By Helen Castaño | 10:28 AM June 14, 2026
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — Governor Aris Aumentado joined fellow provincial governors from the Philippines in a weeklong Technical Learning Exchange in Canada focused on strengthening climate governance and disaster resilience amid increasing environmental challenges.
The program, dubbed Governance for Climate and Disaster Resilience (Gov-CDR), brought together local government leaders to learn from Canadian best practices in climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable development.
Held across several cities in the Canadian province of British Columbia, the learning exchange featured discussions, site visits, and engagement sessions aimed at enhancing local governments’ capacity to address climate-related risks and disasters.
The delegation’s first stop was in Victoria, British Columbia, where participants attended sessions on disaster risk assessment and resilience planning, nature-based infrastructure frameworks, and the use of climate science and decision-support systems in policymaking.
In Nanaimo and Qualicum Beach, the governors learned about sea level rise management strategies and nature-based approaches to coastal resilience, which are increasingly relevant to many Philippine provinces vulnerable to flooding, storm surges, and coastal erosion.
The program also included visits to Vancouver, Burnaby, and Squamish, where participants gained insights into Indigenous knowledge systems, regional climate governance, and community-based resilience initiatives. Discussions highlighted the importance of inclusive leadership, climate-responsive urban planning, and partnerships with Indigenous communities.
A luncheon and dialogue with officials of the Philippine Consulate in Vancouver provided an opportunity to discuss potential areas of cooperation and knowledge-sharing between Canadian and Philippine institutions.
The final leg of the exchange in Delta and Surrey featured site visits to climate adaptation projects, including the Living Dyke Infrastructure Project and storm sewer upgrade initiatives designed to protect communities from flooding and rising sea levels.
Valuable lessons
According to the organizers, the learning exchange focused on six key objectives: strengthening climate and disaster risk governance, improving the use of climate data in decision-making, promoting nature-based solutions, fostering collaboration and partnerships, enhancing financing and resource mobilization, and accelerating climate adaptation efforts.
For Aumentado and the participating governors, the program offered valuable lessons that could be applied in their respective provinces as local governments continue to face the growing impacts of climate change and natural disasters.
Bohol, which remains vulnerable to typhoons, flooding, droughts, earthquakes, and other hazards, is expected to benefit from the knowledge and best practices gained through the international exchange program.
