DBP signed last June 28 a Memorandum of Cooperation on the Public-Private Partnership on Climate Change, Disaster Preparedness and Sustainability that seeks to mobilize private and public sector organizations to help local communities effectively face the challenges posed by climate change and other natural and man-made risks.

DBP president & chief executive officer Francisco F. Del Rosario, Jr. said the program will enhance sustainability and progress of communities and will be applied in selected environmentally critical areas like watershed. It will also help selected local communities assess their capabilities on climate change mitigation and adaptation, disaster preparedness, and sustainable development.

He added that DBP will provide the program technical support on financial and development matters, including credit assistance to qualified borrowers to enhance the sustainable livelihood and infrastructure and logistics requirements of the local communities in delineated areas. The bank shall also draw and share on the experiences of its reforestation program - the DBP Forest program - that may contribute to greater success of the reforestation efforts. DBP will also allocate funds to fund two nurseries with training component in the Marikina Watershed and Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija.

Private sector participants in the program include the Management Association of the Philippines; Philippine Chamber of Agriculture & Food, Inc.; EARTH Institute, Asia, Inc.; Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation; Private Sector Disaster Management Network; Philippine Bamboo Foundation; Philippine Business for the Environment; Energy Development Corporation; Geodata Systems Technologies, Inc.; Easy Eco LED Philippines; MFI Foundation; and Earthsavers Movement, Inc.

Public sector participants include the departments of Social Welfare and Development, Environment, Interior and Local Government, Energy, and Agriculture; Philippine Climate Change Commission; National Economic Development Authority; Philippine Council of Sustainable Development; the provincial governments of Nueva Ecija and Albay, AlbayCIRCA and Climate Change Academy of Albay, and Land Bank of the Philippines.

Shown during the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation on Climate Change, Disaster Preparedness and Sustainability are (from left, seated): Energy Development Corporation president Richard Tantoco; Nueva Ecija governor Aurelio Umali; Management Association of the Philippines president Architect Jun Palafox, MFI Foundation, Inc. president Alex Escano, and DBP president & chief executive officer Francisco F. Del Rosario, Jr.