Philippines: Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project I

OBJECTIVE

The Project Objective is to support the Government of the Philippines (GoP) to reduce flood risks in three major river basins, namely Abra, Agus (Ranao), and Tagum-Libuganon River Basins, and enhance flood and climate change resilience.

DESCRIPTION

The Project will support the Government of the Philippines in enhancing the flood and climate change resiliency in Abra, Agus (Ranao), and Tagum-Ligubanon River Basins. The Project will contribute to the improvement of the national flood risk management (FRM) by strengthening the institutional and technical capacity of key governmental agencies, both at the central and regional level, and local communities, and by investing in the rehabilitation and construction of flood protection infrastructures. The Project will have the following components:

• Component 1 (Strategic Flood Risk Management Planning) aims to (i) strengthen hydro-meteorological monitoring and flood flow monitoring in three target rivers basins, (ii) develop and operationalize a national asset management information system for FRM, and (iii) undertake institutional strengthening on relevant entities to implement FRM plans.
• Component 2 (Flood Protection Infrastructure) aims to reduce the flood and climate vulnerability of the population, built-up areas, and agricultural lands by rehabilitating, upgrading, and constructing flood protection and mitigation infrastructure. Structural interventions that combine conventional engineering solutions and nature-based approaches will be undertaken throughout the target basins.
• Component 3 (Community-based Flood Risk Management) aims to improve the flood and climate resiliencies of communities and local governments in the target basins by (i) mainstreaming FRM into the planning documents of local governments and communities (ii) building capacities of communities in FRM and enhancing public awareness and participation, and (iii) undertaking studies on local FRM issues and providing training on climate risks and FRM.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INFORMATION

The project will be co-financed with ADB as lead co-financier, and its ES risks and impacts have been assessed in accordance with the ADB's Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS) 2009. For a harmonized approach to addressing the ES risks and impacts, and as permitted under AIIB's Environmental and Social Policy (ESP), ADB's SPS will apply to the Project in lieu of AIIB's ESP. AIIB has reviewed the ADB's SPS and is satisfied that (i) it is consistent with AIIB's Articles of Agreement and materially consistent with the provisions of AIIB's ESP and the relevant ES Standards (ESS), and (ii) the monitoring procedures that are in place are appropriate for the project.

The Environmental and Social (ES) instruments include an Environmental Assessment 2 Resettlement Plans (RPs), two combined Resettlement and Indigenous Peoples Plans (RIPPs), and two combined Resettlement and Ethnic Group development Plans (REGDPs). The Environmental Assessment covering impacts of activities in all three river basins has been carried out, and is currently being finalized.

The project’s potential environmental impacts are associated with the construction of the physical works. These works are small in scale, occurring within modified agricultural landscapes, mostly away from settlements and sensitive receptors. These potential impacts are typically localized, short-term and small in scale, and can be effectively mitigated through the application of appropriate construction practices.

The proposed project interventions are expected to impact households living near riverbanks and flood-prone areas. The project's structural measures have anticipated impacts that include: (i) permanent loss of land, (ii) loss/damage to structures, (iii) loss of crops and trees, (iv) loss of income/business, (v) restriction to access to resources, (vi) increased vulnerability, (vii) temporary loss or disruption of land use or other assets during construction works particularly due to the movement of construction materials to and from work sites, and (vi) impacts to Indigenous Peoples/Ethnic Group (IP/EG). Corresponding management plans are being prepared to address both land acquisition impacts as well as impacts on IP/EG communities.

A Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) has been prepared specific to each of the three river basins (referred to as subproject areas) to address any complaints, issues, and concerns from the project-affected-persons (PAPs) and other stakeholders. This GRM will incorporate the grievance system of IP/EG communities as appropriate.

Consultations have been carried out and are ongoing, in the three river basins. The concerns and issues raised by the communities and stakeholders during the consultations process are included in the environmental assessment report. The consultations cover the 3 subprojects’ structural and non-structural investments, ES impacts, and resettlement and household surveys. Draft ES instruments will be finalized following public consultations. AIIB will disclose a link to the ADB's website where the ES documents are publicly disclosed.