CCC Commissioner Rachel Anne S. Herrera, Quezon City Mayor Josefina Belmonte, Plan International Pilipinas Executive Director Pebbles Sanchez-Ogang, CARE Philippines Country Director Reiza S. Dejito, and fellow advocates for women’s and girls’ rights call for the empowerment of girls as leaders in climate resilience at the Girls Summit 2025.

 

MANILA, 11 November 2025 — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) underscored the critical need to empower girls and young women as leaders in climate action.

CCC Commissioner Rachel Anne Herrera served as a key panelist during the Girls Summit 2025 held in Quezon City. In the session, “Resilience in Crisis: Protecting and Empowering Girls,” she discussed the impact of climate change on women and girls and outlined the Commission’s gender-responsive initiatives.

“Climate change does not affect everyone equally. It disproportionately impacts women and girls, exacerbating existing inequalities and threatening their livelihoods, health, and safety,” Herrera stated. “Our policies must integrate gender considerations at every step, from planning and financing to implementation, to ensure we are building a resilience that truly protects and empowers every girl.”

She described how climate change acts as a “threat multiplier,” increasing risks of gender-based violence, disrupting education, and placing heavier burdens on girls. She highlighted the CCC’s comprehensive approach, which includes mandating the use of sex-disaggregated data in local climate plans and strengthening climate budgeting to track spending that benefits women and girls.

This aligns with broader local government efforts, as emphasized by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. “As part of a larger effort to promote gender inclusivity, we are focused on our Gender and Development Framework, with interventions designed to address the full cycle of care, from education and health to social protection and recovery,” said Mayor Belmonte.

Commissioner Herrera also called for greater youth involvement, urging girls to claim their seats in decision-making bodies, become advocates for citizen science and early warning systems, and lead community-based adaptation projects. “Women and girls are not just beneficiaries; they are leaders and often the first responders who knit communities together. Our job is to open the doors and fund the seats. We ask you to be in the room where plans are made, co-design solutions, and help us measure what matters,” she said.

The event highlighted the intersecting challenges that girls face, a point reiterated by Plan International Pilipinas Executive Director Pebbles Sanchez-Ogang who emphasized that, “Every day, young women across the country are forced to navigate challenges that threaten their safety, silence their voices, and limit their potential.” 

The Girls Summit 2025 was organized by Plan International Pilipinas, in partnership with the Quezon City Government and the Quezon City Gender and Development Council Office, in celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child. The event culminated in the handover of The Girls’ Agenda, a list of priority rights and calls to action presented to government and private sector leaders.

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