Twin Phoenix Project: Climate Smart Planning

MA. SUSAN RACHEL JOSE is the chief technical advisor for the Project Climate Twin Phoenix, a project that envisioned to be the first stage of a more comprehensive and long term capacity development program for cities and municipalities to manage risks from climate change and climate-related natural hazards. With technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), and implementation by the Climate Change Commission (CCC), the project aims to strengthen the stakeholders’ institutional capacity and individual competency on climate/disaster risk management and to put in place riverbasin-wide institutional networks to deal with increasing risks from climate change.

Development planning cycle involves planning, monitoring and evaluation; implementation, and investment programming; and revenue generation. The evaluation and development, budgeting and expenditure management are exercised in the implementation of program’s projects and activities. Outputs of the Development planning cycle are local plans such as City/Municipal Development Plan (CDP/MDP), City/Municipal Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plan (PDPFP), and Local Development Investment Program (LDIP)/Annual Investment Program (AIP). Planning approach requires resources and must include development for the people. A planning unit has a unique set of physical resources defined by its specific location.

Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) into development considers and addresses risks emanating from natural hazards. It’s an integration of awareness of future climate change impacts into the existing and future policies and plans. The Mainstreaming Framework involves Disaster Risk Assessment and Development Planning.