"The Philippines is a living testament to the harsh realities of climate change."

Philippine Ambassador to the UN Antonio Lagdameo told his fellow diplomats at the open debate of the UN Security Council on Climate Change and Food Insecurity.

In his remark at the international body, Lagdameo said that's the reason whu climate resilience and food security remain as key development priorities of the Philippines.

"We have faced and continue to face the wrath of devastating typhoons, rising sea levels, and the perilous threats posed to our biodiversity and ecosystems, agriculture, food security and livelihoods," he said on Feb. 13.

"These realities compel us to take bold and decisive actions, rooted in equity and our firm commitment to global rules-based order and multilateralism," he added.

Among initiatives taken by the Philippines was also adopting the National Climate Change Action Plan, which prioritizes food security, water sufficiency, ecological and environmental stability, among others, as the country’s strategic direction to 2028.

Lagdameo also called on his fellow diplomats to comply with agreements and commitments made within the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement as he said doing so is critically important.

"The principle of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities needs to be upheld; while ensuring urgent and responsive means of implementation to developing countries, in terms of capacity building, tech transfer and financing," he said.

The open debate, chaired by Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, was held to promote enhanced understanding, more coordinated responses, and proactive approaches to addressing the linkages between food insecurity and climate change in a peace and security context.