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Annie Melinda Paz-Alberto, Ma Johanna J de Dios, Roann P Alberto and Charles Hans Emmanuel A De Guzman

Central Luzon State University, Philippines

Abstract

In the last decade, the Philippines has been hit severely by natural disasters brought about by climate change which caused great damages to agriculture. The objectives of the study were to assess climate change impacts and vulnerability of Bongabon, Gabaldon and Cabanatuan city, Nueva Ecija; to assess the vulnerability and suitability of growing various crops, goats and chicken; to generate vulnerability and suitability maps; and to validate the maps produced. A comprehensive scoping, profiling, vulnerability assessment of crop, chicken and goat suitability assessment of the municipalities and agroecosystems of the study sites were done. Generation and validation of the vulnerability and suitability maps were also conducted. Results revealed that Bongabon obtained moderate vulnerability to floods and typhoon while low vulnerability to drought and soil erosion. Gabaldon had moderate vulnerability to floods, soil erosion and drought while low vulnerability to typhoon. Cabanatuan city attained moderate vulnerability to floods and drought while low vulnerability to typhoon. There were four crops suitable to grow in the current condition with flood and landslide hazards and in the two projected future scenarios (RCP 4.5 with good conditions and RCP 8.5 with the worst conditions). Only three crops are highly suitable to grow in Gabaldon for the future conditions, while in Cabanatuan city, four crops are very suitable for the three situations. Native chicken and goats are highly suitable to raise in the three study sites for the three conditions. There were 16 vulnerability maps developed and generated in Bongabon, 16 in Gabaldon and only 12 in Cabanatuan city. Furthermore, 21 crops, chicken and goat suitability maps were produced in Bongabon, 27 maps in Gabaldon and 21 maps in Cabanatuan city. Overall, validation of the maps in the study sites had high accuracy.

Biography

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Climate Change Impacts And Vulnerability Assessment Of Selected Municipalities And Agroecosystems To Support Development Of Resilient Communities And Livelihoods In Nueva Ecija, Philippines | 101832

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Annie Melinda Paz-Alberto, Ma Johanna J de Dios, Roann P Alberto and Charles Hans Emmanuel A De Guzman Central Luzon State University, Philippines Abstract In the last decade, the Philippines has been hit severely by natural disasters brought about by climate change which caused great damages to agriculture.

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NUEVA ECIJA, Philippines - Menard Abalos, a rice farmer in San Jose City, is afraid of storms. While rainfall is vital for the growth of rice, heavy downpour and violent winds unleashed by tropical cyclones wreak havoc on crops.

Abalos lives in Nueva Ecija, the country's leading rice-producing province.

"'Yung ulan saka bagyo talaga ang kinatatakutan ng magbubukid lalo pag maganda sanang nakatayo 'yung palay, nagpapalabas pa lang ng uhay. Kapag may bagyong dumarating, hinahampas ng hangin," he said.

(The rain and storms are what farmers fear most, especially when the rice is growing well and the stalks are up. When a storm comes, the wind flattens the rice.)

Extreme weather events driven by climate change make life harder for millions of small-scale farmers in the Philippines like Abalos. And as the planet continues to warm, scientists predict more frequent and intense floods, storms and droughts.

Climate shocks

In the Philippines, agriculture remains a major sector, contributing to approximately 12% of the country's gross domestic product.

The sector also provides employment to around 32% of the country's population. A large majority of Filipino farmers operate at the subsistence, small-scale level.

Human-induced climate change is already disrupting crop productivity and compromising food security for millions of Filipinos, according to Alicia Ilaga, director of the Department of Agriculture's Climate Resilient Agriculture Office.

"When we talk about losses and damages in production or reduced production, pagkain na sana natin, naging bato pa (that would have been food but turned into nothing). And then there is the destruction of support facilities, storage, farm to market roads. 'Yung iba naaanod at nababaha (Some are destroyed by the flooding)," Ilaga said.

The Philippines is battered by around 20 tropical cyclone every year, and aid groups say the poverty-stricken communities-which include farmers and their families-are disproportionately affected.

Meanwhile, during the dry season, farmers cough up money for irrigation needs.

"Minsan kinakapos na lalo pag walang ulan kasi ang irrigation nanggagaling sa dam," Abalos said.

(Sometimes, we run out of money, especially when there is no rain. Because the irrigation water comes from the dam).

He said they sometimes have to rent water pumps to irrigate the fields better.

Ilaga also said that higher temperature will also increase spoilage.

"Pag mainit o may drought (When it is too hot, or when there is a drought), there is increase in incidents of pests and diseases. These all contribute to decrease in production, decrease in productivity in agriculture and fisheries sector," she said.

Outsmarting climate change

For Ilaga, anticipatory adaptation is the name of the game.

"We have to outsmart climate change. We have to do anticipatory adaption para di tayo pulutin sa kangkungan (so we don't end up with nothing)," she said.

The agriculture official said the department is already delivering accurate and timely climate information to farmers and fishers, and training them to use climate-based farm advisories.

To reduce the impacts of climate change on agriculture, the DA is also implementing crop diversification practices. Crop diversification refers to the addition of new crops or cropping systems to agricultural production in an area.

The department also has an Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative (AMIA) program, its flagship initiative for climate change adaptation and mitigation. The program envisions that all communities in the country "would become resilient to the increasing adverse effects of climate change."

A vital component of the push is the creation of model communities called AMIA villages, which would serve as go-to places for other communities to learn from and emulate, and where technological and institutional innovations are introduced.

Currently, there are 116 AMIA villages set up in 34 sites across the country. Aliga said there are documented increase in productivity and income in the model communities.

Ways to adapt

Whatever happens, farmers will find ways to survive and thrive, as they always have, Reynaldo Mariano, a rice farmer in Zaragoza town, said.

Members of Ugat-Uhay Farmers Association, the farmer group which he leads, use "kwebo"-a low-cost, climate-resilient farm structure developed by the Philippine Rice Research Institute-to grow mushrooms.

Farmers also plant protein-rich mung bean or munggo after harvesting rice crops.

"Kung ano man ang dumating, kailangang gumawa ng paraan para makabuhay kami. Hindi naman uubrang pabayaan na lang," he said.

(Whatever comes, we need to find a way to survive. We cannot just do nothing and let things be.)

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Farmers need anticipatory adaptation to survive accelerating climate impacts

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NUEVA ECIJA, Philippines - Menard Abalos, a rice farmer in San Jose City, is afraid of storms. While rainfall is vital for the growth of rice, heavy downpour and violent winds unleashed by tropical cyclones wreak havoc on crops. Abalos lives in Nueva Ecija, the country's leading rice-producing province.

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Having agriculture as the main source of livelihood in the province of Nueva Ecija, problems that arise from climate change affects almost everyone in the province and in the country. The Philippines is situated in the ring of fire resulting to the country to experience natural disasters more frequent which, for the past few years, are further aggravated by the aforementioned climate change.

The Director of the DOA's Climate Resilient Agriculture Office mentioned that human-induced climate change is affecting food security and crop production. According to her, a more anticipatory approach is needed to adapt to the changing of the climate. A lot is still yet to be done to hone this approach that is why it is needed to be addressed.

The Sustainable Development Goal number 13 talks about taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Studies mentioned above show different problems faced by farmers anytime of the year from extreme drought to flood and soil erosions and should be addressed immediately through preventive measures.

This will help every farmer in having a sustained source of income and the production of agricultural good will not halt. Addressing this issue is beneficial not only for the farmers, but also for every citizens of the country, because every one gain something from this industry.

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Impact of Massive Road Construction to Agriculture: The Case of Nueva Ecija

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Impact of Massive Road Construction to Agriculture: The Case of Nueva Ecija

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PAVED ROAD. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the construction of a 3-kilometer farm-to-market road in Barangay Pias, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija which is now benefiting farmers and residents in the area. The P11.7 million road is part of the convergence program of the DPWH and the Department of Agriculture funded under the General Appropriations Act of 2021. (Photo courtesy of DPWH-Region 3)

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - The completion of a three-kilometer farm-to-market road in Barangay Pias, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija now affords farmers and residents in the community and nearby villages more convenience.

Agatou Victoria, a farmer-resident of Barangay Pias for 65 years, said travel time when going out of their village was greatly reduced after the road was concreted, making it easier to bring their harvested crops to markets or directly to buyers.

Victoria shared the struggles the community faced before the road was paved.

"Noong una kasi ubod ng hirap talaga dito. Lalo't kapag tag-ulan, talagang nagpuputik at nababalaho [ang mga sasakyan]. Noong hindi ito ginagawa, dito sa pwesto natin hindi ka makakamaneobra dito. Putik ito. Isa pa napakalaking epekto sa pagkuha ng mga gulay dito ng mga sasakyan (Before, it was really difficult here. During rainy season, it was really muddy and the vehicles got stuck in the mud. When it was not done yet, you could not maneuver. It was muddied. Getting vegetables here by vehicles was greatly affected)," he said in a social media post of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Central Luzon (DPWH-3) on Thursday.

Another local farmer, Roberto Bago, who has been living in the area for 17 years, thanked the DPWH for concreting the farm-to-market road.

Elpidio Y. Trinidad, head of the DPWH-Nueva Ecija Second District Engineering Office, said the newly-completed PHP11.7 million farm-to-market road is part of the convergence program of the DPWH and the Department of Agriculture (DA) funded under the General Appropriations Act of 2021.

Last year, three farm-to-market roads were also completed in Nueva Ecija under the DPWH-DA convergence program. (PNA)

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Farm-to-market road makes life easier for N. Ecija farmers

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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - The completion of a three-kilometer farm-to-market road in Barangay Pias, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija now affords farmers and residents in the community and nearby villages more convenience.Agatou Victoria, a farmer-resident of Barangay Pias for 65 years,...

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Climate Change Impacts and Vulnerability Assessment of Selected Municipalities and Agroecosystems to Support Development of Resilient Communities and Livelihood

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Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Comprehensive Development Planning of the Cities in Nueva Ecija in the Philippines

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The study employed Spearman's rank correlation, a non-parametric test, to measure the degree of association between the variables on ordinal scale (Zhang et al. 2016). Each of the five cities was represented by five respondents. In terms of validity, the total sample size of 25 key informants is treated as a valid sample size or representative of the population of personnel with direct involvement in the preparation of their respective CDPs. Also, it meets the minimum sample size requirement for Spearman's rank correlation analysis as supported by the study of Bonett and Wright ( 2000). The Spearman's rank correlation was interpreted based on Cohen's ( 1988) interpretation as follows: 0.10−0.29: Small/Weak; 0.30−0.49: Medium/Moderate; 0.50-1.0: Large/Strong. The legend below is used in the presentation and analysis of data:

Disaster Risk Profile of Cities

The disaster risk as defined in the UNISDR ( 2015) Global Assessment Report is reflected in an equation in which hazard is multiplied by exposure and vulnerability and then divided by capacity or the level of preparedness. The variables in the equation were used to describe the disaster risk profiles of the five component cities of Nueva Ecija.

Vulnerability

Vulnerability is the human dimension of disasters (Twigg 2004). Just like exposure, it changes over time due to the influence of factors such as rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, market conditions, and demographic change (DFID 2004). One way to measure the vulnerability of an area is through its demographic characteristic in terms of the denseness of the population.

City A, in spite of having the greatest number of barangays (89 barangays), is the most densely populated with 302,000 inhabitants, at a population density of 1571 persons per km ². Because of this, more people are likely to be affected by a calamity or at risk to impact of disasters. It also has the highest vulnerability to natural hazards and disasters, predominantly flooding. Although population density is not the sole indicator of vulnerability, the data show that as the population increases, so does the vulnerability of the community to disasters because of the increase in the number of potential losses and sufferers when disaster strikes (Hinkel 2011).

Exposure

The degree of exposure of a community is affected by factors such as population growth, migration, urbanization, and economic development. The existence of more hazards also increases the likelihood of people suffering from economic losses (UNISDR 2009). The number of barangays exposed to hazards and the degree of their exposure based on past disaster experiences were determined using pertinent data available in the CDRRMO and CPDO of each city; and the analysis of the respondents' answers to the interview and survey questionnaire. The statistics are presented in Fig. 4.

The number of barangays exposed to hazards in each component city in Nueva Ecija (City A-Cabanatuan; City B-Gapan; City C-Palayan; City D-San Jose; City E-Science City of Muñoz)

Almost all barangays of the component cities, except City C with high terrains, are exposed to the effects of typhoons, flooding, and earthquakes. At present, all cities are expanding their urban areas through the erection of more commercial and residential buildings. Unfortunately, these areas also have higher likelihood of incurring more economic losses once affected by calamities. City A, which is the most urbanized among the component cities, has the highest exposure to fire hazards that is attributed to the presence of more commercial spaces and flammable materials in the area.

Figure 5 shows the number of families that are usually affected by the identified hazards in the component cities. Available data in the LGU further confirms City A's higher exposure to hazards due to its big population and the number of families residing in flood-prone areas. However, planning office from the same LGU did not provide the relevant data needed to cross-examine the exposure of other families to other hazards present in the city.

The number of families exposed to hazards in component cities of Nueva Ecija (City A-Cabanatuan; City B-Gapan; City C-Palayan; City D-San Jose; City E-Science City of Muñoz)

Hazard/s Present

The types of hazards experienced by the cities were determined through survey, interviews, and review of available records. The responses made by the respondents confirmed the type of hazards their locality are exposed to. Similar to the figure previously presented, all the cities experience typhoons (n = 25) and flooding (City A and E = 5, City C and D = 4, City B = 3). Other hazards such as landslides (City D = 2, City E = 4), liquefaction (City A = 1, City D = 2), and vehicular accidents (City D = 1) also emerged. Analysis of data from the survey and interviews revealed that there are cities with mountainous areas that are prone to landslides. In addition to measures implemented for typhoons and flooding, these cities also have activities for management of landslides. Liquefaction, on the other hand, is common to communities near the sea or other waterbodies. Most cities (City B, C, and E) do not consider this as disaster risk.

Capacity

It is important to emphasize people's capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from disasters, rather than simply focus on the vulnerability that limits them. Like vulnerability, capacity depends on social (social relations, leadership, management capacities), economic (partnership mechanisms), political (presence of institutionalized DRRM and planning offices, hiring of personnel with technical know-how), psychological (human knowledge and skills), environmental (environmental policies and programs), and physical assets (equipage) and other good governance approaches (DFID 2004; UNISDR 2017).

Of all the cities, only City D (n = 5) was able to satisfy all the following criteria: (1) institutionalized DRRM office; (2) availability of plantilla position for DRRM officers; (3) functional DRRM council; (4) equipage; (5) recipient of good governance awards such as Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) and Gawad KALASAG (Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan); and (6) availability of Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), Local DRRM Plan (LDRRMP), and Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP). The city's big population, wide land area, experiences from previous calamities, and the political will of the present administration are among the factors that compel the local government unit to comply with the mandates of Republic Act 10121 and prepare for disasters. Nonetheless, in spite the awards and compliance, the DRR system implemented in the area is at the initial stage and the sustainability of the plans formulated has not been established. Comparatively, City A almost meets the criteria except the SGLG award mainly because its revised Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) has not been approved and implemented. All of the cities agreed that the programs and activities related to DRR-CCA incorporated on their CDPs are based on their previous disaster experiences.

Two of the cities have been Gawad KALASAG awardees (City A and D). Gawad KALASAG is an award given to institutions, agencies, groups, and individuals with significant contribution on DRRM and humanitarian activities. All nominees are thoroughly screened. The documents submitted are reviewed and actual field validation is conducted. The validation process serves as a good tool for the assessment of the LGUs' DRR and CCA initiatives guided by the National DRRM Framework. Having received such award also presupposes the positive capacity of LGUs and their compliance to other statutory requirements such as Accessibility Act, Fire Code, and Building Code.

One LGU (City C) still lacks plantilla or regular position for DRRM officers. The DRRM officers are the people with knowledge and expertise that are important for ensuring the safety of the communities against hazards. It is quite surprising that LGUs still do not have enough human resources with technical expertise on DRR-CCA eight years after the passage of Republic Act 10121. To increase the coping capacity of the community, the identified hazards should be considered in the local plans. Favorably, all respondents agreed that all hazards previously mentioned were considered and incorporated in the LDRRMP, LCCAP, and CDP among others. The LGUs also invest in enhancing the capacity of personnel by appropriating funds for orientations, seminars, and trainings consistent with the dictum of the Weber's bureaucratic model where skills and expertise must be compatible with the task to be performed (Serpa and Ferreira 2019). However, the availability of plantilla item remains a common issue across LGUs.

Profile of City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) Planning Officers

Local planners and DRRM officers are responsible for setting the direction, development, implementation, and coordination of programs and activities. Therefore, as managers, they must be knowledgeable on the planning process as they are part of the team that formulates and implements essential programs and activities.

Plantilla Position

The responses to both the survey questionnaire and the interview questions reflect that while the LGUs have plantilla (regular/permanent positions) for CDRRMOs and CPDOs, the available positions are limited. Common problems stem from factors such as: (1) lack of funds since the LGUs' budget is dependent on the Internal Revenue Allotments and savings; (2) the DRRM offices are institutionalized but some positions are attached to the office of the Mayor; and (3) the Local Chief Executives have the final say on who will be appointed for the key positions.

In some LGUs, personnel are of temporary status (that is, those who are hired to perform functions in other office but given designation or additional duties in the CPDO or CDRRMO without additional compensation; contract workers; or those who have the same term of office as the local chief executive) since Republic Act 10121 only mandates four plantilla (regular positions). At most, they are the trusted employees of the incumbent officials. There is also high staff turnover because of the tediousness of the nature of their work. Consequently, some positions are left vacant because of lack of qualified personnel with background and experience related to the job. The findings are consistent with the study of Cuevas et al. (2015) where institutional capacity to cope with the challenges of climate change is hindered by the issue of human resources resulting from the implementation of fragmented laws and regulations in the country.

Work Experiences

In terms of work experiences or length of tenure of officers who are in charge of the planning, the majority of the respondents (n = 12) said that they are working in the LGU for 10 years and above. Cities A, B, C, and E have respondents (n = 10) that occupy planning positions within 1−3 years. Only City A has personnel working in the LGU for less than a year. In terms of number of years in current position, most respondents (n = 10) hold their current positions for 1−3 years. Some are in their current positions for less than a year (n = 6), and 10 years and above (n = 4). Also, it is only City A and City D who have personnel in their current position for 4−6 years and 7−9 years respectively.

Trainings and Involvement of the Respondents on the Formulation of Local Plans

In terms of trainings and involvement of the respondents on the formulation of local plans, some of the respondents have not yet undergone comprehensive DRR-CCA and planning-related trainings and lack knowledge and experience from previous disaster events that they can use as bases in the formulation of much better multi-sectoral and need-specific plans.

All the respondents from City D have undergone trainings on the planning related to the formulation of CDP, LDRRMP, and LCCAP. Respondents from City A and City B have not attended any training on comprehensive development planning. Comparatively, only one respondent from City A, B, and E (20% of the five respondents) have attended a climate change action planning training. Attendance to trainings and seminars related to their work and functions increases the capacity of LGU workers to deliver actual services to their constituents. Therefore, to develop the institution's capacity it would be better to train and enhance the capacities of the employees first. The sustainability of the plans, programs, projects, and activities relies on the capacity of workers.

Level of Awareness of CPDO and CDRRMO Planning Officers

Although directly involved in the formulation of plans, new local planners and DRRM officers said that they find it difficult to digest the contents of existing guidelines. This is because the procedures and the guidelines are highly technical. Thus, they are encouraged to attend trainings and seminars especially those related to DRR and CCA (Table 1).

In spite the high percentage of trained personnel and high involvement of respondents from cities A, D, and E in the formulation of plans, most of them said that they are "very aware" but not proficient (extremely aware) on the mainstreaming of DRR-CCA in the local development plan. The level of awareness of the respondents on the inclusion of DRR-CCA in the CDP was determined using a five-point Likert-type scale questionnaire. The result of the analysis is quantified in Table 2.

Table 1 Demographic profile of component cities in Nueva Ecija

Table 2 Level of awareness of the respondents on the inclusion of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaption (DRR-CCA) in the Comprehensive Development Plan

Awareness on the provisions of Republic Act 10121 got a mean response of 5 (City A), 4.2 (City E), 4 (City B), and 3.8 (City C and D). But the mean scores are lower when it comes to the provisions of the Act regarding the mainstreaming of DRR and CCA in development process and policy formulation and budgeting (City A and E = 4.2; City D = 3.8; City C = 3.2; and City B = 2.8).

In spite their direct involvement in the planning process, respondents from City B and C said that they are only "moderately aware" of the concept of mainstreaming. The information provided by the respondents support the idea that DRR mainstreaming in the province is in its initial stages. It also reflects that the insufficient experience of the personnel and their limited knowledge of the concepts and procedures (existing policies, budget requirements, assessment process, and their actual applications) are essential to improve the quality of the plan and the public service as a whole.

Inclusion of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation into the Comprehensive Development Plan

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

Risk assessment, hazard mapping, budget allocation, risk financing and insurance, flood control projects, and involvement of people's organizations and vulnerable sectors in development planning are some of the elementary but crucial measures that must be taken to prevent and mitigate disasters. Proactive implementation of such measures not only promotes the welfare of the public but also fosters environmental conservation and good governance through proper management of resources.

All the cities mentioned that they: (1) conduct risk assessment on a regular basis; (2) have available hazard, vulnerability, capacity, and resource maps; (3) have a database of elements at risk; (4) have integrated/mainstreamed disaster mitigation measures in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Annual Investment Plan; (5) have updated zoning ordinance, safety regulations, environmental ordinances, environmental policies (infrastructure resilience, inspection, construction, maintenance); (6) involve the nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), people's organizations (POs), women, youth, religious, business, and the other sectors (for example, farmers, urban poor, indigenous peoples, migrant workers, students, senior citizens, persons with disabilities); (7) conduct hazard mapping, risk profiling/community-based monitoring system, construction, evaluation of building integrity; and (8) implement provisions on the prohibition of illegal settlements on or near bodies of water. The respondents also said that their respective LGUs appropriate funds for the strengthening of the early warning system and flood control structures (dikes, dams).

These activities are multi-sectoral and multi-faceted. Ideally, these are among the basic measures that LGUs observe to mitigate or lessen the intensity and impact of disasters thus, the common answer of "Yes" in almost all items. Among the respondents, only one respondent from City A answered "No" when asked whether they conduct maintenance activities and whether these are included in the CDP. They do not include a separate maintenance activity for the prevention and mitigation phase since the bulk of the activity is done during rehabilitation and recovery phase. During the interview, the respondent also mentioned that most of their equipment are new and still under warranty. Allocation for their maintenance activities is included in the Annual Investment Plan and not funded through the CDP. This means that all cities have included in their CDP the activities that aim to prevent and mitigate the impact of disasters and climate change in their localities. This finding is supported by the secondary data collected from the planning office of each city.

Disaster Preparedness

Republic Act 10121 mandates every LGU to implement the listed activities on a regular basis. All respondents agreed that the activities listed on the questionnaire must be conducted and completed prior to the occurrence of natural hazards and disasters that are often unpredictable.

In terms of the inclusion of DRR and CCA in the area of disaster preparedness, all five cities mentioned that they have (1) executive order / resolution / ordinance organizing the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC); (2) regular council meetings; (3) funds for DRR-CCA related trainings; (4) web page / Facebook page for DRR-CCA related equipage and facilities; (5) information and education campaigns for DRR and CCA; (6) activities for the stockpiling and prepositioning of relief goods; and (7) approved evacuation and contingency plans.

They also conduct activities related to risk reduction including: (1) climate-proofing of equipment and facilities; (2) coordination and partnership with other agencies; (3) creation of taskforce for the implementation of DRR-CCA activities; (4) enactment of local environment ordinances; and (5) strict implementation of Building Code, Fire Code, Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (Republic Act 9003).

The respondents' mean response of "Yes" on all items is consistent with the information collected in terms of awards received, training attended, and equipage. It appears that the five cities already have plans in place and are capable of dealing with the effects and impacts of disasters and climate variability.

Disaster Response

The capacity of the LGUs to respond to a disaster is measured not only through the availability of both human and material resources but also on their capability to effectively mobilize key stakeholders. The respondents were asked whether they have internal systems in place such as real-time or end-to-end reporting system. All the respondents from the five cities answered "Yes," which is validated through review of supporting documents such as Incident Action Plans, Standard Operating Procedures, and written evacuation and relief distribution protocols, among others. The respondents also agreed that their existing reporting and localized incident-specific management systems standardize their rescue or response actions. However, most of the respondents said that not all plans are religiously updated. Nonetheless, they confirmed that it has only been 1 to 2 years ago since their plans were last updated and that those were still congruent with the contents of the CDP.

Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery

The mainstreaming of DRR-CCA in the CDP in this thematic area employs the "Build-Back Better" principle of the national government. The responses of the respondents confirmed that the principle is translated into tangible activities to ensure that affected communities can return to their normal ways of living immediately after a calamity or disaster.

Not all DRR-CCA activities of the LGUs may be funded through the Annual Investment Plan due to budget limitations, hence, major activities that are in accordance with the development thrusts of the local governments are mainstreamed into the CDP for funding and implementation. Apparently, all cities have included in their CDPs different rehabilitation and recovery programs. This is reflected in their mean response of "Yes" to all the questions on the survey. Based on their responses, the following activities are included in the CDP: (1) restoration and rehabilitation activities; (2) post-disaster needs assessment; (3) recovery plan; (4) volunteer rehabilitation works (food/cash for work); (5) shelter assistance; and (6) livelihood trainings.

However, although included in the plan, the implementation relies on the availability of funds, result of post-disaster needs assessment, and damage reports. Conversely, because not all cities experienced major calamitous events at the time of data gathering, they were not able to present recent supporting documents that will further triangulate the responses made by the city planners and DRRM officers.

Analysis on the Relationship Between Disaster Risk Profile and the Inclusion of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaption into the Comprehensive Development Plan

To make a more in-depth analysis, this study looked into the significant relationship between the capacity, exposure, vulnerability, and hazard of the areas covered in the study. These variables are depicted in the disaster risk profile of the five component cities. The correlation between the data pertaining to the disaster risk profile and the inclusion of DRR-CCA to the Comprehensive Development Plan are also established using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Given the sample population of 25 and the dichotomous variables used in the analysis of data, the nominal measurements are converted into ordinal scales to satisfy the criteria for the use of the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The results generated from the analysis of variables are presented in Table 3.

Table 3 Results of the Spearman's rank correlation analysis

The analysis of the relationship between the inclusion of DRR and CCA into the CDP and the components of disaster risk revealed that as the capacity, exposure, and hazard of the community or LGU increases, so does the inclusion of DRR and CCA into the CDP (strongly positive correlation of 0.67, 0.6, and 0.53).

However, the context is different when it comes to the relationship between vulnerability and the inclusion of DRR and CCA into the CDP. Analysis of the variables revealed the inverse relationship between the two. While the respondents acknowledge the vulnerabilities (limited capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the impact of disasters) of their respective localities, they affirm that the LGUs include DRR and CCA activities in the CDP. In spite not having technical expertise on the formulation of development and DRRM plans, the prime bases for inclusion are the previous disaster experiences and assessed needs of the hazard-prone communities. Also considered in the development planning are the global warming trend and weather extremes.

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Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Comprehensive Development Planning of the Cities in Nueva Ecija in the Philippines - International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

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Recent scientific consensus suggests that climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent and destructive. Consequently, increasing importance is given to disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) in global governance. The projected global warming at 1.5 ºC and the climate variability that the Philippine archipelago experiences make DRR-CCA the key priorities of both the national and local government units.

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Irrigation and Land Problems in the Central Plain of Luzon: Comment on a Sample Study

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Infra projects mitigate flooding problem in 3 N. Ecija towns

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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Public Works and Highways-Nueva Ecija 2nd District Engineering Office has completed various infrastructure projects that have started to benefit residents and mitigate the flooding problem in the towns of Bongabon, Gabaldon, and San...

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Effect of Climate Variables in Rice Yield in Nueva Ecija, Philippines

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Enovejas, A. M., Maldia, S., Komarudin, N. A., Vergara, D. G. K., Hilmi, Y. S., & Sevilla-Nastor, J. B. (2021). Effect of climate variables in rice yield in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Asia Pacific Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, Food and Energy. Retrieved from https://ojs.bakrie.ac.id/index.php/APJSAFE/article/view/77

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United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

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United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

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The province is also known as the Milk Capital of the country and where the Philippine Carabao Center is located

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The province is also known as the Milk Capital of the country and where the Philippine Carabao Center is located

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Tricycles can be made in a low cost of 7,000 in Santa Rosa. Cabanatuan City is also known as the Tricycle Capital of the Philippines

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The largest poultry farm in the Philippines, Lorenzo Poultry Farms, is located in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija

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Education is also a major industry in Nueva Ecija, housing the Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, and Wesleyan University-Philippines

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Nueva Ecija is known as a province that produces agricultural product, mainly rice. It is also known as the top producer of onions, having Bongabon as the onion capital of the country.

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Gapan Church

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Aloha Falls

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Dupinga River

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Pantabangan Lake

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Pantabangan Dam

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Crystal Wave Resort

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Gabaldon Falls

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PhilRice Institute

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Minalungao National Park

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Ethnicity:

Tagalog, Abellan, Kapampangan, Kankanaey, Ilokano, Alta, Ayta Mag-antsi, Bugkalut, Ibaloy, Kalanguya, and 'Isinay

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Religion:

Roman Catholic: 82.43%

Iglesia ni Cristo: 5.55%

Born-Again Christians, Philippine Independent Church: 2.50%

Evangelical: 1.70%

Methodist: 1.62%

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witness, Seventh-day Adventist, and Muslims: 6.2%

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Nueva Ecija is the largest province located in Region III: Central Luzon with Palayan City as its capital and Cabanatuan City as its largest LGU. Being the largest and biggest rice producer of the country, it is known as the Rice Granary of the Philippines.

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Type: Province
Region: Region III
Cities: 5
Municipalities: 27
Barangays: 849
Coastal/Landlocked: landlocked
Area: 5,689.69 km²
Population (2020): 2,310,134
Density (2020): 406 / km²

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For a more in-depth explanation of the tourist attractions: https://touristspotsfinder.com/nueva-ecija-tourist-spots/

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Promoting an inclusive and sustainable industrialization is one of the key aspects in the Sustainable Development Goal number 9 and needs to be addressed in Nueva Ecija. With the on-going modernization and development of the world, it is very much needed to be inclusive of where development is happening and in this case, with agriculture. It is found out to be beneficial to farmers because this alleviates certain problems they have such as transportation, storage, and management of goods. A paper by Lidasan (2018), showed that infrastructure such as road construction helps with the delivery and exportation of goods.

Addressing this will aid the production of agricultural goods which is needed by everyone. When industrialization is inclusive and sustainable, it will allow farmers to have a much stable work and innovations towards this industry will foster because advancement in areas are fostered. lastly, it will help these farmers to showcase quality products

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There are a number of technological advancement used to address climate change, one of this is the solar-powered irrigation system by PhilRice. this solar-powered irrigation system is beneficial in addressing concerns about drought however the downside is only a few percentage rely on irrigation systems and some still rely on rainwater and the classic irrigation system.

Another technological advancement present in the province is a high-yield hybrid seed innovated in the Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija that can hold its strength against flooding and drought. The only downside of this is that further innovation is still needed for neighboring provinces to adapt this seed.

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It was established earlier that infrastructure such as road construction have been a good help in the transportation of good for farmers. However, there are times when road construction are done to destroy rice field which can affect the farmers.

Another technological advancement I witnessed in our province was the utilization of Reapers. This aids in fast harvest of rice and other goods which can be beneficial however it takes away the job of farmers because instead of a dozen farmers, a single driver is only needed. This labor is only beneficial for big farming companies however the farmers do not have the capacity to earn. Which is why there is a need for industrialization to be inclusive.