The Climate Change Commission (CCC) joins the Urban Heat and Drought Summit organized by the Quezon City Government, which brings together national government agencies, civil society organizations, local government units, and development partners to advance climate action against urban heat.

Manila, Philippines — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) underscored the urgency of localizing the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2023-2050 to local government units (LGUs) as a key strategy to combat intensifying heat indices during the Urban Heat and Drought Summit 2026 organized by the Quezon City Government and CityNet on April 14.

“This dry season, we continue to experience intense heat, which highlights the need for urgent and coordinated action. Through NAP localization, we provide a science-based roadmap that will guide the country in addressing heat risks while protecting key sectors and human health,” said CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje.

While national in scope, the Commission stressed that the NAP’s impact depends on strong localization, translating strategies into concrete, community-level action that allows LGUs to respond directly to climate risks.

Mr. Arnold Grant S. Belver of the CCC’s Policy Research and Development Division, who presented the NAP, emphasized the importance of stronger coordination between national and local governments to ensure effective implementation at the community level.

“Strengthening the bond between the national government and Quezon City, and indeed all local governments, is essential to ensure that the NAP translates into concrete, inclusive, and climate-resilient actions for every Filipino community. The temperature and heat is rising, but so is our resolve,” Belver said.

Extreme heat continues to escalate in urban areas. In Quezon City alone, heat index levels in 2024 and 2025 reached as high as 46°C, which raised risks to public health, disrupted daily life, and strained energy and water systems.

“The NAP is a tailored-fit adaptation strategy for each locality, ensuring that interventions respond directly to their unique climate risks and conditions,” Borje added.

The NAP, developed under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., serves as the country’s long-term roadmap to strengthen climate resilience and adaptive capacity toward sustainable development by 2050.

In Quezon City, the impacts of extreme heat are becoming more visible across communities, particularly among vulnerable sectors exposed to high temperatures.

“But climate change does not announce itself in global averages, it is felt by our people, most especially in specific places,” said Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

The summit gathered CityNet member cities, national and local governments, academe, private sector, development partners, and key stakeholders to drive coordinated action, share solutions, and accelerate climate adaptation efforts against urban heat and drought.

The CCC remains committed to localizing the NAP as a key framework for strengthening climate action at the local level.

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