85.95% of LGUs complete climate change plans

MANILA, Philippines — Almost 90 percent of local government units (LGUs) have completed their Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP), which aims to increase climate and disaster risk resilience of communities, according to the Climate Change Commission.

CCC vice chair and executive director Robert Borje said 85.95 percent or 1,474 of the 1,715 LGUs have submitted their LCCAPs to the CCC as of August.

Palawan achieved a 100 percent compliance rate, with all its 25 LGUs having submitted their LCCAPs, Borje said in a statement released on Tuesday.

“We recognize the vital role of LGUs in adaptation and climate resilience,” he said.

The CCC has been conducting capacity-building activities and assisting LGUs in different parts of the country access and utilize the People’s Survival Fund (PSF).

The PSF is an annual fund intended for LGUs and accredited local or community organizations’ implementation of climate change adaptation projects that would better equip vulnerable communities against climate change.

The CCC, Borje said, conducts training workshops on enhanced local climate change action plan or eLCCAP, which provides a comprehensive understanding of the key components of the LCCAP and knowledge about developing science-based and risk-informed plans.

He said the CCC would continue working closely with LGUs to ensure the successful implementation of the eLCCAP and further enhance resilience against climate change impact.

The LCCAP serves as a roadmap for local-level climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, outlining specific actions and measures tailored to the unique needs and vulnerabilities of each locality.

The submission of the LCCAP is mandated under Republic Act 9729 or the Climate Change Act and Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular No. 2021-068.

In an interview in Zamboanga City on Tuesday, President Marcos, who chairs the CCC, said climate change is already taking its toll on communities as those who do not usually experience flooding in the past could now be easily inundated as a result of the changing weather patterns.