BAGUIO CITY — The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Mountain Province and the Department of Agriculture Cordillera gear for the establishment of the climate field school for Mountain Province through the People’s Survival Fund Board amounting to P271.15 million.

Representatives from the two parties joined hands in determining the needed technical details in the establishment of the climate field school.

The Mountain Province PDRRMO presented the initial plans of the province while personnel of the DA Cordillera gave inputs.

Mountain Province PDRRMO assistant head Neil Cullalad said that aside from being a learning facility for students and a production facility for farmers, they are gathering technical recommendations from the DA on what other functions the facility may be used for it to be sustainable.

The People’s Survival Fund was established under Republic Act 10174 to finance adaptation programs and projects of local government units and accredited local and community organizations.

The PSF Board approved P539 million worth of new climate adaptation projects.

The newly approved projects will be implemented in the climate-vulnerable areas of Mountain Province, the City of Borongan in Eastern Visayas and the Municipalities of Maramag, Bukidnon, Cabagan, Isabela and Catanauan, Quezon.

The projects include a Climate field school for farmers in Mountain Province worth P271.15 million; the installation of drainage and early warning systems and the development of the agroforestry industry in Maramag, Bukidnon worth P126.40 million; an irrigation project in Cabagan, Isabela involving the construction of 3 solar-powered irrigation systems worth P21.28 million; a mangrove rehabilitation project in Catanauan, Quezon worth P2.63 million; and the installation of embankment infrastructure and reforestation for enhanced flood control of Lo-om River in Borongan City, Eastern Samar worth P118 million.

The PSF board said it considers the level of risk and vulnerability to climate change, participation of affected communities in the design of the project, poverty reduction potential, cost-effectiveness and attainability of the proposal.

Likewise, considered are the identification of potential co-benefits extending beyond LGU territory, maximization of multi-sectoral or cross-sectoral benefits, responsiveness to gender-differentiated vulnerabilities, and the availability of climate change adaptation action plan.

DA Cordillera regional Technical Director Arlene Sagayo through consultation with the technical experts from DA identified the creation of a Bio Control Agent and Tissue Culture facility as the primary area where the climate field school will focus, aside from relevant pieces of training and skills to capacitate farmers and students of agriculture.