The Department of the Interior and Local Government – National Capital Region (DILG-NCR) launched its new program initiative titled Upscaling Plans for Resilient Urban Governance (UPSURGE) on May 26, 2023, at the Microtel by Wyndham, Diliman, Quezon City.

The UPSURGE Program aims to strengthen the climate change and disaster risk governance in the Region by mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and mitigation (DRR-CCAM) into the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) of local government units (LGUs).

The highlight of the program launch was the orientation on the enhanced CDP Assessment Tool, which shall serve as the definitive guide for LGUs in recalibrating their CDPs to become disaster and climate-risk sensitive.

In attendance were the Local Government Operations Officers (LGOOs) from DILG-NCR and its Field Offices, members of the NCR Regional Development Council, composed of representatives from various regional line agencies, private sector, and civil society organizations.

DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III, emphasized the significance of multi-stakeholder partnerships in her welcoming remarks, stating, “Risk-informed planning requires the engagement and collaboration of multiple stakeholders to strengthen the interoperability and convergence of local development plans.”

Local Government Capability Development Division Chief Helen A. Verzosa reported that of the 17 LGUs in the NCR, 12 have already updated their CDPs, while the rest are in the process of updating theirs. “CDP Assessment is one of the core components of the UPSURGE Program. The innovation lies in capacity-building and collaboration with various stakeholders,” she explained.

LGOO V Maria Jasmin D. Diaz and Development Management Officer IV Yasser C. Gutierrez led the regional policy discussion on the enhanced CDP assessment process and tools. LGOO III Nicholas Ray B. Badiable facilitated the open forum where the participants brought up comments and suggestions to improve existing policies and promote collaboration among LGUs.

In closing, DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Ana Lyn R. Baltazar-Cortez, CESO V, thanked all the participants and the training team. Reaffirming the purpose of the activity, ARD Baltazar-Cortez said, “with the threats arising from disasters and climate change, it is imperative that we upscale our internal capacities and broaden our collaborative partnerships in order to build local resilience.”