SOUTH KOREA’S government will boost some Philippine cities’ climate resilience by enhancing their capacity to understand and use climate-adaptation technology.
A signing event formalized the launch of the “Philippine Climate Resilient Cities (PCRC)” project through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) and the city governments of Batangas, Legazpi, Iloilo, Borongan, Cotabato and Zamboanga.
The South Korean Embassy explained the primary intent as strengthening the local government units’ understanding of climate-adaptation technologies and facilitate their practical application. To achieve this, Koica will also organize local capacity-building workshops, conduct invitational training sessions in its country, and dispatch Korean experts who will provide technical guidance to the LGUs.
Koica signed a grant arrangement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Phils. for the said project worth $1.25 million to improve the cities’ resilience by strengthening their capacities in adapting to, mitigating, and managing impacts of climate change and disasters.
For the Korean Embassy, the arrangement served as a tangible realization of the objectives outlined in the memorandum of understanding between USAID Phils. and Koica Phils. back in April 2021. It set the groundwork for strategic cooperation, particularly in priority sectors such as climate change, with the shared goal of propelling the host-nation’s growth and development.
Along with the arrangement framework established between both agencies, Koica will provide an additional $750,000 in grant funding through the PCRC project to deliver vital technical assistance in promoting the use of climate-adaptation technologies. Comprehensive guidelines will be developed for the six designated cities based on their local circumstances.
Image credits: Embassy of South Korea
