(Noel Pabalate/MANILA BULLETIN)

Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte cited the consecutive tropical cyclones that have hit the Philippines in the past four weeks as a probable “test case” to secure financing from the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD).

In a statement on Sunday, Nov. 17, Villafuerte said the country has the “moral high ground” to lobby for higher financial reparation due to the continued onslaught of storms.

This is in agreement with the view of President Marcos to utilize the fund as a response to the cumulative loss of lives and damage to critical infrastructure brought on by six successive storms.

The string of storms started with typhoon “Kristine”, which was followed closely by “Leon”, “Marce”, “Nikka”, “Ofel” and the ongoing super typhoon “Pepito”.

“President Marcos is spot on in wanting to use the unprecedented devastation wrought by six cyclones this October-November period alone as ‘baseline’ for what climate-vulnerable nations have been enduring—and will be enduring in the future,” said Villafuerte.

He said the resources from FRLD were necessary for high-risk nations to recover from disasters, as well as to prepare for future calamities.

The lawmaker pointed out that developing countries have suffered the most from climate change even if they have contributed very little to greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution.

The effects of global warming, he said, are becoming “nastier by the day”. 

With this, Villafuerte stressed that heavy polluters should be required to put up more money for climate finance, particularly in the FRLD.

Established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the FRLD is a funding mechanism that aims to promote climate mitigation and adaptation measures among high-risk countries in the face of a worsening global climate.

It is funded primarily by developed countries—usually the largest emitters of GHGs.

Villafuerte noted that countries in the Group of 20 (G20) account for about 80 percent of all GHG emissions. In contrast, the Philippines only accounts for just 0.3 percent. 

The congressman said there is pressure from certain sectors to expand the FRLD to hundreds of billions of dollars annually.

He said a far higher amount is what high-risk countries need to make them more climate-resilient, which can help them avoid the worst effects of global warming.

Based on the 2024 World Risk Index report, the Philippines is the most at-risk country for extreme weather events and climate change. It has ranked the list for the third consecutive year.