The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with the assistance of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is set to improve the Philippines’ coastal condition for disaster risk resiliency and infrastructure.
Emil Sadain, DPWH undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office operations, last week led the meeting with several government agencies to discuss the timeline and roadmap of the five-year technical cooperation project.
The Record of Discussions for the Capacity Development in Coastal Engineering for Disaster Resiliency Project was signed last February 16 by DPWH and JICA.
The project aims to develop DPWH’s capacity on coastal engineering through human resource development and formulation of technical guidelines under the coastal expertise of JICA.
The capacity development program, with focus on resilience of coastal communities against disasters, will enable the Philippines to increase its capacity in coping with climate change through engineering interventions.
“As we have seen in recent years, the widespread decline of our coastline is without a doubt a vital and increasingly urgent issue that needs to be addressed. DPWH takes this both as a challenge and an opportunity to pursue the integrated approach to coastal management with the primary aim of protecting coastal communities and equally protecting the ecosystem,” said Sadain.
Masanari Yanaguichi, JICA Philippines office senior representative, and his team said government engineers and specialists will be trained to better understand coastal hazards, formulate much-needed coastal-related guidelines as well as plan, design and implement pilot projects toward a more sustainable approach to coastal management. – Myla Iglesias
