The Climate Change Commission (CCC) is promoting gender-inclusive communication approaches to support the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution Gender Action Plan (NDC GAP).

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The Climate Change Commission (CCC), in partnership with the Miriam College–Women and Gender Institute (WAGI) and with support from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), recently convened an Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) Multi-Stakeholder Engagement and Communication Framing Workshop last September 2-3, 2026, at Miriam College, Quezon City, to strengthen gender-inclusive communication approaches in support of the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution Gender Action Plan (NDC GAP).

The workshop, which brought together government agencies, civil society organizations,  and other relevant stakeholders, provided a platform to identify communication priorities, strengthen a shared understanding of the NDC GAP, and explore ways to connect and align existing communication channels, networks, and resources to ensure that the country’s carbon emissions reduction targets are accessible, localized, and responsive to the needs of vulnerable sectors.

Discussions focused on strengthening a whole-of-society, multisectoral, and participatory approach to implementing a Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI)-responsive Philippine NDC commitment. Participants emphasized the need to move away from generalized messaging to develop inclusive, localized, actionable, and participatory communication that resonates with the different lived experiences of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized communities.

“The NDC GAP becomes more meaningful when people see themselves in the policies, programs, and messages we put forward,” said CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje. “Effective communication approaches can help translate the NDC GAP into messages that communities can understand and act on.”

The engagement also highlighted the complementary roles of government institutions, civil society organizations, communities, development partners, and other stakeholders in strengthening communication for the NDC GAP. Participants recognized the value of connecting existing platforms, networks, and knowledge resources with the priority actions and measures (PAMs), rather than creating parallel mechanisms.

CCC Commissioner and Chairperson of the CCC Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS) Rachel Anne S. Herrera highlighted the milestones in operationalizing the NDC GAP in relation to climate governance, adaptation and mitigation, measurement, reporting and verification, and finance. By integrating sex-disaggregated data and gender-responsive guidelines into climate governance and finance, the CCC is ensuring that gender and social inclusion are institutionalized within Philippine climate policy.

“The implementation of the NDC GAP marks an important step for the Philippines,” Commissioner Herrera stated. “It moves us from mere recognition that climate change is not gender neutral, toward concrete action, by putting gender and social inclusion squarely into how we plan, implement, monitor, and improve our programs in government and in partnership with business and civil society.”

The workshop established a shared strategic foundation for the development of the Communication and Visibility Plan. Moving forward, communication objectives, messages, and IEC concepts will be aligned with documented gender and social inclusion findings and directed toward addressing identified GEDSI gaps under the NDC GAP. From the government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Transportation (DOTr), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) participated, joined by representatives from the media and other non-government organizations.

The workshop affirmed that advancing a GEDSI-responsive NDC commitment requires sustained collaboration across sectors. By strengthening existing communication networks and linking institutional expertise with local knowledge and lived experiences, stakeholders can help build a more effective, accessible, and inclusive communication ecosystem for climate action.

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