Protecting the country’s food and water supply remains a top priority in the government’s national adaptation plan to mitigate and address the effects of climate change, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga said Wednesday.

In a news release, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. brings together agencies and sectors to protect the environment and build the country’s climate resilience.

Loyzaga also said in an earlier radio interview that there is now convergence with the whole-of-government approach.

She cited the DENR’s flood management efforts, including the construction of water-impounding facilities that can store excess rainfall for use during dry season, as a key example of adaptation strategies being strengthened by the department.

She also noted measures to support Filipino farmers facing extreme weather.

“Sa agriculture may pinag-aaralan ngayon mga drought resistant at heat resistant na crops. Mga varieties ng rice natin na talagang resistant sa very high temperatures o resistant sa floods, since extreme weather ang meron tayo sa Pilipinas (In agriculture, drought-resistant and heat-resistant crops are currently being studied. Varieties of our rice that are really resistant to very high temperatures or resistant to floods, since we have extreme weather in the Philippines),” she said.

Loyzaga also raised concern over how urban development intensifies the effects of rising temperatures, stating that the more concrete pavements are built, the more congested the cities become, contributing to higher heat indices.

She noted the importance of smart infrastructure planning and building climate-resilient communities in addressing the growing risks of climate change. (PNA)