The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan of $303 million to mitigate flood and climate-related risks, safeguarding the well-being and livelihoods of people in three major river basins in the Philippines.
In a statement, the ADB said the Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project-Phase 1 will upgrade and establish flood protection infrastructure in the Abra river basin in the northern Luzon region and the Ranao/Agus and Tagum-Libuganon river basins in the southern Mindanao region.
These infrastructure upgrades are designed to account for anticipated climate change effects and incorporate nature-based solutions.
These include the restoration and reconnection of old river channels to facilitate natural drainage and fortification of riverbanks with mangroves and vegetation.
“Climate change is expected to raise risks from extreme weather events. These river basin communities are highly vulnerable to climate-related hazards, as we have seen in recent years when typhoons destroyed infrastructure, displaced families, and damaged crops,” said Junko Sagara, ADB senior water resources specialist.
“The project will help lessen these risks and improve income and livelihood opportunities, especially for the poor and vulnerable,” Sagara added.
According to the ADB, the project will help strengthen the Philippines’ capacity to perform flood risk management planning by providing training for government officials, installing equipment for weather and river flow monitoring and early flood warning, and introducing an asset management information system.
It aims to boost community-based flood risk management by supporting 22 local government units and about 150 barangays in updating their climate and disaster risk assessments and integrating flood risk management in local development plans.
Training activities will be conducted to build the capacity of communities in climate change adaptation and managing flood risks.
The project will include civil society organizations and beneficiary groups in its planning and implementation.
The feasibility study and design for the project were supported by ADB’s Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility, which has been helping Philippine government agencies access information on up-to-date technology and innovative designs in building major infrastructure projects since 2017.
