CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje, Ayala Corp. Chief Sustainability and Risk Officer Jaime Urquijo, CCC Deputy Executive Director Romell Antonio O. Cuenca, Globe Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer Maria Yolanda C. Crisanto, Ayala Corp. Corporate Governance Group Head and Chief Legal Officer Maria Franchette M. Acosta, ACEN Corp. Chief Finance Officer and Chief Strategy Officer Jonathan Back, BPI Senior Vice President, Chief Finance Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer, and Head of Strategy and Finance Eric Roberto M. Luchangco, and Ayala Foundation President and CEO Tony Lambino sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to scale up climate action in the Philippines.

Manila, 16 April 2024 - Recognizing the vital role of the private sector in attaining the country's climate adaptation and mitigation plans, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and Ayala Group formally forged a partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
 
The partnership paves the way for the CCC and Ayala, together with Ayala Land, BPI, Globe, ACEN and Ayala Foundation, to explore possible avenues of collaboration in promoting and achieving the country’s goals under the Philippine climate agenda. This includes establishing prospect programs that allow investment-led, accelerated, just, and equitable transitions towards low-carbon emissions and the increase of vulnerable communities’ climate resilience and adaptive capacity.

“To have the private sector’s commitment to our climate goals is important. Climate change is a complex issue that requires a whole-of-a-government and a whole-of-the-society approach, and this includes the private sector. This partnership with Ayala marks the start of an era of climate resiliency where businesses and corporations thrive in a sustainable and green business landscape, ” said CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje.
 
To support the Government, Ayala continues to ramp up its renewable energy investments, with ACEN expanding its presence globally and increasing its renewable capacity. The group also scales up its climate action along the lines of energy efficiency, carbon emissions reduction, and sustainability-related financing products.
 
“Climate change can cause great anxiety or fear, but for us at Ayala, we see these tremendous challenges as a unique opportunity to work together with like-minded partners to help build a resilient and secure future,” said Jaime Urquijo, Chief Sustainability and Risk Officer of Ayala Corporation.
 
“We hope that this MOU signing will bring forth collaborative projects that will enhance our capacity to adapt to climate change; expand our understanding of the risks and opportunities that climate change has brought and be a platform to show the best Filipino ingenuity and resilience in the face of a tremendous global challenge,” he added.

Under the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., the CCC has set priorities to enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation commitments and action between and among stakeholders in the country. This was formalized and institutionalized as contact groups, one of which is Communicating Opportunities to Network, Navigate, and Explore Climate Transformation or CONNECT for the private sector.
 
“President Marcos underscored the great need of involving and tapping the private sector in order to make sure our development plans and aspirations turn into reality. Our partnership with Ayala offers an exemplary rubric for the CCC in partnering with the private sector towards our common goal of creating a sustainable and resilient Philippines,” said Borje.
 
The CCC, as the government's lead policy-making body on climate change, is tasked to coordinate, monitor, and evaluate programs and ensure integration into national, local, and sectoral development plans.
 
The Commission remains steadfast in actively seeking and building effective and robust partnerships with the private sector as part of its commitment to increase the country’s capacity to mitigate and adapt to the changing climate and to usher in an era of sustainable, low-carbon business economy in the Philippines.
 

For more information on the CCC’s climate mainstreaming activities, visit www.climate.gov.ph and www.facebook.com/CCCPhl.