The Climate Change Commission (CCC) welcomed the Philippine government's successful securing of a $6.78-million (approximately ₱418 million) technical assistance grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), an international backing to help boost local climate action in the country.

Approved under the GCF’s second replenishment period (GCF-2), the landmark funding makes the Philippines the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to access this specialized readiness support.

The 60-month Third Readiness and Preparatory Support Program (RPSP 3) moves beyond basic capacity building. It is engineered to streamline inter-agency coordination, build a highly viable pipeline of climate projects, and lock in rigorous national monitoring systems. For the CCC, as the lead policy-making body, this grant is an operational necessity to equip a highly vulnerable nation with the institutional capacity required to execute systemic climate defenses.

With communities constantly facing the threat of intensifying typhoons, erratic rainfall, and rising sea levels, the CCC views the RPSP 3 cycle as a vital mechanism to drive the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan (NDCIP) under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

Official estimates show the Philippines requires US$72 billion (PHP 4.2 trillion) between 2020 and 2030 to hit its NDC mitigation targets in critical sectors like energy, transport, and agriculture. Furthermore, because 72.29% of the country’s 75% emissions reduction target is strictly conditional on foreign assistance, securing international capital is not just a policy goal—it is an absolute baseline requirement to physically fortify local governments.

CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje underscored that accessible climate finance is the primary engine that turns these policy requirements into on-the-ground reality.

"This readiness support is more than a grant, it is an investment in the Philippines' ability to build stronger institutions, develop high-quality climate projects, and empower local governments to respond to the growing impacts of climate change," Borje said.

He emphasized that enhancing institutional readiness is essential to ensuring that climate finance reaches communities where it is needed most.

The five-year program seeks to strengthen the country's enabling environment for climate finance by improving institutional capacities, enhancing coordination among national government agencies, strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems, and supporting the development of a robust pipeline of climate investments aligned with national priorities.

As one of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations, the Philippines has consistently demanded greater access to climate finance, pointing out the inherent injustice that developing countries contribute the least to global emissions but absorb the highest developmental costs.

"The Philippines remains committed to working with the Green Climate Fund, our Accredited Entity, the Development Bank of the Philippines, our national government agencies, local governments, development partners, and the private sector to ensure that climate finance delivers concrete and lasting benefits for every Filipino," Borje said.

The Climate Change Commission reaffirmed that strengthening institutional readiness and expanding access to climate finance remain central to achieving a climate-resilient Philippines, consistent with the whole-of-government approach of the Marcos administration and the country's commitments under the Paris Agreement.