President Benigno Aquino III has approved a long-term action plan that seeks to, among others, adopt mitigating measures against climate change with a promise to provide more funds to allow the country to act and respond to its effects. The National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP), which Aquino signed Tuesday afternoon, is an 18-year plan that will be reviewed every six years. "This long term plan will prepare us for the impact of climate change," said Climate Change Commission vice chairperson Mary Ann Lucille Sering. She said Aquino is "willing to provide more budget to ensure this (NCCAP) happens. "Some implementation would be done at least by the start of next year," she added. NCCAP outlines the agenda for climate change adaptation and mitigation from 2011 to 2028 and will undertake seven strategic priorities:
food security water sufficiency ecosystem and environmental stability human security climate-smart industries and services sustainable energy, and knowledge and capacity development. The action plan will be submitted to the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held in Durban, South Africa on Nov. 28 to Dec. 9. The submission is part of the bid to acquire a share of the established global Adaptation Fund and the proposed Green Climate Fund. "The NCCAP will help the Philippines adapt to and prepare for the impact of climate change," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a text message Wednesday. He said the action plan is part of the country’s commitment as party to the UNFCCC in taking action on climate change. Sering said Aquino wants to meet with the commission again to look at the details more closely and see how it can be made operational as soon as possible. Budget sources Sering added they are looking at the budget of concerned agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Health. "We are looking at the budgets of the concerned agencies since we are looking at convergence of initiatives. Kung bubuuin mo, malaki na rin siya," she said. At the moment, she said, one thing they are pushing for is the vulnerability assessment, noting that several programs lack assessment so they cannot determine if the fund used was for the right project that would address climate change. She added that Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson’s designation as a water czar was one of the recommendations included in the NCCAP. "There are 30 agencies handling water. We've seen that they are outdated, including the protocols on releasing water from the dam," Sering said. "Masaya si Presidente. Nakita niya na hindi pala tayo mag-uumpisa sa wala… So President Aquino, sabi nga namin, baka hindi na siya yellow president, he might be one of the greenest presidents of the country," she noted. The Philippines is at extreme risk of climate change, according to British firm Maplecroft. The country was rated 10th out of 193 countries in the study it released last October. Manila, identified as one of the 20 fastest growing cities worldwide, was pointed out as the most exposed in the list to flooding and typhoons. Meanwhile, Aksyon Klima Pilipinas, a consortium of civil society organizations working on climate change- and development-related issues, commended Aquino for signing the NCCAP. “This signals the government’s commitment towards helping our vulnerable communities cope with climate change impacts. We hope the government will also facilitate the passage of the people’s survival fund bill in order to fund the much needed adaptation measures," the group said. - KBK, GMA News 
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