By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday underscored the significance of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) in assisting the Philippines as it faces adverse effects of climate change.
During a courtesy call of the members of the Board of FRLD in Malacañang, the President cited the record tropical cyclones that battered the Philippines in the past weeks—noting that such consecutive calamities had not happened before.
He also stressed the Board’s vital role in providing essential financial support to nations facing losses and damages due to climate change.
The Philippines, in particular, is located in the Pacific tropical cyclone belt and the Pacific Ring of Fire, making the country prone to loss and damage caused by natural disasters.
“We’re working very hard for the Board to be based here in Manila because [of] its supreme importance for the Philippines, because of all of the risks that we are bracing [for], because of climate change,” Marcos said.
“The momentum since the Industrial Revolution is something that can’t be easily moved or stopped or at least redirected. In the meantime, I hope all of you can find a solution so that, in the Philippines, most of our people do not suffer,” he added.
Composed of 26 members from the Conference of the Parties (COP) and Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA)—12 of which are members from developed country parties and 14 are from developing country parties—the Board serves as the principal decision-making body that governs and supervises the Fund.
To recall, the Philippines secured a seat on the Board as permanent representative of the Asia-Pacific Group for 2024 and 2026 and as alternate representative of the Asia-Pacific Group for 2025.
For the country’s part, the government has submitted its first National Adaptation Plan to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the formulation of the first Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan.
The government, likewise, increased its climate change expenditures, allocating over P450 billion for climate change-related programs and mobilizing around P34 billion to support the implementation of 54 projects covering forestry, land management, biodiversity, and environment protection among others.
Also on Monday, Manila hosted the fourth meeting of the FRLD Board at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, in her remarks, emphasized the meeting’s importance in building global climate resilience and addressing the urgent needs of affected citizens.
“Hosting the Board is a responsibility we take seriously. As one of the most climate-vulnerable nations, we are acutely aware of the urgency in translating frameworks and commitments into tangible actions,” Loyzaga said
“Our goal is to support the Board in advancing decisions that ensure the Fund is accessible, equitable, and impactful,” the DENR chief added.
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