The CCC presented the Philippines’ frameworks on climate finance systems, governance, and budgeting, including the CCET system, to the government representatives from Nepal.

Manila, Philippines – The Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Department of Finance (DOF) convened a peer-to-peer learning exchange with government representatives from Nepal, providing a platform to share best practices on climate finance systems, governance, and budgeting.

Organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Climate Finance Network (CFN) under the UK-funded Climate Action for Resilient Asia (CARA) Programme, the exchange aimed to facilitate knowledge sharing on climate finance strategies, institutional frameworks, and tools supporting climate action.

The Philippines, through the CCC, presented the current national frameworks, including the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) of the Philippines 2023-2050 and the Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan (NDCIP) 2020-2030. The Climate Change Expenditure Tagging (CCET) system was also presented, which institutionalizes the tagging and tracking of climate-related programs, activities, and projects across government. Ms. Aimee Evangelista from the CCC’s Implementation Oversight Division highlighted that “climate budget tagging is not only about tracking expenditures, but about ensuring that public resources are aligned with national climate priorities.”

The exchange also highlighted the Philippines’ People’s Survival Fund (PSF) as a key domestic adaptation finance mechanism. The PSF supports local government units and communities in implementing climate adaptation projects, with the DOF serving as the Secretariat and the CCC as one of the members of the PSF Board.

The exchange also provided an opportunity for both countries to discuss common challenges, including mobilizing private sector investment, improving data systems and reporting mechanisms, and enhancing access to international climate finance.

CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje emphasized that strengthening climate finance systems requires sustained collaboration and knowledge exchange, highlighting the role of peer learning in advancing transparent, accountable, and evidence-based climate action across countries.

Director John Narag of the DOF’s Climate Finance Policy Group welcomed the Nepal delegation and underscored the importance of peer learning in strengthening climate finance systems, particularly as the Philippines continues to advance regional cooperation as ASEAN Chair.

He highlighted the Philippines’ institutional setup, where the DOF works in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and interagency bodies including the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) to align fiscal policy and budgeting, alongside ongoing efforts to strengthen climate finance tracking through initiatives such as a climate finance dashboard.

Nepal shared its experience in implementing Climate Budget Tagging (CBT), introduced in 2012 as one of the first systems globally to track climate-related public expenditures. Representatives from the Ministry of Finance highlighted how CBT supports planning, monitoring, and reporting of climate investments across national and subnational levels.

Participating agencies from Nepal included the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Alternative Energy Promotion Center, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Forests and Environment, and the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

Both the Philippines and Nepal reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration and sustaining knowledge exchange, recognizing peer learning as a key mechanism for institutionalizing climate finance in national planning and budgeting, and supporting long-term resilience and sustainable development.

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