Officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) met recently to strengthen Philippines’ coastal management program and policies.
The talk between DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, JICA Coastal Disasters and Management in the Philippines Senior Representative Ayumu Oshima, Undersecretaries Emil K. Sadain and Roberto R. Bernardo centered on the existing coastal disaster management issues in the country and the measures implemented by Japanese experts that can be adopted.
The implementation of an Integrated Coastal Management Program was proposed during the meeting to address problems such as loss of natural sandy beach from artificial modification, acceleration of vulnerability due to climate change, insufficient coastal management, and complications on coastal areas.
Integrated Coastal Management involves a wholistic approach in achieving social and economic development targets in a number of areas—pollution reduction and waste management; food security and livelihood management; water use and supply management; habitat protection, restoration and management; and natural and man-made hazard prevention and management.
“The experience when Typhoon Yolanda made us realized the threat and risk of coastal disasters.”
“The experience when Typhoon Yolanda unleashed her fury in November 2013 made us realized the threat and risk of coastal disasters especially that the Philippines is an archipelagic country,” Villar said.
“With Philippines’ lack of coastal defense infrastructure, JICA’s experience will be significant to the climate change mitigation researches and projects,” the public works chief added.