Abby Binay: Nat’l land use plan must be reviewed after Kristine

A jeepney is buried in mud after the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami) in Barangay Sampaloc, Talisay, Batangas on October 25, 2024. INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines—Makati Mayor Abby Binay on Tuesday called for a review of the country’s national land use policy after the damage caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami).

Binay made the pronouncement after noting that the deaths caused by Kristine were mostly in locations highly susceptible to landslides and severe flooding.

According to Binay, the government must identify areas vulnerable to disasters and protected zones to build resilient communities and safeguard the environment.

“Our national land use plan needs to be reviewed and updated. We need to delineate danger zones that should be cleared of human settlements and protected areas that should be free from extractive human activities,” Binay, who is also gunning for a senatorial seat in 2025, said in a statement.

“At all times, [the] government must work to guarantee sustainable and resilient communities and strive to protect our environment,” she added.

Binay also pointed out the need to boost law enforcement against sectors guilty of negligence.

“Unless these and other long-term steps are taken, we will be dealing with loss and displacement of lives and economies beyond the breaking point, where government resources will prove inadequate to deal with the deadly effects of climate change,” she added.

Binay urged her fellow local executives to pursue strategic partnerships with the national government and other sectors, including the academe, private sector, and international agencies to access resources for extensive climate action and promote “resilience and sustainability.”

Doing so, she said, would open up growth opportunities and access to risk financing, knowledge, and technology transfer.

Kristine brought rains and severe flooding in several parts of Luzon on Oct. 24.

It left 125 dead, with 7,134,954 Filipinos directly affected by the storm, based on data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

READ: IN PHOTOS: Scenes of devastation as Kristine hits Philippines