The national government reiterated on Saturday, Dec. 7, its commitment to work with other countries in addressing the impact of climate change around the world.
This, as the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) hosted Mr. Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, the executive director of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Operations Center in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Saturday, Dec. 7.
"The visit reinforced the Philippines' commitment to international cooperation in addressing the impacts of climate change and enhancing support for vulnerable nations," OCD spokesperson Director Edgar Posadas said.
Diong had a meeting with OCD Administrator, Usec. Ariel Nepomuceno where they discussed future collaborations aimed at building resilience and mitigating risks associated with climate-related disasters.
The meeting underscored the importance of the FRLD, a global financing mechanism established to support climate-vulnerable countries including the least developed and small island developing states to respond to the adverse effects of climate change including extreme weather events and slow onset events.
The FRLD was operationalized at the Conference of the Parties (COP) 28 United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in December 2023.
The Philippines secured a seat on the Board of FRLD as permanent representative of the Asia-Pacific Group for 2024 and 2026 and as alternate representative of the Asia-Pacific Group for 2025. The Board will serve as the principal decision-making body that governs and supervises the Fund.
During his visit, the OCD briefed Diong on the Philippines' humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts.
The OCD also presented him with key insights and lessons learned from recent tropical cyclones, highlighting the country's proactive strategies for addressing climate-related challenges.
The visit marked Diong's first official engagement since he began his term as FRLD executive director last Nov. 1.
Diong, a seasoned leader with over three decades of international experience, emphasized the significance of collaboration in enhancing resilience against climate impacts.
A Senegalese and American national, Diong's past roles include serving as the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Director General of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group, where he defined and executed strategic initiatives related to climate resilience.
The meeting was also attended by Ms. Margaret Matusi, advisor to the FRLD executive director; Evelyn Quirante, staff of the FRLD executive director; OCD Asec. Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV; OCD Director Cesar Idio; Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Asec. Noralene Uy; DENR Director Joe-Mar Perez; DENR Liaison Officer lawyer Shanelle Napoles; and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Asec. Irene Dumlao.