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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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8 SEP -2 jii 1 :3i 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
S. B. No. 
5 
(In substitution of S. 8. No. 1890,2336, and 2388, and taking into consideration 
P. S. R. Nos. 191,201,208 and 289) 
Prepared by the Committees on Environment and Natural Resources; Local 
Government; Ways and Means; and Finance; with Senators Legarda, Defensor 
Santiago, Honasan 11, Cayetano (P.), Aquino 111, Escudero and Enrile as authors 
thereof 
AN ACT 
MAINSTREAMING 
CLIMATE 
CHANGE 
INTO 
GOVERNMENT POLICY 
FORMULATIONS, CREATING FOR THIS PURPOSE THE CLIMATE CHANGE 
COMMISSION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Climate Change Act of 
2008". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to afford full protection 
and the advancement of the right of the people to a healthful ecology in accord with the 
rhythm and harmony of nature. In this light, the State has adopted the Philippine 
Agenda 21 framework which espouses sustainable development, to fulfill human needs 
while maintaining the quality of the natural environment for current and future 
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Towards this end, the State adopts the principle of protecting the climate system 
for the benefit of humankind, on the basis of equity and common but differentiated 
responsibilities and the Precautionary Principle to guide decision making in cIimate risk 
management. As a party to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change 
Convention, the State adopts the ultimate objective of the Convention which is the 
stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would 
prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system which should be 
achieved within a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to 
climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic 
development to proceed in a sustainable manner. 
Recognizing the potential dangerous consequences of climate change affecting 
the biophysical, environmental and socio-economic aspects of our daily lives including 
but not limited to rising seas, changing Landscapes, increasing frequency and/or 
severity of droughts, fires, floods and storms, climate-related illnesses and diseases, 
damage to ecosystems, biodiversity loss; and the vulnerability of the Philippine 
archipelago and its local communities, particularly the poor, to climate risks, the State 
shall cooperate with the global community in the resolution of climate change issues. It 
shall be the policy of the State to enjoin the participation of national and local 
governments, businesses, non-government organizations, local communities and the 
general public in the preparation, formulation and implementation of programs and 
action plans to prevent and reduce the adverse impacts of climate change and, at the 
same time, maximize the benefits of climate change. In view thereof, the State shall 
strengthen, integrate, consolidate and institutionalize government initiatives to achieve 
synergy in the implementation of plans and programs to address climate change in the 
context of sustainable development. 
Cognizant of the need to ensure that national and sub-natiopal government 
policies, plans, programs and projects are founded upon sound environmental 
considerations and the principle of sustainable development, it is hereby declared the 
policy of the State to systematically integrate the concept of climate change in various 
phases of policy formulation, development plans, poverty reduction strategies and 
other development tools and techniques by all agencies and instrumentalities of the 
government. 
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms.- For purposes of this Act, the following shall have 
the corresponding meanings: 
a) “Adaptation” shall refer to the adjustment in natural or human systems in 
response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates 
harm or exploits beneficial opportunities; 
b) ”Adaptive capacity” shall refer to the ability of ecological, social or economic 
systems to adjust to climate change including climate variability and extremes, to 
moderate or offset potential damages and to take advantage of associated 
opportunities with changes in climate or to cope with the consequences thereof; 
c) ”Climate Change“ shall refer to a change in climate that can be identified by 
changes in the mean and/or variability of its properties and that persists for an 
extended period typically decades or longer, whether due to natural variability 
or as a result of human activity; 
”Climate Vauiability” shall refer to the variations in the average state and in other 
statistics of the climate on all temporal and spatial scales beyond that of 
individual weather events; 
e) ”Climate Risk” shall refer to the product of climate and related hazards working 
over the vulnerability of human and natural ecosystems; 
”Global Warming” shall refer to the increase in the average temperature of the 
Earth’s near-surface air and oceans that is associated with the increased 
concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; 
d) 
f, 
g) ”Gueenhouse esect” shall refer to the process by which the absorption of infrared 
radiation by the atmosphere warms the Earth; 
h) “Greenhouse gases or GHG” shall refer to constituents of the atmosphere that 
contribute to the greenhouse effect including, but not limited to, carbon dioxide, 
methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur 
hexafluoride; 
i) ”Mainstueaming” shall refer to the need to bring adjustments to ecological, social 
or economic systems in response to expected climate change impacts to ensure 
that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to 
proceed in a sustainable manner; 
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j) 
”Mitigation” in the context of climate change shall refer to a human intervention 
to address anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of all 
greenhouse gases including ozone-depleting substances and their substitutes; 
k) “Sea level rise” shall refer to an increase in sea level which may be influenced by 
factors like global warming through expansion of sea water as the oceans warm 
and melting of ice over land and local factors such as land subsidence; and 
1) ”Vulneuabilify” shall refer to the degree to which a system is susceptible to, or 
unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate 
variability and extremes. Vulnerability is a function of the character, magnitude, 
and rate of climate change and variation to which a system. is exposed, its 
sensitivity, and its adaptive capacity. 
SEC. 4. 
Climate Change Commission. - To provide the mechanism for the 
above-stated policy, the Climate Change Commission, hereinafter referred to as the 
Commission, is hereby established under the Office of the President. Upon the 
organization of the Commission, the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change and the 
Inter-Agency Committee on Climate Change shall be abolished. 
The Commission shall be the sole policy-making body of the government which 
shall be tasked to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the programs and action plans of 
the government relating to climate change pursuant to the provisions of this Act. 
The Commission shall, within a reasonable time from the effectivity of this Act, 
formulate and subsequently publish guidelines for identifying, appraising and 
addressing potential impacts of policies in order to incorporate environmental 
safeguards to address climate change into the development process. There shall be a 
regular review of such guidelines considering relevant information and‘best practices in 
order to ensure that mainstreaming becomes a policy and planning tool. 
SEC. 5. Composition of the Commission. - The President of the Republic of the 
Philippines shall serve as the Chairperson of the Commission. The President shall 
appoint a Commissioner and two (2) Deputy Commissioners who shall have the rank 
and privileges of a Department Secretary and Undersecretary, respectively. 
The Commission shall be composed of the following members, in their ex oficio 
capacity: the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, 
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Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of the Interior and 
Local Government, Department of Science and Technology, the Director-General of the 
National Economic and Development Authority in his capacity as Chair of the 
Philippine Council for Sustainable Development, Department of National Defense in his 
capacity as Chair of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, the Presidents of the 
League of Provinces, League of Cities, League of Municipalities and the Liga ng mga 
Barangay. There shall be a representative each from the academe, the business sector, 
non-government organizations and civil society. Representatives from the other sectors 
shall be appointed by the President from a list of nominees submitted by their 
respective groups within thirty (30) days from the submission of the list. They shall 
serve for a term of three (3) years without re-appointment. Appointment to any vacancy 
shall be only for the unexpired term of the predecessor. 
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The Commission shall meet once every three (3) months, or as often as may be 
necessary upon the decision of the Chairperson who may likewise call upon other 
government agencies for the proper implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 6. Qualifications, Tenure, Compensation of Commissioners. - The 
Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioners must be Filipino citizens, residents of 
the Philippines, at least thirty-five (35) years of age at the time of appointment, with at 
least (10) years of relevant experience and must be of proven honesty and integrity; 
Provided, That at least one Commissioner shall be female; Provided, further, That in no 
case shall the Commissioners come from the same sector; Provided, finally, That in no 
case shall any and all of the Commissioners appoint representatives to act on their 
behalf. 
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SEC. 7. Powers and Functions of the Commission. - The Commission shall have 
the following powers and functions: 
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development plans and programs; 
a. Ensure the mainstreaming of climate change into the national, sectoral and local 
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b. Formulate a Framework Program on Climate Change to serve as the basis for 
climate change planning, research and development, extension, and monitoring 
of activities on climate change; 
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c. Create an enabling environment for the design of relevant and appropriate risk- 
sharing and risk-transfer instruments; 
Formulate guidelines for determining vulnerability to climate change impacts 
and adaptation assessments and facilitate the provision of technical assistance for 
their implementation and monitoring; 
d. 
e. Coordinate with local government units and private entities to address 
vulnerability to climate change impacts; 
f. Facilitate capacity building of local communities in relation to !oca1 adaptation 
planning, implementation and monitoring of climate initiatives in vulnerable 
communities and areas; 
g. Recommend legislation, policies, programs on and appropriations for climate 
change adaptation, mitigation and other related activities; 
h. Review international agreements related to climate change and make the 
necessary recommendation for ratification and compliance by the government on 
matters pertaining thereto; 
i. Support scientific researches and other 
similar projects relevant to 
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formulation and development of programs geared towards adaptation and risk 
mitigation by local communities; and 
Disseminate information on climate change, local vulnerabilities and risk, 
relevant laws and protocols and adaptation and mitigation measures. 
SEC 8. Offices within the Commission. - To effectively implement the provisions 
j. 
of this Act, the Commission shall have the following offices: 
a,) The Secretariat 
b.) Public Information, Training and Communications Office 
c.) Mainstreaming, Coordinating and Monitoring Office 
d.) Research and Development Office 
e.) Policy, Legal and International Affairs Office 
The Policy, Legal and International Affairs Office shall be headed by the 
Commissioner. The Secretariat, and Public Information, Training and Communications 
Office shall be headed by one Deputy Commissioner. The Offices of Mainstreaming, 
Coordinating and Monitoring, and Research and Development shall be headed by the 
other Deputy Commissioner. 
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availability of funds. 
The Commission shall have the authority to create other offices and sub-offices, 
including regional or local offices, as it may deem necessary to facilitate the proper 
implementation of this Act subject to Civil Service rules and regulations and to 
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SEC. 9. Panel of Technical Advisers. - The Commission shall constitute a national 
panel of technical advisers consisting of practitioners in areas that are related to climate 
change. 
The panel shall act as an advisory body tasked to provide support to the 
Commission in climate science, technologies, and best practices for risk assessment and 
enhancement of adaptive capacity of vulnerable human settlements to dotential impacts 
of sea level rise, drought, floods, coral damage, strong storms and storm damage, heat- 
related illnesses and diseases, biodiversity and economic losses. 
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It shall provide resources for the operations and activities of the national 
advisory panel to facilitate information gathering, sharing, assessment, planning, and 
decision-making to prepare vulnerable communities for the management of risks 
brought about by climate change. 
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SEC 10. Appointment of Staff and Employees of the Commission - The staff, 
officers and employees of the Commission shall be appointed by the Commissioner in 
accordance with Civil Service rules and regulations. 
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SEC. 11. Framework Program on Climate Change. - The Commission shall, 
within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, formulate a Framework Program 
on Climate Change to serve as the basis for climate change planning, research and 
development, extension, and monitoring of activities to protect vulnerable communities 
from damage to lives, property and the environment due to adverse climate change 
impacts and to maximize beneficial effects thereof. 
The Framework Program shall be formulated in accordance with the 
commitments of the State under international agreements to which it is a party as well 
as specific adaptation needs and climate change vulnerabilities of the State; Provided, 
that, the Framework Program shall be reviewed every three (3) years, or as may be 
deemed necessary, in order to ensure relevance to the times. 
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SEC. 12. Components of the Framework Program on Climate Change. - The 
Framework Program on Climate Change shall have the following components: 
a) 
Policy formulation; 
b) 
Compliance with international commitments; 
c) 
Research and development; 
d) 
Database development and management, in the context of geographic 
information system; 
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Capacity buildinglMainstreaming; and 
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Advocacy and Training. 
SEC. 13. National Climate Change Action Plan - The Commission, together with 
concerned agencies and local government units, shall, with public participation, 
formulate and fully implement a National Climate Change Action Plan in accordance 
with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, other 
international agreements, conventions and protocols on climate change and the 
Framework Program formulated pursuant to this Act within one year after the 
formulation of the latter. 
The National Climate Change Action Plan shall fulfill the following objectives, 
among others: 
a) 
ecosystems to the impacts of climate change, variability and extremes; 
b) 
The assessment and management of risk and vulnerability; and 
c) 
The identification of options, prioritization, selection and implementation 
of appropriate responses for adoption as joint undertaking by both the national 
and local governments. 
The following activities shall be undertaken in support of the implementation of 
The identification of the most vulnerable communities/areas, including 
the National Climate Change Action Plan and the local action plans: 
i. 
Education in Climate Change 
The Department of Education shall integrate climate change into the primary and 
secondary education curricula and/or subjects, such as, but not limited to, Science, 
Biology, Sibika, History, including textbooks, primers and other educational materials, 
basic climate change principles and concepts. 
ii. 
Training Program for LGUs in Climate Change 
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The Commission, with the DILG and the Local Government Academy, and 
building upon existing local climate change expertise and experiences, shall facilitate 
the development and provision of a training program for LGUs in climate change. The 
program shall include socio-economic, geophysical, policy, and other content necessary 
to address the prevailing and forecasted conditions and risks of particular LGUs. 
iii. 
The DENR shall oversee the establishment and maintenance of a climate change 
information management system and network, in collaboration with other concerned 
national government agencies, institutions and LGUs. 
Climate Change Information Management System 
SEC. 14. Local Climate Change Action Plan -- Consistent with the pertinent 
provisions of the Local Government Code, the Framework Program on Climate Change, 
and the National Climate Change Action Plan, local government units shall act as the 
frontline agencies in the formulation, planning and implementation of climate change 
action plans in their respective areas. Local government units shall, upon consultation 
with relevant stakeholders, develop and implement local action plans op climate change 
at the provincial, city and municipal levels. 
Barangays shall be directly involved with municipal and city governments in 
prioritizing climate change issues and in identifying and implementing best practices 
and other solutions. Municipal and city governments shall consider climate change 
adaptation as one of their regular functions. Provincial governments shall provide 
technical assistance, enforcement and information management in support of municipal 
and city climate change action plans. Inter-local government unit collaboration shall be 
maximized in the conduct of climate-related activities. 
LGUs shall regularly update their respective action plans to reflect changing 
social, economic, and environmental conditions and emerging issues. LGUs shall 
furnish the Commission within one month from adoption, with copies of their action 
plans and all subsequent amendments, modifications and revisions. LGUs shall 
mobilize and allocate necessary personnel, resources and logistics to effectively 
implement their respective action plans. 
SEC. 15. Roles of the Civil Society and the Coyorate and Private Sectors. - In 
the development and implementation of the National Climate Change Action Plan, and 
the local action plans, the NGOs, civic organizations, academe, people’s organizations, 
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the private and corporate sectors and other concerned stakeholder groups shall be 
engaged in activities such as planning, community organizing, research, technology 
transfer, information sharing, investment and training programs. 
SEC. 16. Authority to Receive Donations and/or Grants. - In accordance with 
relevant laws, the Commission shall be authorized to receive donations from local and 
international sources in support of the development and implementation of climate 
change programs and plans. Proceeds from such donations shall be used to finance: 
a. Research, development, demonstration and promotion of technologies; 
b. Conduct of assessment of vulnerabilities to climate change impacts, resource 
inventory, and adaptation capabilitiy building ; 
c. Advocacy, networking and communication activities in the conduct of 
information campaign; and 
d. Conduct of such other activities reasonably necessary to carry out the 
objectives of this Act, as may be defined by the Commission. 
SEC. 17. Other Funding Options for Local Action Plans of Local Government 
Units and Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations. - Consistent with their 
respective charters, government-owned and controlled corporations, and other relevant 
financial institutions is hereby encouraged to identify loan and financing mechanisms 
that will be made available to support local climate change plans, including, but not 
limited to, alternative livelihood projects for small-scale farmers and fishermen. 
Subject to existing laws, local government units may raise revenues and secure 
funds to implement their Local climate change adaptation plans through! 
1. Enactment of local tax ordinances; 
2. Allocation of funds from the Internal Revenue Allotment, subject to the 
approval of their legislative councils; 
3. Utilization of shares in the development of national wealth; 
4. Loans, grants and donations as may be applicable; 
5. Privatization of local government-owned enterprises and/or properties; 
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6. Adoption, where appropriate, of user fee schemes for environmental and other 
services related to their climate change action plan; and 
7. Other means as may be allowed under relevant laws. 
SEC. 18. Funding Allocation for Climate Change.- All relevant government 
agencies and local government units shall allocate from their annual appropriations 
adequate funds for the formulation, development and implementation, including 
training, capacity building and direct intervention, of their respective climate change 
programs and plans. In subsequent budget proposals, the concerned offices and units 
shall appropriate funds for program/project development and implementation 
including continuing training and education in climate change. 
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SEC 19. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - There is hereby created a 
Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor the implementation of this Act. 
The Oversight Committee shall be composed of five (5) Senators and five (5) 
Representatives to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House 
of Representatives, respectively. The Oversight Committee shall be co-chaired by a 
Senator and a Representative to be designated by the Senate President and the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives, respectively. Its funding requirement 
shall be 
charged against the appropriations of Congress. 
SEC. 20. Annual Report. - The Commission shall submit to the *resident and to 
both Houses of Congress, not later than March 30 of every year following the effectivity 
of this Act, or upon the request of the Congressional Oversight Committee, a report 
giving a detailed account of the status of the implementation of this Act, a progress 
report on the implementation of the National Climate Change Action Plan and 
recommend legislation, where applicable and necessary. Local government units shall 
submit annual progress reports on the implementation of their respective local action 
plan to the Commission within the first quarter.of the following year. 
< 
SEC. 21. Membership in the National Security Council.- The Commissioner 
shall automatically be a member of the National Security Council and shall report 
directly to the President of the Philippines regarding sensitive information on climate 
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SEC. 22. Appropriations.- There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the 
amount of Fifty Million Pesos (50,000,000.00) for the Commission for the initial 
implementation of this Act. Thereafter, such sums as shaI1 be necessary for the 
operation and maintenance of the Commission shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 23. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days after the 
approval of this Act, the Commission shall, upon consultation with government 
agencies, local government units, private sector, NGOs and civil society: promulgate the 
implementing rules and regulations which shall be submitted to the Joint Congressional 
Oversight Committee which shall review, revise and approve the same; Provided, That 
failure to issue rules and regulations shall not in any manner affect the executory nature 
of the provisions of this Act; Provided, further, That the Commission may continue to 
issue separate regulations consistent with the IRR as approved by the Joint 
Congressional Oversight Committee. 
SEC. 24. Sepavability Clause.- If for any reason any section or provision of this 
Act is declared as unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions thereof 
shall not be affected thereby. 
SEC. 25. Repealing Clause.- All laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, and 
other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 26. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect upon its complete publication in 
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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