The Climate Change Commission emphasizes the need to strengthen alignment between national and local action plans to address climate risks more effectively.

CEBU CITY — The Climate Change Commission (CCC), along with other national government agencies, local officials, and faith-based leaders, pushed for stronger alignment between local planning and national climate policies to reinforce Cebu’s resilience against intensifying climate risks during the Cebu Climate Action Summit 2026.

The CCC emphasized the role of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) in guiding local government units (LGUs) to develop science-based, actionable strategies, including Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs), Annual Investment Plans (AIPs), and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) plans.

Recognizing Cebu’s high exposure to flooding, intense rainfall, sea level rise, and landslides, the CCC underscored the urgency of coordinated, forward-looking action. From 2021 to 2025 the province has incurred nearly ₱14 billion in damages from major typhoons, including Odette, Tino, and Uwan, placing lives, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure at risk.

CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje stressed the need to move beyond planning toward coherent and aligned implementation.

“We do not lack plans. We lack alignment. If conditions are changing, our path to development cannot remain the same. When systems align, risk is reduced before it becomes loss.”

He emphasized that climate risks are becoming more complex and interconnected across sectors.

“We are no longer dealing with isolated hazards, but with risks that move across systems.”

Cebu Governor Pamela S. Baricuatro acknowledged the province’s increasing climate risks, citing the changing nature of weather patterns and their growing impacts on communities.

"The challenges are changing, the rain is no longer what it used to be. What used to be a simple downpour can now mean flooding, disruption, and danger," Baricuatro said.
The discussion featured sessions that deepened understanding of climate hazards and enabled the exchange of best practices across key sectors.

Ms. Corazon B. Clarin, Convenor of the Cebu Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction initiative, underscored the importance of social equity and accessibility, emphasizing that persons with disabilities must be fully included in climate action.

The Archbishop of Cebu, Most Rev. Alberto S. Uy, D.D., highlighted the moral urgency of climate action, calling for reflection that leads to concrete action.

"Today, those cries are becoming louder. The cry of the poor, the cry of the earth, and even the cry of future generations. These are not separate cries; they are one, and they are calling us not just to reflect but to act."

The Province of Cebu remains highly vulnerable to compounding hazards, including flooding in low-lying and urban areas, rain-induced landslides in upland communities, and drought that threatens water security and agriculture. These overlapping risks underscore the need for integrated planning and sustained investment in resilience.

The Summit was organized by the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, which brought together national government agencies, local government units, non-government organizations, the academe, faith-based institutions, and the private sector. It served as a platform to strengthen.

This supports the guidance and vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches, ensuring that policies, plans, and investments work together to build a climate-resilient future.

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