AS SIPALAY is earthquake and tsunami prone area, the local government of Sipalay City under Mayor Maria Gina Lizares worked on the updates of their safety maps and other possible disaster-related action and response as part of their prevention and preparedness program in case of emergency.
Along with the local government staff, barangay officials, partner agencies and organizations, they gathered recently to update the hazard, vulnerability and capacity maps of Sipalay City during the Climate Disaster Risk Assessment Workshop.
The assessment workshop held last July 17 to 18 is part of the updating of comprehensive land use plan (Clup) and comprehensive development plan (CDP) of Sipalay City.
Mayor Lizares has encouraged the stakeholders to actively take part not only in the workshops but in the succeeding activities of the updating of the land use and development plans for the city.
“Updating our Clup and CDP is a priority. We must not limit ourselves with the term of our officials, and instead think of a long-term vision for Sipalay,” said Lizares.
The Clup and CDP are updated every ten years and five years respectively to improve the land use and development services of the local government. The city mayor also stressed the importance of leading conscientiously and adapting the city with the times and effects of climate change. She also discussed the potential of developing idle agricultural lands for the locals.
The two-day workshop picked up from the previous sessions of the group, this time assessing the impact of climate change and calamities, and integrating data with maps and tools.
A team of consultants facilitated the input of updated gathered climate change and calamity hazard data to a set of maps of the city which the participants in turn helped rate the level of vulnerability, degree of impact and adaptive capacity. These actions of the city and community leaders must be observable—felt and seen—even within just three years, Lizares said.