P1-B climate adaptation fund projects up for review

MANILA, Philippines - Thirteen proposed climate adaptation projects— mostly in Mindanao — were already received by the inter-agency body managing the country’s first climate mitigation fund, officials said yesterday.

“The P1-billion climate fund is now ready to accept climate adaptation proposals,” Climate Change Commission (CCC) Assistant Secretary Joyceline Goco told reporters in a briefing in Makati City.

She was pertaining to the People’s Stability Fund (PSF), established pursuant to RA 10174 signed in 2012. The law mandates the minimum allotment of P1 billion for local climate adaptation projects.

Goco said the PSF board has received proposals, “mostly flood control projects” that will now be evaluated by the PSF board, which groups the government, academe, business and non-government sectors.

“These are mostly from Mindanao area. We also received some proposals for the agriculture and water sectors. The amount (of proposed projects) exceeds P1 billion, but they will still be evaluated,” Goco explained.

She declined to enumerate the proposed projects.

Local government units (LGUs) exposed to climate risk, with high poverty rates and biodiversity areas will be given priority access to the fund. All disbursements will be audited accordingly.

Only climate adaptation and mitigation projects— not disaster rehabilitation— will be accepted.

Goco said all proposals will also have to follow a specific template, thus, “we will have to get in touch” with the current 13 project proponents and ask them to re-submit following the format.

Renato Constantino, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, said the P1-billion yearly allocation is a “floor” and may be increased if there is demand. The Department of Budget and Management agreed.

“The P1 billion will be available yearly through the GAA (General Appropriations Act). But when we see the demand, then necessarily the amount will be increased,” Budget director Mary Anne de la Vega said.

Unused funding will also be carried over to the following year, she added. Although Constantino, a member of the PSF board, clarified that there will be “no accumulation” of funds over the years.

“If the whole P1 billion is not used, then we will still have P1 billion the following year,” he pointed out.

“The logic behind this is that while we recognize that climate change is a big crisis, it’s not the only issue that we need to address and that if the fund is unused every year, why can it not go to other social services,” Constantino explained.