March 2, 2012
Allow me to thank the University of Santo Tomas for inviting me in this assembly.
The Philippines is home to a rich biodiversity. It boasts of a plethora of flora and fauna from the mountaintops down to the deepest seas, spread out in the 7,107 islands of the country. About 15.8 million hectares of land, or more than half of the country’s total land area of 30 million hectares, are classified as forestland ; around 3,000 tree species, as well […]
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March 1, 2012
Allow me to thank the Manila Observatory and the Ateneo de Manila University for inviting me to join you in the launch of the Coastal Cities at Risk Project.
An estimated 2.8 billion people, or more than 40% of the total global population, are living in coastal cities.
If we consider locations that are less than 9 meters above sea level, so called “low elevation coastal zones,” then roughly one in every 10 person in the world lives in these […]
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February 28, 2012
In this era when the severity and frequency of natural hazards and extreme weather events are unpredictable, rural development and urban planning have become even more critical. We have witnessed whole villages being swept away by enormous floods and various infrastructure crumbling during strong earthquakes.
It is unfortunate that it is only after disasters strike that we realize how badly we have abused our natural resources; that we have failed to faithfully pursue sustainable, adaptable and resilient development.
The development […]
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February 18, 2012
Two months after Mindanao endured tropical storm Sendong’s whiplash of death and destruction, a critical opportunity is presented before us – the opportunity to learn from the painful lessons of the disaster, to build back a better Mindanao and to make the right choices for our people.
It is on this note that I am pleased to be part of this important initiative, a laudable show of political unity and resolve for disaster risk reduction.
I wish to congratulate my […]
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February 17, 2012
The importance and urgency of pursuing disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in a more comprehensive and effective way as a national strategy to achieve our development goals cannot be overemphasized.
Today, we make an effort to revisit the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and ensure that amid the impact of recurring natural hazards, our hard-earned socio-economic gains and development goals are not in peril.
I thank the National Economic and Development Authority for organizing this Multisectoral Consultation, the outcome […]
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