MANILA, 3 June 2023 – The Climate Change Commission (CCC) welcomes the new Commission on Audit (COA) regulatory guidelines aiming to strengthen the transparency of the Philippine government’s climate expenditures. The recently issued COA Circular No. 2023-01 provides guidelines to national government instrumentalities (NGIs) and COA auditors when auditing programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) part of the Climate Change Expenditure Tagging (CCET) process, under the General Appropriations Act (GAA). The Circular aims to validate that the budget utilization and implementation of PAPs with CCET is in accordance with the law. It also determines the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of climate change programs. “The CCC welcomes this audit policy of COA to support the CCET process. The new guidelines ensure not only the efficiency and effectiveness of its implementation, but also the proper utilization of resources intended for climate action,” said CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director (VCED) Robert E.A. Borje. The COA Circular emphasizes that all climate-related PAPs in the GAA for fiscal years (FY) 2021 onwards are expected to be implemented and delivered. The CCET budget has increased by 64.46% – from PHP 282.36 billion in FY 2021 to PHP 464.50 billion in FY 2023. “This initiative will go a long way in encouraging transparency and accountability from the government in how climate expenditures are allocated. We will work closely with COA and extend the necessary technical assistance for the conduct of post-implementation assessment of climate-tagged programs in our annual appropriations,” VCED Borje assured. The CCET is a tool used to track and monitor climate-tagged budgets in the annual appropriations. Government programs aimed at building climate resilience and promoting a low-carbon future like the Enhanced National Greening Program, Flood Mitigation projects, and Early Warning Systems are tagged in the CCET. For the CCC, the new COA regulatory guidelines shall serve as a tool to promote a low-carbon future and build resilience to climate-related risks and disasters. For more information about the CCET, visit https://climate.gov.ph/ and https://niccdies.climate.gov.ph/climate-finance/ccet.
The National Innovation Council (NIC) announces the call for nominations for the 7th Executive Member with expertise in Climate Change and Innovation. Pursuant to Section 6 of RA 11293 or the Philippine Innovation Act, the creation of NIC comprising of 18 national government agencies shall include seven (7) Executive Members from the ranks of business, entrepreneur, academe, and the scientific community, and at least one (1) of whom shall be a woman. During its 4th regular meeting on 21 February 2023, the NIC agreed to endorse 6 nominees as Executive Members to the Office of the President (OP) for appointment. Recognizing the importance of climate change and its impact on innovations and sustainability, the NIC agreed to fill the remaining seat for an NIC Executive Member with a Climate Change Expert, who will bring an environmental and sustainability perspective to the Council and contribute to the country’s innovation initiatives. Nominees for the 7th NIC Executive Member must be endorsed by a nominating party that is: (a) duly registered or licensed business organization, research development institution, or academic institution; and (b) preferably with nation- or region-wide coverage of services or operations related to addressing climate change. For more details, please check the documentary and eligibility requirements through this link: bit.ly/NICEMCallFullDetails.
QUEZON CITY, Philippines – The Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) conducted the Annual Climate Change Expenditure Tagging (CCET) and Risk Resiliency Program (RRP) Orientation for National Government Agencies (NGAs) to further intensify climate change and disaster risk reduction budget programming by agencies. CCC Commissioner Albert Dela Cruz and Commissioner Rachel Anne Herrera highlighted the importance of further strengthening climate actions by NGAs, in view of the country’s increasing climate vulnerability. “The CCC and DBM are working together to build the capacity of government institutions in mainstreaming climate change, through public resources,” said Commissioner Dela Cruz. “Strengthening climate actions through enabling policies, programs and implementing projects is crucial to combat the climate crisis,” Commissioner Herrera added. The Annual CCET-RRP Orientation was held to provide up-to-date information on NGAs’ climate investments and budget tagging. Earlier this year, the DBM issued National Budget Memorandum No. 145 and No. 146 to guide agencies in coordinating their resources toward achieving banner government programs such as climate change and risk resiliency. “Let us intensify climate change planning and programming and increase the convergence and implementation of the climate change and disaster risk reduction programs, activities, and projects through the NCCAP [National Climate Change Action Plan] and Risk Resiliency Program,” said DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. For 2023, the government allocated PHP 464.50 billion for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Sixty-seven percent (i.e., PHP 311.11 billion) are RRP convergence projects. To ensure that the Risk Resiliency Program is aligned with the NCCAP, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) set up a Technical Review Committee that includes the CCC. The CCET tracks and monitors climate-tagged budgets in annual appropriations. For FY 2023, total appropriations for climate change accounts for PHP 464.49 billion, 60.32 percent higher than FY 2022. The event was participated in by 99 NGAs with mandates on climate change and disaster risk management. It was organized by the CCC and DBM, with Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Governance Commission for GOCCs, and DENR, to raise the national government instrumentalities’ (NGIs) capacity to tag, identify, and advance public resources for climate action. These NGIs include GOCCs, NGAs, and SUCs. For more information about the CCET, visit https://climate.gov.ph/ and https://niccdies.climate.gov.ph/climate-finance/ccet.
The Department of Finance, as Chair of the People's Survival Fund Board, extended the deadline of LGUs’ proposal submissions until 14 April 2023. To access the People’s Survival Fund, LGUs shall complete the following documentary requirements: 1) Letter of Intent; 2) Accomplished Project Proposal Template; 3) Adaptation references such as Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessments, CCA-DRR-Enhanced Comprehensive Land Use/ Development Plans, and Local Climate Change Action Plan; and 4) the Annual Investment Plan. Submissions shall be made through the PSF Board Secretariat in the DOF through <psf@dof.gov.ph>. For more information about the PSF, visit the CCC’s website at www.climate.gov.ph.
MANILA, Philippines — To cap off this year’s National Women's Month, the Climate Change Commission PH (CCC) underscored the significance of developing women's skills and the necessity of their active participation in policies and programs in order to transition to gender-responsive climate-smart agriculture. "Climate change exacerbates the already-existing gender inequalities in the agriculture sector and beyond, but if the considerable contribution that women make to agriculture is recognized, climate change may also present significant opportunities for women to become agents of change," said CCC Commissioner Rachel Anne S. Herrera, Chairperson of the CCC’s GAD Focal Point System. The UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) through its Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) reported the need to take into account the differentiated impacts of climate change such as on women and men, local communities and indigenous peoples, in climate policies, plans and action. In an earlier visit to the agricultural community of Brgy. Rayuray, Batac, Ilocos Norte, gender-related concerns in the agriculture sector were discussed. “Kapag sinabing magsasaka, ang madalas pumapasok sa isip ng tao ay lalaki. Kaming mga kababaihan ay sangkot din sa produksyon ng pananim, pag-aalaga ng hayop, at maging sa pagpo-provide ng pagkain, tubig, at enerhiya sa tahanan. Bukod po sa aming pamilya, inaalagaan din namin ang kaunlaran ng aming komunidad at nagiging sandigan sa sistema ng agrikultura,” shared Infenita Puyot, one of the female farmers. (When we say farmers, what often comes to mind is a man. We women are also involved in crop production, animal production, and even providing food, water, and energy for our homes. In addition to our family, we also take care of the development of our community and have become a pillar of the agricultural system.) “A gender-responsive approach to climate change resilience within the agricultural sector is crucial to address the differing levels of vulnerability experienced by women through empowerment,” said CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje. Some of the strategies identified by the CCC toward gender mainstreaming in the agriculture sector include ensuring that: ● Gender and development (GAD) is incorporated into the national policies concerning agriculture and climate change; ● Women have equitable access to the resources and information required to implement climate-smart agriculture; ● Women are involved in the local planning, policy and budget processes; ● Gender-responsive climate finance is available through increased resource allocation and capacity-building programs; and ● There is an increased collaboration between relevant government agencies, and consultations are conducted with women who work in agriculture, using a bottom-up approach to facilitate knowledge sharing and awareness raising among policymakers. The CCC itself has observed gender balance and women's representation within the organization. The Agency is composed of three Commissioners, including Commissioner Herrera. Several policies were also put in place by the CCC, such as the Commission Resolution No. 2019-02, which strengthens the framework for gender-based approaches in the formulation and implementation of national climate change policies, plans, programs, and activities, including the generation of sex-disaggregated data and the conduct of gender analysis. The Resolution also established the need for coordination among key agencies in promulgating policies, directives, and initiatives supportive of the collaborative approach to accomplish its objectives. A GAD Focal Point System was also created to monitor GAD mainstreaming efforts in climate actions, and has appointed gender focal points to international forums. The CCC continues to work closely with the Philippine Commission on Women, the Department of Agriculture, and other stakeholders in order to strengthen women’s capacity to protect and nurture the well-being of their respective communities from the impacts of climate change. For more information on the CCC’s mainstreaming activities, visit the website http://climate.gov.ph.
