Ceremonial Signing of the Financing Agreement of the five Northern Samar municipalities for the Project Development Grant under the People’s Survival Fund.

MANILA, Philippines, 01 June 2023 – The People’s Survival Fund (PSF) Board granted five Northern Samar local government units (LGUs) financing to support their risk assessments and studies with the goal to strengthen their climate adaptation capacities.

The municipalities of Bobon, Mondragon, Pambujan, Rosario, and San Jose in Northern Samar received Php 2 million each to pursue project preparation activities and assessments to climate change adaptation proposals through the Project Development Grant (PDG) sub-financing window of PSF.

“The CCC welcomes the PDG approval of the five Northern Samar municipalities and lauds the LGUs’ drive to pursue adaptation actions at this crucial time. This is the start of strengthened climate action at the local level through application of nature-based solutions and inclusive approach gearing to a more sustainable and climate-resilient Philippines,” said CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje.

With the intent to support second-income class municipalities and below to undertake preliminary activities to formulate science- and evidence-based project proposals, the PDG was established in 2016 as a sub-financing window under the PSF.

Recipients of PDG are expected to complete necessary activities and studies within two years leading up to the submission of a full-blown PSF project proposal.

“Malaking tulong po ito to address the barriers faced by LGUs during project preparation and design by providing fund for different activities that are crucial for climate change adaptation projects,” said Mayor Reny A. Celespara of Bobon, Northern Samar.

Among the activities to be financed through the PDG include climate risk and vulnerability assessments, suitability analysis, project technical designs, and environmental studies.
 
“I look forward and promise to carry out the objectives of this grant, for the purpose of establishing Rosario LGU’s adaptation program. I hope after two years, we can determine programs for our resilience,” Mayor David A. Bido of Rosario, Northern Samar added.
 
Present in the event are CCC Commissioner Albert P. Dela Cruz Sr., Department of Finance Undersecretary Mark Dennis Y.C. Joven, and Mr. Macario Jusayan of the Philippine Commission on Women.

In 2012, the PSF was established through Republic Act No. 10174 to provide long-stream finance for adaptation projects of local government units and local/community organizations aimed at increasing the resilience of communities and ecosystems to climate change.

For more information on the PSF, visit the CCC’s website at climate.gov.ph or PSF’s Facebook page at facebook.com/PeoplesSurvivalFund.

For more information on the Climate Change Commission’s climate mainstreaming activities, visit https://climate.gov.ph and www.facebook.com/CCCPHL.