MANILA, Philippines — Marikina and Pasig have teamed up with four local government units (LGUs) in Rizal to protect the Marikina Watershed and prevent a repeat of the severe flooding caused by typhoon Ondoy last year.

Marikina City Mayor Del R. de Guzman, Pasig Mayor and Mayors Danilo O. Leyble of Antipolo City, Ramon A. Ilagan of Cainta City, Cecilio Hernandez of Rodriguez and Jose Rafael Diaz of San Mateo said they have sealed an alliance in preparation for the worst impacts of climate change like super typhoons and flashfloods, by working together to protect and promote the sustainable use and development of a rich natural resource common and beneficial to all – the Marikina Watershed.

Non-government organizations (NGOs) under RESILIENCE: Nurturing Disaster-Ready Cities and Communities, a consortium formed by the H.R. Morales Management and Consulting Corp. (HRMMCC), Education for Life Foundation (ELF), La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga), the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), and Convergence for Community-Centered Area Development (CONVERGENCE), are facilitating technical support to formalize the LGU alliance.

RESILIENCE recognizes that development initiatives toward climate risk-sensitive development plans and budgets require effective partnerships among national government agencies, LGUs, technical experts, private sector and citizens’ groups.

It also recognizes the various avenues for participation that can be explored in existing public-private partnerships, both at the national and LGU levels, which are working on disaster management and climate-sensitive development planning.

Roland Cabigas, managing director of La Liga said local chief executives of the “Alliance of Six” LGUs, recognize that the devastation wrought by typhoons “Ondoy and Pepeng” in the last quarter of 2009 is “beyond territorial boundaries.”

Thus, inter-local cooperation and partnership among LGUs, the private sector, citizens’ groups and other stakeholders are needed to protect the watershed.