Philippine President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, signed on Friday the “Climate Change Act of 2009″ or Republic Act 9729 (sourced from Senate Bill No. 2583 and House Bill No. 5982) which calls for a national strategy for dealing with the effects of climate change to the country. A few weeks before the signing the Philippines was rocked by two storms that resulted in massive flooding, lives lost and extensive property damage.
The law allows for an autonomous policy-making body, known as the Climate Change Commission (CCC), to be formed under the Office of the President. They are tasked coordinate the programs of the government and represent the country in international climate change conferences. The commission will be chaired by the President and shall have three commissioners.
One of the first tasks of the commission is to draft a “National Framework Strategy and Program” within the first 6 months. This aims to mainstream mitigation and adaptation measures in government policies from the national all the way to the barangay level. Inclusive of that framework is the development of action plans to protect vulnerable communities from the onslaught of climate change. Also in there is the development of a roadmap for mitigation, with emphasis on the voluntary reduction of local carbon emissions and adaptation measures.
The CCC will have a board to advise them that will comprise of representatives from the Cabinet, the academe, business, non-government organizations (NGOs), and the presidents of the League of Provinces, League of Cities, League of Municipalities, and the Liga ng mga Barangay. Included in the group is a panel of technical experts who hold expertise on the effects of climate change and disaster risk reduction.
Its great that the Philippines passed a law related to Climate Change. The sad thing about it is that although we aren’t the greatest contributor to climate change, we are the ones most easily affected by it. The ones that should be working double time are large carbon emitters, like the US and China. All that we can really do is to prepare for the effects of it.
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Category: Law, Climate Change
October 25th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Although we (the Philippines) are not a major contributor of greenhouse gasses, we can be very progressive and aggressive with our existing environmental laws and set an example to the whole world. We have an abundance of renewable energy sources and we are not short of great minds. We are extremely rich in natural resources and a host to a megabiodiversity. Global warming and many other ecological anomalies are threats to human existence. Filipinos need to have the progressive will to combat these global issues not because “green is in” but because we deserve a small portion of this planet.
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:42 pm
The resources of the Philippines are more than enough for 88+ Million Filipinos need, but not enough for corrupt government officials and politicians for a Sustainable Development. (Philippine Agenda 21)
Environmental Problems and Climate Change are not the problems of the 88+ Million Filipinos, but a like a Cancer that becomes a perennial problem in Governance.