The Climate Change Commission and the Philippine Commission on Women explore ways to incorporate gender mainstreaming in the country’s climate agenda.
 

MANILA, 15 August 2024 —The Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) reiterated the need to integrate gender equality and equity into transformative climate change action.

During the 1st PCW-CCC Gender and Development Executive Briefing and Exploratory Meeting, both institutions highlighted women’s unique vulnerabilities to climate change impacts and their contributions to climate solutions.

The CCC emphasized the importance of gender-sensitive and responsive climate efforts, including initiatives designed to increase women representation in leadership roles and to  gender-proof climate legislation, plans, and programs.

Secretary Robert E.A. Borje, CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director, stated, “It is high time for us to work closely together to develop and support policy measures that ensure women play a key role, not just as recipients of government policies and programs, but  as leaders at the decision-making table.”

“It is crucial that we shift the narrative in the Philippines, particularly for Filipino women, from being victims to victors over climate change,” he added.

The PCW, on the other hand, pointed out the significance of a close working relationship between the CCC and PCW to reinforce both commissions’ commitment to mainstream gender and climate change efforts.

“Gender mainstreaming is not about pitting the sexes against each other; it is about finding a harmonious balance that acknowledges and respects the rights and needs of everyone,” said PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla.

“In the context of climate change, it involves integrating gender considerations into all aspects of climate action to ensure that both women and men can equally contribute to and benefit from climate policies and programs. For us to find this balance, we need to work closely together,” she pointed out.

“This executive briefing on GAD highlights the overarching goals of climate and gender mainstreaming. Beyond that, it presents us with an opportunity to look forward and identify key areas where we can work together to achieve a true pro-gender and pro-poor climate initiatives,” CCC Commissioner Rachel Anne Herrera added.

According to the United Nations International Organization for Migration's report, “Framing the Human Narrative of Migration in the Context of Climate Change,” the urban poor and women are particularly vulnerable to climate change, with women making up 80 percent of those displaced by climate-related emergencies in the Philippines.

The National Adaptation Plan, developed under the administration of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., recognizes the special circumstances that women in the Philippines face amid climate change. It outlines mechanisms and strategies to empower women across sectoral levels and ensure a gender-inclusive national climate process.

Similarly, gender equality considerations are integrated into the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), through the NDC Support Program and Gender Action Plan (GAP.)

In alignment with the NAP and the NDC GAP, the CCC has undertaken various steps to mainstream gender-sensitive mitigation and adaptation measures using the lens of the existing Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Plan 2019-2025 and the National Gender and Development agenda.

The CCC enacted Commission Resolution No. 2019-002, which supports the integration and enhancement of gender-responsive strategies in climate change policies, plans, programs, and activities. The Commission has also embarked on initiatives that aspire to instill gender-inclusiveness in climate change mainstreaming, such as the Philippine Resilience Awards, an award-giving body that recognizes the inspiring stories and feats of women climate resilience leaders in the country.

The Gender and Development Executive Briefing and Exploratory Meeting, a landmark event for the two Commissions, aimed to enhance the CCC's understanding of the policy imperatives for gender integration into the country’s climate programs and identify opportunities for future collaboration with PWC on gender in the ecological and climate arena.

The CCC remains steadfast to foster a gender-inclusive environment that incorporates women’s voices into the country’s climate agenda. By partnering with the PCW, the CCC hopes to strengthen its gender mainstreaming efforts across various national climate workstreams.

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