Committed to achieving a resilient Baguio City by 2026, Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong issued Executive No. 94, series of 2024 designating the technical working group (TWG) for the “Making Cities Resilient 2030.”
Baguio City’s aim to become a resilient city by 2026 is anchored on the need to enhance disaster preparedness and sustainable urban development by addressing the inevitable and grim effects of climate change through the institutionalization of strategies aligned with the international “Making Cities Resilient (MCR) 2030” program.
The MCR 2026 TWG will be led by Engr. Charles Bryan Carame of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office with Mr. Elias Aoanan of the City Planning and Development Office as the co-team leader.
The team leaders are responsible for the coordination of disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities and implementation of the city’s DRR management plan as well as the integration of resilience strategies into city planning and development.
Members of the TWG include Dr. Donnable Panes of the City health Services Office; Ms. Dolores Busacay of the City Social Welfare and Development Office; Engr. Sofronio Pascua of the City Environment and Parks Management Office; Engr. Stephen Capuyan of the City Buildings and Architecture Office; Mr. Briccio Cesar Domondon of the City Mayor’s Office – Barangay Special Services Division; Ms. May Grace Alvaro of the City Budget Office; Ms. Lagrimas Alafriz of the City Accounting Office; and, Ms. Jessa Mardy Samidan of the City Mayor’s Office – Public Information Office.
The CDRRMO Research and Planning Division will serve as secretariat of the TWG.
The TWG will carry on five major responsibilities particularly: Develop and implement a comprehensive action plan aligned with the goals of MCR 2030; Monitor, update and evaluate the progress of the city’s status on its steps toward achieving the MCR 2026; Coordinate with relevant local, national and international stakeholders for the successful implementation of initiatives; Ensure that all activities are inclusive, resilient, gender-responsive, climate change adaptive, and participatory; and, Submit regular reports to the Office of the City Mayor.
The mayor reminded the TWG of the city’s focus to make Baguio not only resilient but also “safe, inclusive, innovative and sustainable” in face of the looming impacts of global warming.
MCR2030, a big flagship project of the United Nations, is said to be “a unique cross-stakeholder initiative for improving local resilience through advocacy, sharing knowledge and experiences, establishing mutually reinforcing city-to-city learning networks, injecting technical expertise, connecting multiple layers of government and building partnerships.”
It provides support to make cities worldwide “safer, preventing risks, promoting innovation and investments and building resilience” through the delivery of a “three-stage roadmap to urban resilience, providing tools, access to knowledge and monitoring and reporting tools.”
A total of 1,603 cities worldwide have joined the program. In the Philippines, only Makati City has so far achieved resiliency status. – JM Samidan / Public Information Office – Baguio
