By Mark Francisco
CITY hall and three local governments in Bukidnon yesterday forged an agreement aimed at coordinating measures and reduce the risk of disasters along the CagayanRiver.
Joining city hall were the town governments of Baungon, Libona and Talakag in Bukidnon.
The local governments agreed that they would coordinate and synchronize their barangay disaster-risk reduction and management plans, contingency plans per hazard, evacuation plans and climate change action plans.
Also included in disaster readiness is the institutional-ization of an incident command system at all levels and the establishment of hotline numbers for citizens’ active participation in monitoring hazards.
Local officials also agreed to make ordinances on conservation farming and adopt the the sloping agricultural land technique.
They also agreed to have budgets for an incentive system for the protection of the watershed around the river basin as well as the creation of a trust fund “from outside source for a specific purpose to be implemented by non-government organizations.”
Together, the four local governments agreed to ask the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) and the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. (Cepalco) pay for an environmental services scheme.
The signatories of the agreement were Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas, Baungon Mayor Pedro Alvarez, Libona Mayor Leonardo Genesis Calingasan and Talakag Mayor Nestor Macapayag. It was witnessed by Bukidnon environment and natural resources officer Cecille Egnar.