CCC Secretary Robert E.A. Borje joins Mr. Kamrul Tarafder, President and CEO of ASA Philippines Foundation, Professor Ittichote Chuckpaiwong, PhD, Vice President for Environment and Sustainable Development of Mahidol University, Thailand, and Atty. Federico P. Tancongco, Senior Vice President of BDO Unibank, Inc. Philippines, in the Strategic Governance for Bridging the SDGs Gap in Public, Private, and Social Sectors panel discussion at the 3G Summit 2024.

MANILA, 30 April 2024 — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) emphasized the importance of solid and tangible working relationships with the public, private, and social sectors in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Global Good Governance (3G) Summit held recently.

Secretary Robert E.A. Borje, the CCC’s Vice Chairperson and Executive Director, joined the summit as a panelist in the discussion on Strategic Governance for Bridging the SDGs Gap in Public, Private, and Social Sectors.

He discussed several key points including the different frameworks, programs, and policies that institutionalize Philippine commitments to sustainable development. He also stressed the significance of involving and supporting both the local government units (LGUs) and the private sector in the climate and sustainability agenda, and government approaches to monitoring and evaluating governance in bridging SDGs gap.

“The LGUs are one of the most important actors in achieving our targets for climate resiliency and smartness. After all, they are at the frontlines of climate change, which is why it’s critical that we provide them capacity and technical assistance through our different frameworks and programs,” said Borje.

“Likewise, partnership with the private sector is essential if we want to successfully attain all the goals and plans that we have as part of our mission to bring sustainability and climate resiliency to the Philippines. We want to make sure that we set up the private sector to succeed in their sustainability and climate change formulation, and engagement with the government,” he added.

Borje stressed the integration of all SDGs into the development plans and processes of the government in its framework documents, including the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (NCCAP), draft National Adaptation Plan (NAP), and Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan (NDCIP). 

He also emphasized the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for the national plans and frameworks such as Measurement Reporting and Evaluation (MRV), Monitoring, Evaluation, Assessment, and Learning (MEAL), and Sustainability Reporting Guidelines and Sustainability Reporting for the private sector.

Discussions at the event focused on the following: Inclusivity in decision-making at all levels of governance; Methodologies and metrics for assessing the impact of governance initiatives on sustainable development goals; How effective governance structures can contribute to crisis management, build resilience, and facilitate a swift recovery ni the face of unexpected challenges; The role of governance in mitigating climate change and promoting environmental Sustainability; The importance of international collaboration, diplomatic efforts, and global partnerships in achieving shared sustainable development goals; Empowering the youth in governance processes, fostering a new generation of leaders; and Strategies to promote gender equality in governance structures, ensuring representation and opportunities for women in decision-making processes.

The Global Good Governance serves as a global hub for dialogue, deliberation, and engagement aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of key issues in governance, ethics, and sustainability. 

It brought together policymakers, experts, decision-makers, practitioners, entrepreneurs, representatives from the government and non-government organizations, and academicians, to introduce new knowledge, advocate for world-class solutions, and hear a diverse range of voices on the theme “Aligning Good Governance with Sustainable Development Goals.”

Organized by Cambridge IFA — a financial services intelligence house based in the UK,  and hosted by the Philippines’ Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),  this year’s 3G Summit aimed to explore the crucial intersection between effective governance and the achievement of SDGs.

It also delved into multifaceted topics on transparency, accountability, ethical leadership, and innovative policy frameworks that can propel society toward the realization of SDGs while discussing the development of actionable strategies to foster alignment between governance practices and the broader goals of sustainable development.

The CCC remains steadfast in its commitment to capacitating and involving all Filipinos across sectors in the national decision-making process and efforts toward climate change mitigation and adaptation.

By pushing for inclusive and robust climate policies, initiatives, and programs, the CCC aims to bridge the gap in the SDGs in the context of cross-sectoral implementation.

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