Calapan City, Philippines – the Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro re-affirmed its commitment to implement and demonstrate climate resilient and inclusive green growth in its agriculture and energy sector.
On April 10, 2019, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), conducted a “preliminary” technical mission to the Province of Oriental Mindoro to prepare a technical funding proposal tentatively called “Climate Resilient and Inclusive Green Growth: Accelerating Implementation in the Agriculture Value Chain of MIMAROPA Region”, to be submitted to the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The technical group identified potential intervention options to help local micro businesses and farmers cooperatives to increase their productivity, expand agriculture value chain, nurture youth agri-preneurship, and provide a prototype of redesigning agro-commodity processing centers in more climate resilient and green way (e.g. solar roofing, rainwater catchment, etc.)
Aside from agriculture value chain work, the Provincial Government has been formulating a Provincial Ordinance (i.e. local law) on renewable energy through GGGI’s assistance, that is now being deliberated by the Provincial Legislative Council. If approved, this ordinance will serve as the legal basis for all local government units (1 province, 14 municipalities and 1 city) in Oriental Mindoro to allocate public budget to programs and projects relevant to installation of deployment of renewable energy, e.g. solar roofing. Governor Alfonso Umali, Jr. of the Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro appreciated GGGI’s support and strategic direction going forward.
Since 2015, GGGI has served as a trusted advisor to the Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro in mainstreaming climate resilience and green growth in their development plans. The Province, dubbed as “Rice Granary and Food Basket of Southern Luzon” is a strategic demonstration site to showcase how climate resilient and green growth can be operated on the implementation level of the agriculture value chain, equipped with off-grid energy solutions.
