ANTIPOLO -- The Climate Change Commission (CCC) and First Gen Corporation (First Gen) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to support local government units (LGUs) in mainstreaming climate change and accessing the People’s Survival Fund (PSF).
The ceremonial signing was led by CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director (VCED) Robert E.A. Borje and First Gen President and Chief Operating Officer Francis Giles B. Puno.
The partnership aims to capacitate representatives from Maria Aurora, Aurora; Pantabangan and Carrangalan in Nueva Ecija; Alfonso Castañeda, Nueva Vizcaya; Lobo, Batangas; Caramoan and Garchitorena in Camarines Sur; Baungon, Impasug-ong, Libona, Manolo Fortich, and Talakag in Bukidnon; and Jabonga in Agusan del Norte in enhancing Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs) including updated climate and disaster risk assessments and greenhouse gas inventory, and developing PSF project proposals.
As of 19 January 2023, 1,399 out of 1,715 LGUs (81.57%) have submitted their LCCAPs to the CCC. Through partnerships and capacity-building initiatives, the Commission hopes to achieve 100% compliance by 2024.
This collaboration forms part of both the CCC and First Gen's shared advocacy for strengthening local communities' resilience to climate change and its impacts.
"Our LGUs, down to the barangays, are at the frontlines of climate change and its impacts. They need all the help they can get to have a fighting chance, but they also need transformation. We don't want them to just adapt, we want them to thrive and grow, and this particular agreement—through formulation of eLCCAPs and capacitating them to access the PSF—will exactly do that,” CCC VCED Borje emphasized.
"Our mission of forging collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future simply means that we cannot do it alone. Signing an agreement with the Climate Change Commission is completely aligned with what our company is trying to do, in addressing an important challenge that's ahead of us – climate change," First Gen Pres. Puno highlighted.
The CCC and First Gen will also strengthen initiatives that involve key stakeholders to promote science- and evidence-based risk assessment and sustain climate-smart leadership and governance among the target beneficiaries.
"At the end of the day, we have to safeguard our national interests, which for us means, 'Buhay, kabuhayan, at kinabukasan ang nakataya.' That's all we have to plan for, but it takes more than a village to do this. We need to work very closely together, and this partnership is key to making that happen," VCED Borje underscored.
The MOA was signed Tuesday, 24 January 2023, at the Eugenio Lopez Center in Antipolo, Rizal, and joined by Atty. Carol Kay Paquera, CCC Chief-of-Staff; Shirley H. Cruz, Vice President and Chief-of-Staff; Ricky A. Carandang, Vice President for Corporate Communications; and Ramon Araneta, Vice President for External Affairs and Security of First Gen.
Following the MOA signing, seedlings of Narra, Ipil, Banuyo and Supa trees were planted at the BINHI Arboretum to kick-off the partnership. (CCC)
