Delegates from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), DILG – Bureau of Local Governance Development (BLDG), UN-HABITAT, National Resilience Council (NRC), Philippines Business for Social Progress (PBSP), and Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS), and Representative from Australian Embassy – Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) paid a courtesy call to DILG 5 Regional Director Atty. Anthony C. Nuyda, CESO III and Albay Provincial Governor, Hon. Noel E. Rosal and Vice-Governor, Hon. Edcel Lagman together with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Board Members on September 13, 2022 prior to their three-day SHIELD Program – Scoping Mission in Albay.

SHIELD is a six-year program with grant funding of AUD18 Million from the DFAT – Australian Embassy. Administered by a consortium led by the UNDP and composed of UN-Habitat, PBSP, NRC, and CBCS, it aims to build institutional and community resilience to hazardous events and climate change, taking into account the systemic nature of risks. Further, it is designed to accelerate resilience-building efforts at the local level by collaborating with multiple stakeholders to unlock financing and implement risk-informed and inclusive resilience actions.

This will be implemented in 11 of the country’s most vulnerable provinces to disaster and climate change impacts, which includes the Province of Albay covering its Local Government Units (LGUs).

The three-day scoping mission will include SHIELD Provincial and Regional Discovery Workshops with Multi-Stakeholders Advisory Council (MSAC) at Ninong’s Hotel, Legazpi City, Albay. The activity intends to gather all governing heads of the Provincial Government of Albay to engage the LGUs and discuss with them the objectives/ways forward of the program and to develop possible collaboration with the Provincial Government of Albay for its full implementation.

As the lead government partner, the DILG shall provide oversight and strategic direction to facilitate the attainment of program outcomes and shall serve as Vice-Chair of the SHIELD Program Board, with UNDP as Chair.