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Republic of the Philippines [3 RECEIVED 2
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TE pate 4 SEP 25 FA
Quezon City, Metro Manila * TIME_2-240m_ +
e By Y
‘Twentieth Congress Z
Y

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO._4362

Introduced by Representative RAYMOND ADRIAN SALCEDA

AN ACT
DECLARING A CLIMATE EMERGENCY, INSTITUTING A CLIMATE CHANGE
RESILIENCY AND ADAPTABILITY PROGRAM, DEFINING THE ROLES OF
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Atticle II, Section 16 of the 1987 Constitution declares that “the State shall protect and
advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm
and harmony of nature.” Climate change is the most pressing threat to that constitutional
mandate. In recent decades, the Philippines has experienced increasingly frequent and severe
weather events, resulting in loss of lives, damage to infrastructure, disruption of livelihoods,
food insecurity, and setbacks to national development.

‘The Philippines is consistently ranked among the most vulnerable countries to climate
change. Extreme weather pattems, rising sea levels, droughts, flooding, and shifts in
agricultural productivity are no longer distant risks but daily realities that undermine both local
communities and national progress. Addressing these requires not only mitigation of emissions
but also systemic adaptation and resilience measures.

This bill declares a state of climate emergency and establishes a comprehensive Climate
Change Resiliency and Adaptability Program. The Program institutionalizes critical measures,
including open sharing of climate-related data, probabilistic climate risk assessments, a multi-
level educational plan for climate literacy and green skills, investments in resilient
infrastructure and critical services, ecosystem protection strategies, innovations in information
and communication technology, and nature-based solutions. It emphasizes the linkage between
health and climate, and ensures that vulnerable sectors, especially children and marginalized
communities, are included in planning and decision-making.

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The measure clearly defines the roles of national govemment agencies, local
government units, and other stakeholders, including the private sector. It mandates multi-
sectoral coordination, integrates climate resilience into development planning, and recognizes
private sector projects under the Act as part of their corporate social responsibility. It also
establishes an annual Climate Change Resiliency and Adaptability Summit to ensure
collaboration, monitoring, and accountability.

Importantly, the bill empowers the newly organized Department of Development
(DepDEV) to provide feasibility studies and assess the economic implications of climate
change policies, thereby ensuring that climate resilience is directly linked to the country’s
economic development strategy.

By institutionalizing this framework, the Philippines will be better prepared to adapt to
the adverse impacts of climate change, protect its most vulnerable communities, and build an
economy that is both sustainable and resilient.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Twentieth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No.4362

Introduced by Representative RAYMOND ADRIAN SALCEDA

AN ACT
DECLARING A CLIMATE EMERGENCY, INSTITUTING A CLIMATE CHANGE
RESILIENCY AND ADAPTABILITY PROGRAM, DEFINING THE ROLES OF
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Climate Change Resilience
Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect
the people’s right to a balanced and healthful ecology. The State recognizes that extreme
weather conditions have devastated and may continue to devastate parts of the country,
affecting food production, water availability, public health, infrastructure, and the economy.
Demographics, settlements, communities, energy, industry, environment, waste, and
transportation can all be influenced by or influence climate change policies. Enhancing
resilience and adaptation to the effects of climate change is imperative, and declaring a climate
emergency is necessary to protect lives, livelihoods, and the environment.

SEC. 3. Declaration of a Climate Change Emergency. The Philippines is hereby
declared to be in a state of climate emergency. The government acknowledges that global
warming exists and emphasizes the need to create measures to stop human-caused global
warming, limit its effects, and mobilize funds for climate mitigation efforts.

SEC. 4. Climate Change Resiliency and Adaptability Program. There is hereby created
a Climate Change Resiliency and Adaptability Program (the “Program”) to develop and
implement solutions to adapt to and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change. The
Program shall have the following components:

(a) Open sharing of data — Datasets related to climate change and disaster efforts from
various sources such as national government agencies, local government units (LGUs),


civil society organizations, academe, and the private sector shall be shared through an
accessible digital platform;

(b) Probabilistic Climate Risk Assessments (PCRA) ~ PCRA shall consider all possible
scenarios, uncertainties, and associated impacts of climate change to generate localized
baseline information on climate risk for vulnerable communities;

(©) Multi-level national educational plan — A knowledge and competency-building
agenda on climate change shall be implemented from primary to tertiary levels.
Children and youth shall receive climate education and green skills and shall be
included in all climate-related decision-making, including national and international
negotiations;

(d) Link between health and climate change - The link between health and climate
change shall be promoted, monitored, and reflected in decision-making at all levels of
governance, with policies and processes adopted to safeguard the right to a safe, clean,
healthy, and sustainable environment;

(©) Critical services ~ Investment in climate change adaptation and resilience for critical
services such as water, sanitation, health, and education shall be supported to protect
vulnerable communities and children;

(f) Ecosystem protection strategies - Strategies for ecosystem preservation and
restoration shall be pursued;

(g) Insurance and financing ~ The insurance and financing industries shall assist in
mitigating climate change impacts, ensuring food security, and helping people rebuild
after a catastrophe;

(h) Innovations and information technology — Innovations in information and
communications technology and digital transformation shall be promoted for data
sharing and the conduct of PCRAs;

(i) Green-grey solutions or infrastructures — Solutions combining natural systems with
conventional approaches shall be pursued to help mitigate the effects of climate change;

(j) Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) - Actions using natural processes shall be
implemented to enhance economic resilience, reduce physical risks such as flooding,
and decrease carbon emissions;

(k) Urban green spaces — The use and expansion of urban green spaces shall be
encouraged to address the urban heat island effect, promote sustainable cities, and
improve resilience; and

(1) Vulnerability assessments ~ LGUs shall be assisted by relevant national government
agencies in conducting vulnerability assessments and developing their Local Climate
Change Action Plans.

SEC. 5. Roles of Departments and Agencies. Government agencies shall coordinate to
preserve and protect the environment, with the following specific mandates:


(a) Climate Change Commission (CCC) — Coordinate, monitor, and evaluate climate
change programs and action plans based on the National Climate Change Action Plan;

(b) National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) - Monitor
the integration of climate change resilience into national development plans and
promote multi-stakeholder participation;

(©) Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration
(PAGASA) — Conduct research and development on climate science and weather
patterns, and provide climate projections and forecasts;

(d) Department of Education (DepEd) ~ Integrate climate change education into the
science curriculum from Grade 2 to Senior High School;

(e) Commission on Higher Education (CHED) ~ Integrate climate change education
into General Science subjects at the secondary and tertiary levels;

(8) Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) — Develop and
recommend climate change strategies, programs, and policies, especially on physical
vulnerability;

(g) Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ~ Coordinate with LGUs
to address climate change vulnerability and impacts;

(h) Department of Science and Technology (DOST) —- Conduct research and
development on climate change effects, develop technologies for adaptation, and
facilitate the formulation of climate change policies on science, technology, and
innovation;

(i) Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) - Ensure employers promote
sustainable and environment-friendly work environments;

(i) Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) — Provide
cost-free public information dissemination on climate change, vulnerabilities, and risks;

(k) Department of Development (DepDEV) ~ Prepare feasibility studies and determine
how climate change policies will support economic development;

() Department of Agriculture (DA) — Institutionalize a comprehensive program to
strengthen the resilience of the country’s food system;

(m) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) - Represent stakeholders
affected by climate change and ensure their adaptive social protection;

(n) Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) ~ Design, plan, implement,
and inspect public works and infrastructures that are resilient and adaptive to climate
change; and


(0) Other departments and agencies ~ The Office of the President may call upon other
agencies such as the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), National Youth Commission
(NYC), Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), Philippine Commission on Urban
Poor (PCUP), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), and National Commission
on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to participate in climate resilience efforts.

SEC. 6. Multi-Sectoral Approach. Concemed government agencies and LGUs shall
allocate adequate funds for their climate change programs and plans. Private entities, in
coordination with government and non-governmental organizations, shall participate in
environmental protection by ensuring their practices are not detrimental to the environment.

SEC. 7. Corporate Social Responsibility of Private Entities. Projects undertaken by
private entities under this Act shall be considered part of their Corporate Social Responsibility
Program.

SEC. 8. Climate Change Resiliency and Adaptability Summit. A Climate Change
Resiliency and Adaptability Summit shall be held annually during the second week of
September, spearheaded by the CCC and participated in by all stakeholders. The summit shall
foster collaboration among agencies for environmental preservation and protection.

SEC. 9. Reportorial Requirement. All agencies identified in Section 5 shall submit an
annual report to the Congress of the Philippines prior to the annual summit, covering the
country’s climate change resiliency and adaptability status, the implementation of this Act, and
their recommendations.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional,
the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 12. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,