LGUs told to tap ‘survival fund’
LOCAL government units (LGUs) should ask for funding from the People’s Survival Fund so they could build rainwater harvesting systems in their local communities in preparation for the rainy season, a lawmaker said on Sunday.
The People’s Survival Fund is a P1-billion fund included in the proposed 2025 national budget. It is meant to fund the construction of natural disaster resilience infrastructure, helping communities deal better with climate change.
“[It is a] special fund that provides subsidies to climate change adaptation and natural disaster resilience strategies, including… the installation of practical rainwater collectors,” Makati Rep. Luis Jose Angel N. Campos, Jr. said in a statement.
“We all have to get used to stockpiling rainwater during the wet season so that everybody can have access to extra freshwater supplies during dry conditions,” he added.
The National Government allotted P30 billion for its nationwide disaster risk reduction program aside from the People’s Survival Fund. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio