President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Noel Pabalate/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte commended President Marcos for his commitment to advance the Philippines’ dedication to climate justice on the international stage. 

“The Marcos administration deserves credit for consistently championing the cause of climate justice in Dubai and other forums on the global stage like COP27 (United Nations Climate Change Conference), on behalf of developing economies such as the Philippines,” said Villafuerte in a statement on Sunday, Dec. 3. 

The National Unity Party (NUP) president stressed that while developing countries contribute little to global warming, they often take the brunt of the catastrophic weather changes resulting from the large-scale GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions of the world’s most affluent countries that are said to be its biggest carbon polluters. 

Villafuerte likewise backed Marcos’ proposal on the immediate implementation of the “loss and damage” (L&D) fund for developing economies and island nations reeling from the devastating impacts of global warming. 

“With the Philippines being one of the countries worst hit by climate impacts plus our heightened national efforts on mitigation, adaptation and disaster risk reduction despite our limited resources, President Marcos and his government certainly have the moral ascendancy to seek the prompt operationalization of this L&D fund and propose that the Philippines host this financial reparation on behalf of the world’s developing and island-nation states most vulnerable to the unbridled heating of our planet,” he said. 

With the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, Villafuerte pushes for the swift approval of this proposed financial reparation. 

He is hoping that this two-week climate change summit would end with a concrete plan on how to phase down the world’s use of carbon dioxide-emitting coal, oil, and gas whose burning is largely responsible for climate change. 

The Camarines Sur congressman, who has pushed for green initiatives in the House of Representatives, noted that Marcos is an exemplary figure on the global stage for his sustained efforts in championing the benefits of the world’s most vulnerable countries. 

“President Marcos and his government’s sustained advocacy of urgent climate action on the international stage has cast our Chief Executive and our country as the champions of high-risk developing economies long seeking financial and technical aid from wealthy nations responsible for heavy carbon pollution responsible for climate change,” he stressed.

According to Villafuerte, the Marcos administration has allotted P453.11 billion for climate change adaptation and mitigation for 2023, while P889.65 million in PSF (People's Survival Fund) had been granted to local government units for climate change adaptation programs and projects. --Dexter Barro II