Pangasinan invests in community resilience

Three Ms sum up Pangasinan’s climate adaptation initiatives: mangroves, mitigation and mobilization.

Through a series of engagements with provincial government officials and local communities, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) recognized the province’s commitment to climate change adaptation and mitigation (CCAM).

A delegation from the CCC visited the Bued Mangrove Propagation and Information Center in Alaminos and saw its diverse species such as Rhizophora, Avicennia and Sonneratia.

Local eco-guides shared insights on the ecological importance of mangroves in carbon sequestration and coastal protection.

CCC delegates observed that Alaminos City’s reforestation initiative follows a ridge-to-reef conservation approach, which integrates forestry management, watershed protection and coastal rehabilitation to strengthen ecological sustainability, disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Pangasinan presented to CCC delegates its key initiatives, including Project PARAAN, a risk assessment survey that evaluates community vulnerability to natural hazards, and the Green Canopy Project, which aims to plant one million trees in its third year of implementation.

Plans such as the establishment of the Eztanza Native Tree Nursery and Project Kasilyas, which further support ecological conservation and climate resilience, were also discussed.

The agency commended Pangasinan’s compliance with the Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP), which enables all 48 of its local government units to design climate adaptation and mitigation projects tailored to their specific needs. The People’s Survival Fund was introduced as a vital financial resource to support these initiatives.

“Pangasinan’s commitment to disaster risk preparedness is commendable, as reflected in its 100 percent LCCAP submission. When we talk about hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and capacity, we must see them not just as challenges but as part of a strategic game plan — an investment in community resilience. This is exactly what we witness here in Pangasinan,” said CCC vice chairperson and executive director Robert E.A. Borje.

The CCC also visited the PDRRMO’s 24/7 Operations Center and met with its emergency response team.

The PDRRMO underscored the province’s high vulnerability to fluvial and pluvial flooding, highlighting the importance of robust early warning systems.

They also noted their use of climate and risk data from agencies, including the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Office of Civil Defense and Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

The CCC commended the provincial government of Pangasinan for its climate action initiatives, disaster preparedness efforts, and environmental sustainability.