Local government units (LGUs) across the Philippines are commending the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) flagship program, Project TRANSFORM, a multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to empower communities to combat climate change and achieve sustainable development.
Project TRANSFORM has been launched in Ormoc City in Leyte, Malimono, San Francisco, and Burgos in Surigao del Norte, and Limay, Mariveles, and Orion in Bataan, Rizal province and Quezon City.
Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez, highlighting the city’s role as a pilot site, emphasized the program’s effectiveness. Having personally experienced the devastation caused by typhoons and floods, Torres-Gomez has made climate change a top priority for her administration, noting that the program provides the city with useful resources like training on disaster management, greenhouse gas accounting, and biodiversity profiling.
“The ultimate gratification,” said Torres-Gomez, “is not only seeing the environmental, social and economic improvement in the lives of our constituents, but being recognized by the DENR as a successful case study for LGU-based climate action that can be replicated across the nation.”
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte echoed this sentiment, expressing gratitude for national recognition of their environmental efforts and looking forward to more green, sustainable, and inclusive climate initiatives for QCitizens.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Jose “Bingo” Matugas II emphasized the project’s importance in improving disaster preparedness and sustainable development through public-private partnerships.
Project TRANSFORM’s pilot testing areas include towns like Del Carmen, Burgos, Malimono, and San Francisco, which were severely damaged by super typhoon “Odette,” demonstrating how important the project is in helping communities who are at risk.
For her part, Rizal Governor Nina Ynares underscored the transformative impact of Project TRANSFORM on communities, saying, “It would help us based on the transformation of our communities into a more resilient and sustainable home, where our children, our future, and our dreams can be nourished and nurtured.”
“Project TRANSFORM is one concrete application of how local governments may move together and continuous consultation with the DENR and all the stakeholders in government and in the private sector as well as academia,” Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga emphasized.
The project’s scope is broad, including land, air, and sea domains, with innovative land inventory systems and inclusivity-driven strategies.
Project TRANSFORM aligns with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s climate directives and represents a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to climate action and economic prosperity.
In order to ensure a sustainable future for the Philippines, Marcos pushes for cooperation between the public and private sectors, businesses, academic institutions, and foreign partners. He also underlined the alignment of economic and climate change objectives.
“The building blocks of progressive, livable and sustainable communities will never be complete without appropriate and responsible action to mitigate and to adapt to the effects of climate change,” he said.
“Collaboration is the key: between and among government offices; between government and the private sector; between industries and the academe; between government and international partners. And most importantly, collaboration between and among our populace.”
