Improving natural disaster risk management at local level

In the Philippines, local authorities play a central role in natural disaster risk prevention and management. However, they do not have sufficient means and techniques to take effective action. In the context of its support for the decentralization process, AFD is financing a technical assistance program to build the capacities of local authorities. This is a crucial issue in one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change.

Context

The Philippines are exposed to major seismic, volcanic and meteorological disasters and are also considered as one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change. In this archipelago engaged in the fight against climate change, local authorities play a central role in risk prevention and management, but they have limited technical capacities and financial resources.

In the context of the program to reform local authority financing, which is supported by AFD and the Asian Development Bank, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has developed a Performance-Based Challenge Fund, which rewards the achievement of good governance criteria by local authorities. Through this technical assistance program, AFD is helping DILG strengthen and mainstream the certification mechanism of this fund called “Seal of Disaster Preparedness”. This certification rewards, with additional transfers, local authorities which have achieved an acceptable level of performance in terms of natural disaster prevention and management.

Description

This technical assistance, called “Disaster Risk Management and Institutional Strengthening (DRM-IS)”, is subsidized by the European Union via the Asia Investment Facility (AIF), and accompanies AFD’s second loan to the Philippines to strengthen the budgetary capacity of local authorities (USD 150m loan). This project aims to increase the resilience of cities and help local authorities better anticipate, prevent and therefore mitigate the impact of natural disasters. How? By encouraging them to reach the standard of the measures set out in the National Risk Prevention and Measurement Plan and comply with them. Three main areas have been defined and provide for:

The strengthening of the ministry (DILG) on the issues of climate change adaptation and natural risk management;
The revision of the certification criteria and method, in order to take account of the multiplicity of risks;
The assistance for 52 vulnerable pilot local authorities in achieving this certification.

Impacts

Capacities of the Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and local authorities strengthened in terms of natural risk prevention and management
Risk prevention and management measures institutionalized
Local resilience to climate issues improved

Download the project sheet

03/09/2015

Project start date

4 ans

Duration of funding

Sustainable Cities,

Climate

Sectors

Philippines

Location

Grant

Financing tool