DPWH has no budget for climate change programs

SENATOR IMEE Marcos expressed dismay over the failure of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to allocate any budget to address the effects of climate change.

During the Finance Subcommittee A hearing on the proposed P718.36 billion DPWH budget, Marcos said the situation of the Philippines does not show too much progress in the area of climate adaptation and mitigation in terms of infrastructure.

“Is there no effort to embark on China’s style of sponge cities, the Malaysian river clean up, or the effort in India? Because I haven’t seen anything new, we need to be very aggressive in this area and more innovative…we still have the old notion that we can actually change the course of the river but the bitter lesson is we can’t fight Mother Nature. I see nothing on your budget that attempts to pilot some new technology,” Marcos pointed out.

In response, DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan admitted that there are lots of things that need to be done to address climate change but vowed that they will try their best to at least mitigate its effects.

According to a World

Bank report, the Philippines is among the most vulnerable countries to climate-related weather events.

The report entitled Getting a Grip on Climate Change in the Philippines looks at the innovations as well as gaps in policy and financing of climate change programs since the country adopted the Climate Change Act.

The report – done at the request of, and in close collaboration with the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) – provides detailed analysis and recommendations on how the country could accelerate reforms for managing the growing climate change impacts and increasing greenhouse gas emissions while contributing to poverty reduction.

The report provides recommendations along three themes:

• Strengthening the planning, execution, and financing framework for climate change;

• Enhancing leadership and accountability through monitoring, evaluation, and review of climate change policies and activities; and

• Building the country’s capacity and managing change

The report also underscores that while the government builds resilience to climate change impacts, it should also ensure that the country’s emissions of greenhouse gases (e.g. methane and carbon dioxide) remain in check.

Though a minor contributor to climate change globally, the Philippines’ greenhouse gas emissions rank in the top 25% among low- and middle-income countries, with significant increases projected in the coming decades. Emissions from the energy sector are projected to quadruple by 2030, with the transport sector expected to double its emissions.

The World Bank said that implementing the country’s climate change programs with increased financing, improved design, and greater focus and coordination contributes significantly to the country’s development goals.

It added that promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency, for instance, boosts energy security and can lower energy costs, thus improving the country’s competitiveness. In agriculture, adaptation activities like conserving water and improving water quality will enhance food security.

Labor-intensive activities like developing climate-resilient farming and retrofitting infrastructure for flood control will build resilience while increasing job opportunities, especially for the poor. Climate change adaptation is very important in achieving inclusive growth, according to the World Bank. (Voltaire Domingo, Mindanao Examiner)