The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) has joined the Los Baños Climate Change Council (LBCCC) to support its mission to improve the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector, particularly in addressing the challenges of climate change.
Created through Municipal Ordinance 2016-1560 on October 24, 2016, the LBCCC shall be the policy-making body of Los Baños tasked to coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the programs and action plans relating to climate change. The Council consists of various agencies such as the University of the Philippines Los Baños, the Department of Education and the Department of Interior and Local Government in Los Baños, the Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau, the International Rice Research Institute, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, the Laguna State Polytechnic University, the Laguna Water District Aquatech Resources Corporation, the Immaculate Concepcion Parish, Boy Scouts of the Philippines, DOST Region IV-A, HealthServ Los Baños Medical Center, Laguna Lake Development Authority, and other non-government organizations.
Represented by Dr. Engelbert R. Lalican of the Forestry and Environment Research Division (FERD) of PCAARRD during the LBCCC’s first meeting, PCAARRD was included to be part of the Technical and Monitoring Committee. Capability Building and Research and Development Governance were the banner programs addressed in the first meeting.
As part of its mandate, the LBCCC kicked off its very first meeting by creating a proposal on “Establishing Climate-Smart Barangay (CSB) for farmers in Brgys. Bayog and Maahas” to be submitted to the People’s Survival Fund (PSF).
The PSF was created by Republic Act 10174 as an annual fund intended for local government units (LGUs) and accredited local/community organizations to implement climate change adaptation projects that will better equip vulnerable communities to deal with the impacts of climate change. It supplements the annual appropriations allocated by relevant government agencies and LGUs for climate change-related programs and projects.
As part of the Technical and Monitoring Committee, PCAARRD will be participating in reviewing the proposals and periodic reviews of the projects of the Council. PCAARRD will also be taking an active role in hosting future meetings and activities of the LBCCC.
PCAARRD, through the Philippine S&T Agenda on Climate Change (PSTACC), has been an advocate in sustaining the productivity and competitiveness of the AANR sector in the midst of climate change or global warming.
PCAARRD drafted the PSTACC as a consolidated response to climate change in consultation with national experts, the member-agencies of the National Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development System (NAARRDS), and key national stakeholders. It presents the framework and the holistic set of interventions by which climate change considerations may be mainstreamed in national and local development efforts.