR), and Mr. Baltazar Tribunalo, head of Cebu’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO). They both shared about their experiences in multi-stakeholder engagements, risk informed planning and resilience building in vulnerable communities.

Another side-event on “Understanding the Cascading Risks of Climate Change (Slow Onset Events)”, highlighted the need to go the extra mile into understanding and investing in research on slow onset events and their impacts on local communities. Renato Redentor Constantino, executive director of ICSC, was among the panelists to shed light on existing research on  slow onset events, evidence-based climate resilience planning and the need for clearer investments in this area.

Lastly, a panel on “Adaptation approaches to enhance resilience in small island communities” featured emerging strategies from Guiuan; showcasing their work in responding to climate risks through integrated climate analysis and the climate change adaptation framework. ICSC further highlighted other examples of adaptation initiatives for food security and direct access financing from the People’s Survival Fund (PSF).