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Persons with disabilities are part of Lapu-Lapu City’s climate crisis plans

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<p>CEBU — Lapu-Lapu City&#x27;s most remote barangay, Caubian, is a 40-minute boat trip from Mactan Island, where city hall is.</p><p>The Caubian Islands have a land area of around 800 square meters and have 3,000 residents. </p><p>Based on the local government unit’s history, the area is a huge sandbar that was inhabited in the 1990s after fishers found the area a rich fishing ground.</p><p>The Caubian Islands — comprised of inhabited Caubian Gamay and uninhabited Caubian Daku —  is located near Danajon Bank, the Philippines’ only double barrier reef, a rare geological formation and one that meant the waters are teeming with fish.</p><p>But the abundance of fish led some to resort to dynamite fishing, an illegal and dangerous method of harvesting marine life, during the early 2000s.</p><p>More than 20 of them lost their limbs and eyesight because of mishaps during dynamite fishing, making them part of the persons with disabilities sector and putting them at bigger risk of rising sea levels and the other effects of the climate crisis.</p><p>That is how Ricardo “Ado” Abaño lost his right hand 18 years ago after a stick of dynamite exploded before he could throw it.</p><p>Others who were injured in dynamite blasts like <span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(65, 65, 65);color:rgb(65, 65, 65)">Abaño was run errands or have found other sources of livelihood in the village.</span></p><p><span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(65, 65, 65);color:rgb(65, 65, 65)">Abaño</span> meanwhile relies on hook-and-line fishing on top of other light chores for the community.</p><p>Recently, he has noticed a decline in the catch along with a noticeable change in the sea level in the area.</p><p>“Kaniadto managat ko, ingon ani panubid, taod-taod naman ni. Mo-aria kog ingon ani, dli magdugay naa dayon mokuan ang isda… karon, sa usa ka semana maayo lang makakuha mig usa ka kabuok (Before, when I would fish with hook and line, I did not have to wait long to catch a fish. Now, we are lucky if we can catch one in a week),” he shared.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/6/5/former-whale-shark-hunters-now-work-to-protect-pamilacan-island-and-its-marine-life-905">READ: Former whale shark hunters now work to protect Pamilacan Island and its marine life</a></div><div><strong>RECEDING LAND</strong></div><p>The village chief of Caubian has also acknowledged the changes in the waters that surrounds the barangay.</p><p>Barangay Chairperson Paterno Uy pointed to a few structures on their island such as the school building and barangay hall whose foundations have been exposed because of erosion.</p><p>“Sa ako pod kaugalingon nga na analysis na… tan-aw nako nidako ang dagat, mag-abot ni sa ilawom. Mag-abot mani sa ilawom kaning dagat. Molihok sad ang bonbon. Makaingon sad ta nga mao ni hinungdan. Wala mani bato gud, puro mani bas. (In my own analysis, the water has washed away the sand the buildings are built on),” said Uy.</p><p>He adds, the residents of Caubian there is no stopping the sea from washing the community away in time.</p><p>“Dili man ta makapugong bisag ato pang pun-on og riprap sa mga bato (We cannot stop it even if we fill the riprap with stones,” added Uy pertaining to the current seawall that they have.</p><div><strong>EMPOWERING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES</strong></div><p>The local government of Lapu-Lapu City has acknowledged the current situation of Caubian Gamay and dreams of relocating  the residents to the bigger Caubian Daku nearby.</p><p>While that is still in the pipeline, their focus now is empowering the islands&#x27; persons with disabilities.</p><p>A people’s organization specifically for those with disabilities was created where they are taught disaster risk reduction strategies in the event of any calamity. </p><p>“Wala’y biyaay (Nobody gets left behind),” said Lapu-Lapu City’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Executive Assistant Nagiel Bañacia.</p><p>They have teamed up with a non-government organization to administer the training and conduct monitoring on their progress. Alternative livelihood programs were also given to them.</p><p>“It is a disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction. A first for the region,” added Bañacia.</p><p>A convention was also held to secure the commitments from other stakeholders to help the persons with disabilities sector in Lapu-Lapu City&#x27;s islands, including Caohagan and Pangan-an.</p><p>“They are already capacitated, especially basic life support for persons with disability,” added William Agner of Research Group for Alternatives to Development, the group in charge of these activities.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/29/advocates-for-persons-with-disabilities-criticize-education-transportation-infra-accessibility-1653">READ: Advocates for persons with disabilities criticize education, transportation infra accessibility</a></div><div><strong>BUDGET TO PROTECT THE ISLAND </strong></div><p>Based on data from the National Adaptation Plan of the Philippines, the sea level rises on an average of 5.7 to 7.0 millimeter per year, affecting low-lying and coastal areas.</p><p>A projected 2,490 villages will be submerged in sea water, which will affect around 1.8 million people.</p><p>The village of Caubian and its residents are among them.</p><p>Thus, the city has also set aside funds for infrastructure projects to adapt for the effects of climate change on top of empowerment through education.</p><p>Bañacia adds that there is a P10-million fund for a better seawall that would surround the entire island.</p><p>There is also a P300,000 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management fund allocated for the barangay itself that they are going to spend on raising the roads to keep sea water away.</p><p>At the moment, there is also a rainwater catchment facility on top of the island’s chapel and school that would lessen the possibility of flooding.</p><p>“If there are no mitigating measures in the next years, mapapas ang isla (the island will be gone),” added Bañacia.</p><p>The city is now working on setting aside funds for more and bigger projects as its coastal communities continue to be at the forefront of climate change.</p><p>As for Abaño and the other fisherfolk disabilities, Caubian will always be their home.</p><p>“Mag-uyon uyon lang mi (We will follow),” Abaño said in jest to any measures to be implemented just to keep their sinking island intact. </p><div><br/></div><div><em>This story was supported by DW Akademie in collaboration with the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists</em></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z_DktxzlHiQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>A people’s organization specifically for those with disabilities was created where they are taught disaster risk reduction strategies in the event of any calamity.</p>

A people’s organization specifically for those with disabilities was created where they are taught disaster risk reduction strategies in the event of any calamity.

Persons with disabilities are part of Lapu-Lapu City’s climate crisis plans

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Persons with disabilities are part of Lapu-Lapu City’s climate crisis plans

ABS-CBN News,

Annie Perez

Published Aug 03, 2024 12:24 PM PHT

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Lapu-Lapu City

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