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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider QC Mayor Belmonte warns climate funds bypass cities

QC Mayor Belmonte warns climate funds bypass cities

Published May 21, 2026 12:59 pm  |  Updated May 21, 2026 02:28 pm
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte joins a panel discussion on climate finance during the Philanthropy Asia Summit 2026 in Singapore from May 18 to 20, 2026. (Photo courtesy of QC Mayor Joy Belmonte/Facebook)
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte joins a panel discussion on climate finance during the Philanthropy Asia Summit 2026 in Singapore from May 18 to 20, 2026. (Photo courtesy of QC Mayor Joy Belmonte/Facebook)
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte raised concern over the limited direct access of local governments to climate financing, stressing that cities remain underfunded despite being at the frontline of climate change impacts.
Speaking at the Philanthropy Asia Summit 2026 in Singapore, held from May 18 to 20, Belmonte said cities like Quezon City -- with a population of about 3.3 million --  are not directly reached by existing climate finance mechanisms, even as they carry the immediate burden of climate-related disasters.
At the panel “Turning Pledges into Progress: How Investment-Ready Governments Turn Climate Finance into Results,” Belmonte underscored the widening gap between global climate finance commitments and actual delivery to local governments.
She also pointed out that philanthropic funding for the Philippines remains limited, citing what she described as reputational concerns, including issues linked to the flood control scandal, which have affected investor confidence.
Belmonte highlighted Quezon City’s own climate initiatives, including the deployment of additional electric buses under the QCity Bus free ride program aimed at reducing emissions and improving public transport services.
She emphasized that beyond funding access, strong governance systems are crucial to ensure that climate finance is efficiently managed and translated into measurable and accountable results.
Joining Belmonte in the panel were Woochong Um, CEO of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet; Zoe Whitton of the Investor Group on Climate Change; Arghya Sinha Roy of the Asian Development Bank; and Laurel Blatchford of Delivery Associates, with Kate Epstein serving as moderator.

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METRONEWS Quezon City Joy Belmonte climate finance climate change local governance Philanthropy Asia Summit 2026
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