MANILA -- The Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG) reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen collaborative efforts, aimed at advancing climate governance and good governance initiatives in the Philippines.

In a meeting, CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje and UP-NCPAG Dean Dr. Kristoffer B. Berse discussed possible areas of collaboration, including: improving access to climate financing for vulnerable local government units, enhancing the capacities of diverse stakeholders in climate change programming, and bolstering institutional capabilities for climate change initiatives.

Recognizing UP's reputation as a premier academic institution, VCED Borje emphasized, "We are eager to enlist the expertise of professionals to refine our capabilities and elevate our proficiency."

He added, "Our steadfast commitment to advancing climate governance aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.s' pledge to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities, facilitate access to climate financing, and enhance the programming capacities of diverse stakeholders. specific challenges persist in climate governance, and our success hinges on forging robust partnerships like this with UP-NCPAG."

Dean Berse stressed the need for CCC to maintain its leadership in climate governance, especially in collaboration with local government units.

He highlighted the wealth of experiences and lessons learned in the Philippines, stating, "We possess models and benchmarks from which other vulnerable nations can draw insights. With our expertise, the imperative is to create a platform that converges these resources, and that is where UP-NCPAG can significantly support the Commission."

The CCC, as the government's lead policy-making body on climate change, is tasked to coordinate, monitor, and evaluate programs and ensure integration into national, local, and sectoral development plans.

UP-NCPAG, one of the country’s leading academic institutions in public management and policy, is dedicated to providing instruction, research, and extension services.

This partnership builds on the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by CCC and UP in 2013, which aims to strengthen technical collaboration in capacity development and related climate services and actions to national government agencies, local government units, local state colleges and universities and other sectors in the academe, private sector, development partners, civil society organizations, and vulnerable sectors of society.

For more information about the CCC’s mainstreaming activities, visit https://www.climate.gov.ph. (CCC)