Chapter 8: Local Road Environmental Safeguards: 242 in a speciifc area. Qualitative measures of their potential effects, however, show clear and certain impact. A higher water table will raise the moisture content of road layers and hasten pavement deterioration. Steel reinforcing bridges and concrete pavements may corrode faster near inland water bodies made more saline by the reduction in rainfall. The design responsibility of engineers takes on a new dimension as the risks arising from these uncertainties are considered. LGUs should give serious thought to revisiting current practices in providing allowance for embankment, protecting steel reinforcement, and designing drainage and slope protection structures, among others. 7.3. Road and Bridge Infrastructure Vulnerability Assessment (RBIVA) As managers of development in their localities, local government units have to be capable and ready to manage the consequences of disasters and the phenomenon associated with climate change; thus reducing disaster risk on human settlements, livelihood and infrastructure, and zero or less casualties and minimum damages to properties. It is DILG’s objective to assist LGUs to build their resiliency to cope with and respond to natural disasters and adapt to climate change and mainstream disaster risk reduction and climate change in pre- disaster planning and infrastructure audit. The latter in particular will ensure resiliency of critical infrastructure such as roads and bridges. In light of this and as part of the project “Enhancing LGU Capacity on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Management Framework” DILG has produced and rolled out the Infrastructure Audit Form/Checklist for Buildings. A similar set of tools for roads and bridges, herein referred to as Road and Bridge Infrastructure Vulnerability Audit (RBIVA), have been developed and tested. The tools consist of a set of rapid assessment tools to assist in the determination of urgent interventions. They serve as early warning systems to trigger the implementation of both remedial measures and continuing activities geared towards reducing the vulnerability of road elements to various hazards. The tools are meant to be