Makati City Mayor Abby Binay underscored the need to provide stable funding for local governments that are at the frontlines of disaster response.
“For local leaders, the window for decisive action is narrowing. The impacts of climate change and disasters caused by natural hazards are no longer future risks—they are crises we face today, affecting lives and livelihoods across our cities,” Binay said.
The mayor, whose special focus is promoting gender equality as a member of the Advisory Group for Local and Regional Governments of United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, also cited the importance of ensuring that disaster response and climate change adaptation plans give priority to women, the elderly, and other vulnerable sectors.
“In Makati, we focus on protecting our most vulnerable sectors – the poor, the elderly, and marginalized communities,” she said.
“We want them to not merely survive, but recover and thrive in the aftermath of disasters,” she added.
Speaking before delegates to the Local and Regional Government Assembly during the sidelines of the five-day Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR), Binay echoed President Marcos’ call for more significant investments in disaster risk reduction efforts.
She also reiterated her commitment to advocate direct access to the Loss and Damage Fund for local governments.
“Being in the frontlines of climate impact, local and regional governments should be included in the negotiation of the Fund’s operational guidelines and its technical bodies, to ensure that their needs and contributions are duly considered,” she said.
The mayor vowed to actively participate in dialogs to transform Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) into urban-centric banks that cater to local and regional governments.
“If we are to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, local governments must be engaged and enabled to take climate action,” she said.
She said fellow local leaders can access several options for climate financing to enhance community resilience and preparedness.
Citing the Makati experience, Binay said the city dedicates up to 70 percent of its Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) to pre-disaster preparedness measures.
The initiatives include acquiring state-of-the-art early warning systems and developing flood control infrastructure, which are critical in mitigating the impacts of disasters before they occur.
