Surviving and prevailing over disasters

Echoes From

BY JOHNNY DAYANG

The rainy season is upon us again. It’s goodbye to the blistering and annoying heat, but we may have to contend with Yolanda-like super-typhoons, given the worsening climate change weather aberrations, especially for provinces along Typhoon Boulevard.

The more important issue regarding such situation, however, is how to survive, prevail and prosper under constant calamitous circumstances. On this score, Albay provides a common sense model worthy of emulation. 

Mauled every year by strong typhoons and the frequent eruption of Mayon Volcano, Albay has demonstrated a common sense way to survive calamities and prosper economically with good governance at the core of its strategy. How?

First, it accepted the fact of calamitous disasters and adopted a proactive program of climate change adaptation (CCA), disaster risk reduction (DRR) and environmental protection. Then taking stock of its natural assets, it embarked on relevant programs to strengthen and expand its economic anchor, particularly its tourism industry. 

The gains from these initiatives are impressive: Zero casualty during disasters, 88% increase in forest cover, expanded mangrove areas from 700 to 2,400 hectares; hiked rice production to 200,099 from 147,291 metric tons, 250 MW of geothermal power contribution to the national grid, and enhanced eco-tourism which hiked foreign tourists inflow from 8,700 in 2006 to 339,000 in 2013. 

 Realizing the tremendous benefits from tourism, awakened and inspired Albayanos who have cohered behind their local government, have searched for and developed new eco-tourism sites which are now selling like the proverbial hotcakes. This further consolidates their province’s new status as a global tourist destination. 

Capitalizing on eco-tourism, with majestic Mayon Volcano, now a UNESCO Heritage Site, and the Albay Biosphere Reserve that includes the historic Cagsawa Ruins which also awaits UNESCO listing, as anchor, in addition to its six newly developed sites, Albay also pushes its culinary tourism that focuses on its rich native cuisines, and sports tourism. It hosts the XTERRA Triathlon for three years that started last February, and the Palarong Pambansa 2016.

Even foreign cities have taken interest in Albay’s success performance. The recent World Cities Summit Mayors Forum held in New had invited Albay Gov. Joey Salceda to brief them on his Green Economy program, now a globally acclaimed local governance strategy for urban blight mitigation and sustainable development. Organized by Singapore in 2010, leaders of some 150 cities worldwide regularly attend the biennial forum.