1

Climate Change: Adaptation and Mitigation Practices of People Living in

Visayas

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Widespread increases in the standard of living of many people

throughout the world have been accompanied by rising demands on natural
resources. The globe is trying to keep up as the average global temperature
rises and extreme weather events become more frequent, changing ecosystems
globally and endangering entire plant and animal species. Less rain is falling,
there are more fires, and forests are drying up. The glaciers at both the North
and South Poles are also thinning. All of us will be impacted by the effects of
climate change, but understanding it is necessary before we can respond and
adapt according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Existential danger is posed by the climate issue. To secure a just
transition to a low-carbon economy and to stimulate the expansion of
assistance for areas that are most susceptible to climate change, we aim to
create political space for aggressive action. People are already experiencing
the effects of millennia of greenhouse gas emissions, thus the climate issue is
not an impending threat. If immediate action is not taken now, advances in
development for the most vulnerable and impoverished members of society will
be reversed, biodiversity will be lost, it will become more difficult to provide
food and shelter, and entire nations may end up disappearing as a result of the
effects of climate change stated by the Elders 2021.
As seen by the Philippines’ Climate Change Commission and Climate
Change Act of 2009,the country’s commitment to responding to climate change
appears to be evident through its establishment of specific government
agencies to develop policies that respond to climate related hazards and
disaster risk management to strengthen the country’s capacity to bounce back
from a disaster. The Philippines has put in place, and as the research shall
show, appears to continue to provide sets of policies and programs related to
addressing disaster events, and that directly or indirectly relate to climate
change. This presents an opportunity for review and investigation into the
extent to which these are adaptation strategies related to climate change, and
the effectiveness of implementing such strategies to improve preparedness and
capacity to handling such events. This research hopes to reveal and explore the
aspects of involvement and communication to actors involved in such strategies
 2

and the roles taken in receiving, communicating, and facilitating these

strategies.

In the context of climate change, which was defined earlier, adaptation

is a core concept embedded in the propositions on how to address negative
impacts brought upon climate change. As described in IPCC’s latest Fifth
Assessment Report (2014, p. 5), it defines adaptation as “… the process of
adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects. In human systems,
adaptation seeks to moderate or avoid harm or exploit beneficial opportunities.
In some natural systems, human intervention may facilitate adjustment to
expected climate and its effects.” While there seems to be a common thread
of what is envisioned by concepts like adaptation, vulnerability, capacity, and
resilience, there are still slight differences in how other institutions define and
use them, which is problematic when framing how best to address climate
change. For example, the UNFCCC (2014) defines adaptation as “… adjustments
in ecological, social, or economic systems in response to actual or expected
climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts. It refers to changes in processes,
practices, and structures to moderate potential damages or to benefit from
opportunities associated with climate change.” One could point out that there
are slight differences in how the two institutions frame adaptation, one leaning
toward a reduction to climate-related risks and impacts as a goal, while the
latter leans toward a collective change as a means to reduce or take advantage
of climate change impacts. To provide a foundation for when this study will
investigate into the adaptation strategies in the Philippines and draw examples
from the case area, the thesis will use the IPCC definition of adaptation due to
the framing of adaptation as an aspect of reducing risk. Given that the case
study area was earlier described as being a highly disaster-prone country with
continuous risks to hazards, this use of the term seems most appropriate.
Tacloban City the 2017-2022 Eastern Visayas Regional Development Plan (RDP)
has included one chapter for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change
Adaptation and Mitigation (DRR-CCAM), making it distinctive than plans of other
regions in the country. National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)
Regional Director Bonifacio Uy on Wednesday said DRR-CCAM is important to
support the attainment of the region’s twin goals of robust and sustained
economic growth and reduced poverty and inequality in all dimensions. “Given
the region’s vulnerability to disasters due to its geographic location facing the
Pacific Ocean in the eastern portion and within the Pacific Ring of Fire, we saw
the need to highlight this aspect by taking the initiative of providing a separate
chapter for DRR-CCAM,” Uy said. Eastern Visayas is the only region in the
country with separate chapter for disaster and climate change in the new RDP,
stressed Uy. The official believes that impacts of natural hazards have
worsened poverty situation in the region as they destroy the people’s source of
livelihood. “Since natural disasters are expected to be aggravated by the
effects of climate change, the strategies for the medium-term will be geared
towards enhancing implementation of actions related to disaster prevention
 3

and mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation and recovery,” Uy

said.

“These strategies should be highlighted after lessons on the importance of

disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and mitigation (DRR-
CCAM) have been learned after super typhoon Yolanda and other past
disasters,” he added. The plan has presented 12 lessons learned from the super
typhoon Yolanda that ravaged many areas in the region in 2013. These are
vulnerability risk assessment and multi-hazard mapping, DRR-CCAM
mainstreamed in various local policies and programs, environmental
management, infrastructure system, risk financing and insurance. Other
post-"Yolanda" lessons learned are end-to-end early warning systems, local
DRRM councils and offices, partnership and coordination among key players and
stakeholders, disaster response operations, assessment and reporting of needs
and damages, DRR and CCAM elements mainstreamed into human settlements,
and comprehensive land use planning and zoning
The EV-RDP has twin regional goals of robust and sustained economic growth
and reduced poverty and inequality in all dimensions by prioritizing on three
sectors -agriculture and fishery, manufacturing, and tourism - as regional
economic drivers.
The regional plan is considered as a partner of the Philippines Development
Plan for 2017 to 2022 under the term of President Rodrigo Duterte geared
towards achievement of “Ambisyon Natin 2040”.
“Eastern Visayas will follow a development trajectory that will ultimately lead
to the country and region long-term vision. The region will also contribute to
the vision of national societal goal of laying the foundation of inclusive growth,
a high thrust society and a globally competitive economy by the year 2022,” Uy
said. The new RDP seeks to attain a 6.8 percent to 7 percent economic growth
by 2022. (PNA)

More than 40% of the world’s population are now living within close
proximity to coastlines, in which are undergoing intensive rates of coastal
development involving: dredging activities, land filling and coral mining to
meet the demands of urbanisation and population growth (Krishnamurthy et
al., 2019; Heery et al. 2018; Polónia, 2014). Many reefs and similar habitats
such as mangroves face serious stress as a result of changes in coastal
development which has caused direct mortality of shallow water reefs, from
land reclamation to create resorts, airports, ports and various other industrial
structures (Valadez-Rocha and OrtizLozano, 2013). More than 80% of hard coral
cover along inshore reefs in Jakarta have been compromised by these activities
according to studies from 2015 (Baum et al., 2015). The processes associated
with coastal development have indirect impacts to reef environments by
promoting influxes of sediment abundance and transportation, limiting light
availability in the water column for photosynthetic zooxanthellae and
ultimately reducing coral productivity, growth, calcification and subsequently,
 4

coral mortality (Rogers, 1990; Risk and Edinger, 2011; Ho, 2017).
Eutrophication is a causative agent of many heterotrophs and microbial oxygen
consuming organisms like algae, which are more commonly occur in oceans as a
result of sewage pollution from ships, resorts, oil spills and toxic waste– in
serious cases, concentrations can kill corals through hypoxia (Dubinsky and
Stambler, 1996; Cowburn et al., 2018). In many parts of the developing world
and in particular in the Philippines, tourism 12 hugely governs the economic
infrastructure. Renowned for its picturesque beaches, recreational SCUBA
diving, surfing hotspots and distinctive Whale shark Rhincodon typus and
Thresher shark Alopiidae Bonaparte attractions, coral reefs within these
favourable localities are more subject physical fragmentation by boats, anchors
and carless treading (Wong et al., 2018; Fabinyi, 2010; Roche et al., 2016;
Sarmento and Santos, 2011).

Review of Literature
The chapter briefly presents the related studies and important concepts
for literatures that have been found useful in the conceptualization of the
present study. These related studies and literature offered assessment and
enrichment in the conduct of this research work on a desktop study in the form
of conducting a literature review was done as an additional method to achieve
the aim of the study. Literature that is relevant to the research enables the
researcher to understand the context of the study problem and how the thesis
shall build upon from recent and previous investigations to create a new
perspective. Searches were made through the university database system and
Internet to locate and identify the most relevant texts, with the main objective
to find online articles, journals, books, websites and other published reports
connected to the research problem and to contextualize the case (Robson,
2011). Furthermore, conducting a literature review allows a way for the
findings made in the study to either be supported or opposed in rival
explanations. Concurrently done with the literature review was also identifying
theory used in past studies as a means to understanding the basis for the
research and accordingly, as a building block to creating a theoretical basis for
this thesis.
Climate change

Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns are referred to as

climate change. These changes might be caused by natural processes, such
oscillations in the solar cycle. But since the 1800s, human activities primarily
the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas have been the primary
cause of climate change stated by UN (United Nations).
Fossil fuel combustion produces greenhouse gas emissions that serve as a
blanket over the planet, trapping heat from the sun and increasing
temperatures. Carbon dioxide and methane are two examples of greenhouse
 5

gas emissions that are contributing to climate change. These are produced, for
instance, while burning coal or gasoline to heat a building. Carbon dioxide can
also be released during forest and land clearing. Methane emissions are mostly
produced by waste landfills. Among the major emitters are energy, industry,
transportation, buildings, agriculture, and land use. Climate change may have
an impact on our employment, housing, safety, and capacity to cultivate food.
Some of us, such as residents of tiny island states and other poor nations, are
already more susceptible to the effects of the climate. Long-lasting droughts
are placing people at danger of starvation, while conditions like sea level rise
and saltwater intrusion have progressed to the point that entire towns have
been forced to evacuate. The quantity of "climate refugees" is anticipated to
increase in the future.

Thousands of scientists and government reviewers concurred in a number of UN

assessments that keeping the increase in global temperature to 1.5°C would
help humanity avoid the worst climate effects and maintain a habitable
environment. However, according to current national climate plans, the
average global warming by the end of the century will be about 3.2°C.
All across the world, emissions that contribute to climate change are produced,
yet some nations create far more than others. 3 percent of global emissions are
produced by the 100 nations with the lowest emissions. 68% of the contribution
comes from the ten nations with the highest emissions. Everyone must act to
combat climate change, but those who contribute most to the issue and those
nations have a larger obligation to do so first.

Adaptation
Adaptation options included improved postharvest storage
infrastructure; crop insurance; improved crop varieties; water harvesting
techniques such as farm dams, water impoundment, and rainwater collection;
diversified farming systems including integrated crop-livestock systems and
alley cropping Highlights Philippines Climate Risk Profiles of coconut trees with
bananas and other annual crops; and improved forecasting and dissemination of
climate information.

The corn value chain in Cebu is vulnerable to the impacts of both droughts and
typhoons. Farmers in the region identified a range of consequences brought on
by drought conditions. In times of drought, the quality and quantity of
available seeds dropsasfarmersseek toreplacecropslostordamaged through the
increased incidence of pest and disease outbreaks and through diminished
germination. The consequences of typhoons are felt across the whole value
chain, disrupting the transportation of inputs and produce between actors. Low
yields and reduced quality of corn due to rotting and pest and disease
outbreaks reduced the income earned by farmers, with knock-on effects across
the value chain as processors and traders do not receive sufficient high-quality
 6

products. Corn farmers identified the need for early warning systems as an
effective adaptation option for both droughts and typhoons, allowing them to
take preventative measures, reduce their losses, and facilitate recovery. The
delivery of early warnings should be made through feature phones in SMS
format because many farmers still lack access to smartphones orlive in
areaswith limited connectivity. For farmers who are unaware of how to respond
effectively, early warningsshould come with targeted advisory on the best
resilience-building activities. Diversified farming was also identified as an
adaptation option with the potential to reduce losses from both droughts and
typhoons, safeguarding food and income security for corn farmers in Cebu.
Transitioning from a corn monocrop to diversified farming and integrating
livestock and other crops will lessen the vulnerability of farmers by providing
multiple income sources. Such a system would also have numerous
environmental co-benefits, improving soil quality, reducing the need for
synthetic fertilizers, and safeguarding agrobiodiversity. Another proposed
adaptation option is a corn-peanut crop rotation, which was found to offer
higher yields than conventional production Although drought-tolerant varieties
of rice are being introduced, farmers in Bohol still face serious challenges from
droughts. During long dry spells or droughts, infestations of armyworms, blast,
and brown spot become more prevalent. Agricultural labour is also affected by
extremely hot days, limiting the number of man-hours they can work in the
field each day. In these instances, proper management practices or
technologies are often not applied. This has downstream effects on consumers
whose demand for rice is not met, leading to price increases. While on most
occasions Bohol is not directly hit by typhoons, these events can damage
irrigation infrastructure. Typhoons and heavy rainfall also affect harvesting,
storage, and processing, potentially resulting in higher labour costs and drying
expenses from collapsed or water-logged crops. The adoption of agro-forestry
and diversified farming systems were considered effective adaptation options
at the farm level to both droughts and typhoons. The incorporation of trees
into rice monocrop landscapes acts as an effective shield from the elements,
reducing the damage caused by heavy rains, high winds, and extreme
temperatures. The integration of livestock and high-value multipurpose trees
into farming systems brings additional income sources to farmers, improving
their financial stability. Planting nitrogen fixing leguminous crops on the
boundaries of their paddies (sometime referred to as “alley cropping”) was
identified as an effective adaptation option with positive impacts on yield.
Anotherpromisingadaptationstrategy isto transition to organic production,
reducing input costs and opening up higher value markets. A good example
would be the production of red rice using organic inputs. Organic red rice
production in Visayas supports DA-Negros Island Region’s Promotion and
Development of Organic Agriculture Program. It also has garnered strong
support from the Negros Island Organic Producers’ Association (NIOPA) and is
recommended by the Municipal and City Agriculture Office and the Regional
Field Office of the DA. Rice farmers’financial capacity to adopt newpractices if
often constrained due to limited access to credit needed to cover the upfront
 7

costs. Programmes that remove barriers for farmers to access credit would help
them to take preventative measures to build their resilience to droughts and
typhoons. As all risk cannot be mitigated through the proposed adaptation
options, investments must be protected through crop insurance schemes,
allowing farmers to transfer their risk
Challenges

The agricultural sector in Visayas faces an array of challenges whose impacts

are felt across the value chain. If not addressed,these challengeswill continue
to constrain the sector, resulting in sub-optimal yields and incomes. For a
sector characterised by subsistence agricultural production and small-scale
value chain actors, such losses are felt acutely. Labour Income generated by
agricultural workersislessthan half that of the average worker in the
Philippines. Consequently, 66% of Filipinos who are considered working poor
are engaged in the agricultural sector. While the wider economy has
experienced economic growth and rising incomes, the basic pay rate in the
agricultural sector has remained stagnant. Workers seeing greater
opportunities in off-farm labour are either moving to urban areas or demanding
higher incomes . The introduction of cash assistance programmes for those
living below the poverty line, including the Bridging Program for the Filipino
Family and the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer Program, has disincentivized
farm labourers from engaging in low-paid labour. While such measures are
necessary to support vulnerable families,farmersfacedwithhigher
costsofproduction that were not reflected in the market price of their crops
saw their real incomes fall. Farmers in Bohol reported that rice harvests were
missed due to labour shortages despite unemployment in agriculture remaining
high. Labour shortages are partly due to the highly seasonal nature of
agricultural labour in the Philippines, with excess supply during the growing
season and excess demand during planting and harvesting, so this income
source remains unstable. Mechanisation Increased mechanisation would help to
ease the demand for labour during land preparation, planting, and harvesting.
Gains have been made in recent years to increase the level of mechanisation in
the Philippines, reaching 2.31 horsepower (hp) per ha in 2013, up from 2.0
hp/ha in 2012. This rate, however, still lags behind other countries in the
region such as Thailand. Much of the investment Agricultural sector challenges
in mechanisation has been directed towards rice and corn production, with the
DA through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and
Mechanization investing heavily in the acquisition of farm machinery that is
provided to farmer organisations . There are still very limited mechanisation
options for coconut production. Infrastructure Absent or decaying rural
infrastructure represents a major challenge for farmers, especially for those in
remote areas. Inadequate irrigation infrastructure and poor-quality farm-to-
market roads were identified as major constraints. The impacts of poor
infrastructure are felt more acutely in times of extreme climatic events such as
droughts and typhoons (see section 3). The lack of good quality farm-to-market
roads reduces the options available to farmers when selling their goods, leaving
 8

them as price takers. An ADB study measuring the impact of rural

infrastructure provided through the Agrarian Reform Communities Project
(ARCP) found farmto-market roads had the greatest impact on rural
communities when compared to other infrastructure projects like communal
irrigation and potable water supply. This study also, however, observed that
the richer members of the community were the largest beneficiaries from
improved market access, increasing existing income inequalities especially
when local communities lack the means to capitalise on the increased access .
Recognising the need for improved irrigation systems under drought, large
investments have been made in Visayas, including the National Irrigation Sector
Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (NISRIP)supported by JICA . Credit The
adoption of new technologies or practices in response to climate change and
extreme weather events often represents a cost to value chain actors,
particularly farmers . In many instances the upfront costs of adopting new
methods preclude uptake, as actors do not have adequate financial capital and
cannot access credit. Often, farmers are unable to sufficiently finance on-farm
expenses so they purchase only limited inputs and supplies, which results in
low yields. Alternatively, farmers might operate under a scheme in which they
are loaned inputs by a provider, and income generated by selling the produce is
used to pay back the loan. Such loans are often at unfavorable rates, or in
some cases leave the farmer splitting the profits 50:50 with the input provider.
Life Project

Super-typhoon Haiyan (popularly known as “Yolanda” in the Philippines), the

strongest wind gale ever recorded in the world history of storms, hit the
eastern shores of the country’s central regions in the early morning of
November 8, 2013, causing a deluge and inundation along the coastal and low
lying areas where most of the populace were located, resulting to an enormous
havoc to the lives and properties in the vicinity. In the technical assessment of
the University a week after the tragedy, it was found out that among the 40
public and private higher educational institutions within the typhoon corridor,
the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) in Tacloban City and its external
campuses in the municipalities of Tanauan, Dulag, Burauen, Carigara and
Ormoc City in the Province of Leyte sustained massive damages to its
classrooms, laboratories, offices and other auxiliary structures. The
functionalities of buildings have been compromised due to multiple and critical
destructions. It was ascertained that several buildings were deemed to be
unsafe for occupancy and should be demolished. The rest required extensive
repairs and renovations (Aguirre and de Cadiz, 2015). Given the size, scope and
severity of the calamity, it posed an enormous challenge to the EVSU
administration to employ fast and immediate actions in restoring the physical
plant and overall conditions of the institution to include the infrastructure,
facilities and utilities, at the very least to their pre-typhoon levels. It was
estimated that at least 30 percent of the University’s physical assets were
destroyed beyond recovery, while a lot must be replaced (Aguirre & de Cadiz,
2014). The Recovery and Reconstruction Program (RRP) required extensive
 9

financial support from the national government. The University needed at least
P1.2 billion or about US$26 million to finance the construction of temporary
shelter/classrooms, infrastructure restoration/repairs in all campuses,
structural retrofitting, equipment procurement and debris/waste materials
management. Three years after the catastrophe, the University was able to
reconstruct several of its physical facilities under the principle of resiliency,
Build Back Better, which entailed the integration of disaster-resilient
character, with a focus on the functionality, aesthetics, environment-friendly
and sustainability of designs. The “Yolanda Experience”, the common label of
the disaster brought by Typhoon Haiyan, became the paradigm of EVSU to
reassess its mandate and role in society. It was apparent that the academe
plays a bigger role not just to its constituents but also to the local communities
in mitigating the severe effect of calamities. As a chartered state university,
EVSU is mandated to primarily provide advanced education, higher
technological, professional instruction and training in trade, fishery,
agriculture, forestry, science, education, commerce, architecture, engineering
and related courses. It shall also undertake research and extension services and
provide progressive leadership in its areas of specialization (Republic Act No.
9311). Under the law, there is a tangible pursuit for the University to provide
professional services and technical expertise that may be of help in promoting
resiliency and sustainability in Haiyan-affected areas.
Considering the aforecited legal mandate, EVSU has the social responsibility to
partake in ensuring the realization of sustainable development in the country,
guided by the United Nations directive that it must be a development that
meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs. Within the Sustainable Development
Goals framework, it calls for concerted efforts towards building an inclusive,
sustainable and resilient future for people and planet (SDG, 2017). A direct
implication of the development thrust of EVSU is its raison de’etre, which is to
help accelerate the socio-economic development of the countryside by making
education within the reach of the rural people, and promote the building of a
self-reliant and egalitarian society through a relevant and quality education.
The academe is not merely for professional training but more so as a means
towards educational excellence and people empowerment. The university does
not only share its resources and expertise to the students but also to the
countryside where people have limited access to opportunities such as
continuing education and viable enterprises (Aguirre et al., 2013). The Learning
Institute for Environment (LIFE) plays a potent and vital role in helping people
propel themselves towards development, thereby assisting the government to
sustain national economic growth and social progress. The LIFE Project was
established to be accountable in honing of skilled, qualified, intellectually
aware and eligible professionals with fundamental knowledge who can provide
direction and service to humanity especially on environmental protection and
management (BOR Resolution No.72-C, s. 2015). It endeavored to produce
skilled, qualified, intellectually aware and eligible professionals possessing
 10

fundamental knowledge who can provide direction and service to humanity. It

laid out a plan to pursue effective research and development of new
technologies in and across disciplines in order to serve the needs of industry,
government, society, and the scientific community by expanding the body of
knowledge in the field. It developed also understanding with related industrial
and government agencies in order to foster and enhance the implementation of
academic programs in EVSU and ensure intensification of research application
that may result to technological production in related disciplines.

Importance of the Study

The results of this research may directly or indirectly benefit the

following group of individuals.

Department of Education. This study will provide wider perspective on

the climate change adaptation, mitigation and practices of people living in
Visayas. This will help the DepEd to formulate programs and action that can
help the people.

School Administrators. The educational administrator headed by the

principal and the different department heads will be able to execute different
ways to assist the needs of people living in Visayas.
Folk in Visayas. The result of this study will benefit the people for them
to be prepared next time on the possible problems that they may encounter in
climate change.

Researchers. The results of the study will help the researchers to know
the different practices and adaptation of people in Visayas for them to
formulate an effective ways on how to deal with it
Future Researchers. They will benefit from this study by gaining a basis
or preference. Through this study, they will have additional information about
this study

Definition of Terms
The following terms are defined operationally for clarity and better
understanding of the study:
 11

Adaptation. Take proper action to avoid or reduce the harm they can
do, or taking advantage of opportunities that may develop, in response to the
potential negative consequences of climate change.
Mitigation. Is the ongoing effort at the federal, state, local, and
individual levels to lessen the impact of disasters on our families, homes,
communities, and economy
Practices. Rather than beliefs about it, the actual application or usage
of a theory, belief, or practice.
Brochure. It will serve as an output of our research.

Figure 1. Research Paradigm

Input Process Output

a. Gathering of Everything you

Climate Change Data need to know
Adaptation, about the
b. Analysis of
Mitigation and Climate Change
Data
Practices of People Adaptation,
Living in Visayas c. Interpretation of Mitigation and
Data Practices of
People Living in
d. Formulation of Visayas
output
 12

CHAPTER II
METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Methodology
This study utilized the qualitative method of research. Keith Punch defined
Qualitative research as “empirical research where data are not in the form of
numbers”. Empirical means that data or research is based on something that is
experienced or observed as opposed to being based on theory. Data could be in
the form of videos, images, or artefacts.

This study are designed to gain an understanding of these variations in

the interpretation of different climate change adaptation, mitigation and
practices of Visaysas people. McNamara (2013) noted that qualitative research
provides a detailed perspective of a few people, the voice of participants can
be heard, the context of participants can be understood, and built from views
of participants.

Research Design
 A case study is use in this study, case study is a research approach that is used
to generate an in-depth, multi-faceted understanding of a complex issue in its
real-life context. It is an established research design that is used extensively in
a wide variety of disciplines, particularly in the social sciences.
Qualitative approach is appropriate for this study because, as Creswell (2015)
has noted, there are few truths that constitute universal knowledge; rather,
there are multiple perspectives about the world. By This study aims to
determine the different adaptation and practices of people living in Visayas,
and also to know the different ways on how they manage these struggles it is
possible to obtain multiple perspectives and understandings.
This study are designed to gain an understanding of these variations in the
interpretation of climate change adaptation, mitigation and practices of
Visayas people.

Data Measure
Online search is our data gathering instrument that we use in this study. Online
Search it is a means whereby a searcher at a remote terminal can access and
interrogate databases which contain bibliographical to other data according to
IGI Global.

Data Collection Procedure

In order to gather relevant data for the study, the researchers utilized
online search. According GIG Global, online search it is a means whereby a
 13

searcher at a remote terminal can access and interrogate databases which

contain bibliographical to other data..

In administering the online search, the researchers use the time allotted to
them. The researchers search a certain topic or a published research about the
climate change adaptation, mitigation and practices and also to know the
different ways on how they manage these struggles. The researchers
conducted data gathering during Saturday and Sunday on October 1-2 2022.

Ethical Consideration

The protection of the privacy of research participants has to be ensured. Their

names must be anonymous.

Full consent should be obtained from the participants prior to the study.
Communication in relation to the research should be done with honesty.

The use of offensive, discriminatory, or other unacceptable language needs to

be avoided.

Participants should participate on the basis of informed consent.

 14

Conclusion
The Learning Institute for Environment (LIFE) Project is an engagement of
Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) towards sustainable development. The
LIFE Project pursued effective research and development of new technologies
in and across disciplines in order to serve the needs of industry, government,
society, and the scientific community by expanding the body of knowledge in
the field. It develops understanding with corporate partners, government
agencies and civil society organizations in order to foster and enhance the
implementation of academic programs in the University and ensure
intensification of research application that may result to technological
production in the behavioral, physical and environmental sciences. The LIFE
Project has three components such as Environmental Planning and Management
Office, Climate Change Adaptation and Community Relations Office and EVSU
Campus Radio, which are responsible in the formation of skilled, qualified,
intellectually aware and eligible professionals with fundamental knowledge
who can provide direction and service to humanity especially on environmental
protection and management. The Roadmap for Mainstreaming DRRM/CCA into
the curricular offering of the University was intended to (a) produce competent
technically skilled highly competitive graduates capable of leading and
pursuing business responsive to the needs of the students; (b) enhance
professional expertise in instruction, research, extension services and
production of technologies; (c) pursue sustainable linkages with community
through the provision of consultancy and other services; and, (d) establish a
related research and training centers that will cater to other professionals and
the community as a whole. The LIFE Project prioritized activities that directly
benefited the communities in Eastern Visayas which were adversely affected by
Typhoon “Yolanda”. The assigned personnel in the Institute were highly trained
to spearhead programs in the ‘barangay’ or villages that enhanced the
knowledge, skills and attitude of the populace in community-based disaster risk
reduction management and climate change adaptation. Through proper
community planning and the use of radio communication, the Institute can
generate greater awareness and appreciation among the people in the
importance of appropriate DRRM techniques and CCA practices. Thus, the LIFE
Project has been contributory to the people empowerment in central
Philippines who were adversely affected by calamities. It serves as the
commitment of EVSU towards sustainable development through community
engagement that focus on technological innovation, values formation, people
empowerment, social justice and higher level of resiliency to disaster and
adaptability to climate change.
 15

References

1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2015. The
impact of natural hazards and disasters on agriculture and food security and
nutrition. A call for action to build resilient livelihoods. Retrieved from
http://www. fao.org/3/a-i4434e.pdf

2. Mason, L. & Agan, T. 2015. Weather variability in urban Philippines: a gender

analysis of household impacts. Climatic Change, 132: 589-599.

3. Mishra, A., Khanal, A. & Mohanty, S. 2017. Gender differentials in farming

efficiency and profits: The case of rice production in the Philippines. Land Use
Policy, 63: 461-469
4. Seriño, M.N.V., Cuizon, J.G., & Taganas, A.H. 2018. Assessing the Impact of
Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) on the livelihood of coconut dependent
farmers in Leyte

5. Department of Agriculture - Philippine Rural Development Program. 2014.

Value Chain Analysis and Competitiveness Strategy : Davao Del Norte Cocoa
Bean, (March).
6.. Israel, D.C. and Briones, R.M., 2012. Impacts of natural disasters on
agriculture, food security, and natural resources and environment in the
Philippines (No. 2012-36). PIDS discussion paper series.

7.https://unfccc.int/resource/ccsites/zimbab/conven/text/
art01.htm#:~:text=2.,observed%20over%20comparable%20time%20periods.

8. Philippines’ Climate Change Commission and Climate Change Act of 2009

9. Setboonsarng, Sununtar. 2008. The Impact of Rural Infrastructure and
Agricultural Support Services on Poverty: The Case of Agrarian Reform
Communities in the Philippines. ADBI Discussion Paper 110. Tokyo: Asian
Development Bank Institute. Retrieved from http://www.adbi.
org/discussionpaper/2008/06/23/2595.rural.
infrastructure.agricultural.support.philippines/
10. City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan (PDRRM Act of 2010), Office
of the City Mayor 3Q 2015 Regular BOR Meeting, Commission on Higher
Education

11. Aguirre Jr., Dominador Jr. O. Together, We Can Make a Difference. A policy
paper presented to the EVSU Board of Regents last October 29, 2012,
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Quezon City, Philippines. 12. Aguirre
Jr., Dominador O. & Gerry B. de Cadiz, The Typhoon “Yolanda” Experience of
Leyte, Philippines and the Recovery Strategy of Eastern Visayas State University
 16

(EVSU), Social Science Research Network (SSRN) Sustainability at Work

eJournal, Vol. 4, No. 54, December 17, 2015.