The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Province of Albay officially inked their strategic partnership for the Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Localities Against Disasters and Climate Change (SHIELD) Program, May 3, 2023, at Governor’s Guest House, Legazpi City.

UNDP Philippines, represented by its Deputy Resident Representative Edwine Carrié, and the Provincial Government of Albay, led by Governor Edcel Greco Alexandre B. Lagman, formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the SHIELD Program in Albay.

Acting as witnesses to the agreement are DILG 5 Assistant Regional Director Jhoaden G. Lucero, CESO V, along with Bureau of Local Government Development, UNDP-DILG consortium partners, all Department Heads from the Provincial Government of Albay, academe, and other stakeholders.

The SHIELD Program has received a warm endorsement from the Albay Governor, who expressed appreciation for the initiative and pledged the province’s unwavering support. The Governor highlighted the program’s potential to bolster disaster risk reduction and management efforts in the province, thereby enhancing its overall resilience. This endorsement is a testament to the importance of the SHIELD Program in empowering communities to mitigate the impact of natural disasters.

The MOU signed by both parties envisions the continuous engagement of their respective institutions and thereby collectively build resilience efforts and strategies as they further excel in local governance.