The Philippines is allocating P13 billion ($316 million) to improve the country’s climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in 2014, according to Mary Ann Lucille Sering, vice chair of the Climate Change Commission and the executive director of the Climate Change Commisssion.
For the first time, the government is dealing out a bigger slice of budget for the climate change program, up from 1 billion in 2011.
“We know the urgency of doing this because Philippines is the third most vulnerable country in the world,” Ms. Sering told reporters during an environmental fellowship for Filipino journalists.
According to The Manila Times report, the increased budget will be used for the procurement of early warning equipment and improving map and land use plans. It will be distributed to seven different government agencies, including the departments of science and technology, environment and natural resources, agriculture, agrarian reform, public works and highways, health and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
The Philippines is considered as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts such as extreme weather conditions, periodic floods, droughts and food scarcity.
In his budget message, President Benigno Aquino III said the country’s geographic location and nature as an archipelago make it especially prone to natural disasters.
“These natural disasters have taken a toll on almost 12 million lives and destroyed more than P31 billion in property and economic productivity,” said Mr. Aquino “At even greater risk are the poor, who are most vulnerable to increasingly destructive natural phenomena caused by climate change. We can never be too prepared.” – EcoSeed Staff
