SKPF holds Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Management training

The era of procrastination…is coming to a close…we are entering a period of consequences.

-Winston Churchill

Responding to the urgent call for genuine concern and recognizing the many limitations of the Sangguniang Kabataan officials on deeper understanding about issues around climate change, the SKPF, in coordination with Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), the country’s oldest recognized Nongovernmental Organization (NGO), held a comprehensive Training/Workshop on Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) into Local Development Planning at Queen Margarette Hotel, Diversion Road, Lucena City last July 8-10.

The training was given to PPSK Presidents and selected SK Chairpersons to educate them on how to concretely participate in the efforts on disaster risk management and climate change adaptation in their respective community. This is essentially important because SKs are members of different local councils and special bodies for environment concerns.

Dr. Sharon E. Taylor, a British national and a marine biologist, was the head facilitator of the training workshop. Beside being the PRRM-Conrado Benitez Institute on Sustainability (CBIS) Assistant Director, Dr. Taylor is also an NGO representative/consultant to various national movements addressing climate change. Mr. Charlie R. Razo, CBIS researcher and librarian and Mr. Amor R. Cabico, PRRM area manager for Quezon were the other resource persons.

Kabataan Partylist Representative Raymond “Mong” Palatino, in his solidarity message, congratulated the SK leadership for the project and expressed hope on the more aggressive participation of the youth in the issues on environmental protection. In a hand-carried message, Cong. Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna, challenged the participants to be more vigilant and assertive of the rights as well as the responsibilities endowed to them as youth leaders.