Legarda invited local chief exec’s of NCR making cities resilient
By Jason de Asis
 
SENATE OFFICE, Manila, December 4, 2010-Senator Loren Legarda invited the local chief executives of the National Capital Region (NCR) to join the “Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready!” campaign of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).
 
Legarda, the UNISDR’s Asia-Pacific Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, invited NCR local executives and the Alliance of Six Mayors in Marikina City, Pasig City, Antipolo City, Cainta, Rodriguez, and San Mateo towns to a commitment signing ceremony on Thursday (December 9) which will be held at the Manila Yacht Club.
 
The latest Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) risk assessment synthesis report said that the NCR is the most risky place for flooding and earthquakes within the region where Metro Manila was dubbed as the convenience store of disasters.
 
The Senator explained that the logical step would be to put in place proactive measures to reduce the cities’ risk to disasters, adding that we cannot be complacent and wait for another Ondoy or Pepeng to start doing what we ought to have done many years ago.

“A great start would be to take part in the UNISDR’s crusade to build more sustainable and disaster-resilient towns and cities,” Legarda said, explaining that the UN ISDR’s program encourages towns and cities to commit to the “Ten Essentials” to scale up investments in urban planning, infrastructure and building safety; protect ecosystems to mitigate floods; and install early warning systems, among other measures.
 
Legarda stressed that it is important that the people must prepare to adapt to a changing climate change wherein the impact of disaster risks can be more pronounced in more urbanized societies, where higher concentrations of national population and economic power are located.

“As elected leaders we have a moral obligation to the people. We must lead responsibly and wisely,” Legarda ended. (Jason de Asis)