Photo Courtesy: Presidential Communication Office
Bonn, Germany 11 June 2023 – The Philippines’ commitments and advancements to whole-of-nation and whole-of-world climate action under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. were highlighted in Bonn, Germany where nations are meeting to address climate change and its challenges under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC).
While rallying nations to deliver on climate commitments, the Philippines pointed out that under President Marcos Jr., the Philippines was involved in transformative climate action and putting “its money where its mouth is” through relevant programs and policies.
Speaking at the opening plenary of the 58th Sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SB58) of the UNFCCC, Secretary Robert E.A. Borje, Vice Chairperson and Executive Director of the Climate Change Commission (CCC), underscored that “addressing climate change and its impacts are among the top priorities of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.”
Secretary Borje cited the investments of the Marcos Administration in the public sector, stating that, “for this year alone, the government allocated US$ 8.2 billion, or almost 9 percentof our total national budget, for climate change adaptation and mitigation programs towards meeting our unconditional Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets.”
The figure, based on data from the Climate Change Expenditure Tagging (CCET), is 60 percent higher than the previous year’s climate budget. This is the biggest budget allocation for climate change ever recorded, signifying the country’s commitment to increase domestic resources dedicated to climate action.
“Under the Marcos Administration, “accelerating climate action and enhancing climate resilience have been more firmly embedded in our development agenda, which we project will lead to more flow of resources, including Means of Implementation,” Secretary Borje emphasized.
The Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for the 2023-2028 period devoted an entire chapter to climate change and disaster resiliency for the first time. This pioneering chapter identifies key objectives for climate action, including increasing climate and disaster risk resilience of communities and institutions, enhancing ecosystem resilience, and enabling the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Philippines reiterated the need to expand and enhance international cooperation in adaptation, mitigation, loss and damage, climate finance, and other means of implementation such as technology transfer and capacity development toward transformative climate action.
The CCET is the tool of the government to monitor, track, and report the national and local budgets and investments on climate change adaptation and mitigation programs.
For more information on the Philippines’ participation in SB58, visit the Climate Change Commission’s website at https://climate.gov.ph and www.facebook.com/cccphl.
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