Press Release
August 26, 2009

Climate Change Act reaches final steps to enactment - Loren

Sen. Loren Legarda's relentless work for the passage of a measure strengthening the Philippines' response to climate change is paying off.

"The Climate Change Act of 2009, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, is only a few steps from passage," Loren said.

Loren, who is chair of the Senate Standing and Oversight Committees on Climate Change, issued the statement after the Conference Committee Report on the Disagreeing Provisions of Senate Bill No. 2583 and House Bill No. 5982 was ratified by the Senate yesterday.

The Climate Change Act of 2009 aims to mainstream climate change into policy formulation, development planning, and poverty reduction programs.

"Mainstreaming entails the integration of policies and measures that address climate change into development planning and decision-making," Loren explained.

The proposed measure also seeks the creation of a Climate Change Commission that shall be the sole policy-making body of the government tasked to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the programs and action plans of the government relating to climate change.

"The Climate Change Commission shall be headed by no less than the President of the Philippines," Loren added.

The Commission will be composed of three Commissioners, one of whom shall be the Vice-Chairperson. The Commission shall be advised by an Advisory Board of ex officio members and representatives of various sectors. It shall likewise constitute a panel of technical advisers tasked to provide support to the Commission in climate science, technologies, and best practices for risk assessment and enhancement of adaptive capacity of vulnerable human settlements.

The Commission is mandated to formulate Framework Strategy on Climate Change to serve as the basis for a program for climate change planning, research and development, extension, and monitoring of activities to protect vulnerable communities.

The local government units shall be the frontline agencies in the formulation, planning and implementation of climate change action plans in their respective areas. It shall be the responsibility of the national government to extend technical and financial assistance to LGUs for the accomplishment of their Local Climate Change Action Plans.

"This recent progress in our legislature only goes to show that we take the issue of climate change very seriously," Loren said.

Loren, who is also the United Nations' Regional Champion on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, emphasized that it is time to take bold actions to address the greatest humanitarian challenge today that is climate change.

Sen. Legarda is hopeful for the immediate enactment of the bill.

"I have dreamt of this - for a Climate Change Act in the country. Now it is becoming a reality."

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