Royal HaskoningDHV has presented a Coastal Protection Strategy for reducing flood risks for the City of Tacloban and the Municipality of Palo in the Philippines.
The Coastal Protection Strategy is the result of successful 9-month cooperation between the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), their counterpart, the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and a multi-disciplinary team with other experts including Deltares, Arcadis, Wetlands International, Red Cross, Rebel and Van Oord.
The strategy provides an integrated concept for the short-, mid- and long-term, most importantly providing safety and creating economic value for the 1 million people in the area.
It is adaptive, flexible towards the area’s development and is adjustable to the impacts of climate change. It provides insight into potential funding options for a range of risk reduction measures consisting of a unique combination of maintenance and restoration of mangroves and other ecosystems, alongside infrastructural responses, following the Building with Nature philosophy.
RVO commissioned this project in the framework of the Dutch Risk Reduction Team (DRR-Team) an initiative of the Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Infrastructure and the Environment and the water sector.
The mission of the DRR-Team is to advise governments on how to resolve urgent water issues related to flood risks, water pollution and water supply, to prevent disasters or to rebuild after water related disasters.
“ A large number of local, regional and national organizations have a vested interest in the coastal zone area and their cooperation is critical for its successful implementation in Tacloban and Palo ,” said George Peters, team leader at Royal HaskoningDHV . “ A strategy alone will however not protect communities. The next steps that need to be taken will truly determine the difference that a strategy could make in time. ”
During the course of the project stakeholder working sessions were held in a transparent and open process. The response to the plan is positive and attendees at the strategy presentation all expressed their intent to implement the recommendations.