BANTAYAN ISLAND, CEBU – Underscoring the importance of proactive and science-based local climate planning, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) met with the local government units of Santa Fe and Bantayan in Cebu to discuss climate priorities and explore areas for enhanced technical collaboration.
The engagement, held in Santa Fe Municipal Hall, aimed to capacitate LGUs in strengthening the integration of climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) into development planning processes, including the formulation and enhancement of Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs).
Discussions focused on improving Climate and Disaster Risk Assessments (CDRA), aligning local development strategies with national frameworks such as the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), and expanding access to climate finance mechanisms, including the People's Survival Fund (PSF).
Technical inputs were provided by Dr. Rex Victor Cruz, Professor Emeritus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and Dr. Mercedita A. Sombilla, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), reinforcing the importance of evidence-based decision-making and climate-informed governance.
CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje emphasized that strengthening local technical capacity and intergovernmental coordination is essential to safeguarding coastal and island communities from intensifying climate hazards, including sea-level rise, storm surges, and extreme weather events.
"Over the last three years, the CCC has been introducing structural, procedural, and substantive reforms to strengthen a proactive approach to climate action," Borje said. "We recognize the express need of our LGUs for technical assistance, particularly in undertaking their CDRA and enhancing their LCCAPs, and we remain committed to supporting them in building stronger, science-informed planning systems."
Representing Santa Fe Mayor Ithimar Espinosa, Municipal Administrator Atty. Jessie Ladeth Contento underscored the importance of sustained technical support and capacity-building initiatives in enabling municipalities to effectively address climate risks and protect local livelihoods.
During the activity, the CCC handed over copies of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2023–2050 to the participating LGUs of Santa Fe and Bantayan Islands to reinforce the alignment of local development plans with national climate priorities.
The CCC emphasized that the NAP, developed under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., provides the strategic direction for building climate-resilient communities and mainstreaming adaptation across key sectors. Anchoring LCCAPs and CDRA processes on the NAP ensures coherence, consistency, and sustained climate action from the national to the local level.
Following the meeting, community stakeholders—youth leaders, students, farmers, and fisherfolk in Santa Fe joined the CCC in planting tree saplings to advance ecosystem-based adaptation as a practical and community-driven response to climate risks.
This activity also emphasizes the education and values formation aspect by building a generation of Filipinos with a keen sense of respect for nature and ecology, as well as a strong sense of responsibility and stewardship over the country's natural resources.
The CCC reiterated that empowered, technically equipped, and well-coordinated LGUs remain at the forefront of advancing climate resilience and safeguarding development gains across coastal communities.
For more information on the CCC's climate mainstreaming activities, visit www.climate.gov.ph and www.facebook.com/CCCPhl.