ZAMBOANGA CITY – This southern Philippines port city will host a two-day national conference on climate change and it is expected to draw a huge group of research think tanks and academicians, among others from all over the country.
The event – set on February 3 and 4 – is organized by the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Research Center in coordination with the local government of Zamboanga City, and the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Civil Defense, Department of Tourism, and the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Education and the Department of Interior of Local Government.
The organizer said water and food security – as a result of climate change-related hazards – will be one of the topics to be discussed during the “National Conference on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management: The Role of Research in Changing Times,” at the Garden Orchid Hotel.
It said the conference will serve as the venue for the sharing of research findings and best practices in disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and rehabilitation, and in managing hazards brought about by climate change.
“It can no longer be denied. We are experiencing drastic environmental changes today – from extreme flash floods to critical water supply level that has lead the local government to put our city under a state of calamity that is why it is important for us to address these impeding issues and act on them,” said Teresita G. Montano, of Ateneo de Zamboanga.
Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, Program Leader of the University of the Philippines’ Disaster Risk and Exposure Assessment for Mitigation Program, who will serve as conference keynote speaker, will discuss his study on river basins in the country and how the data gathered could help send out early warnings of impending flood hazards. (Mindanao Examiner)
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