MANILA – A lawmaker has filed a resolution urging the government to declare a climate and disaster emergency from 2024 to 2030.
In House Resolution 2105, Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda cited recent events, including the devastation caused by tropical cyclones Kristine (Trami) and Leon (Kong-rey), which resulted in 162 deaths, 22 missing persons, and PHP10.56 billion in damage to infrastructure and PHP7.04 billion to agriculture.
Salceda said Typhoon Nika (Toraji), along with Super Typhoons Ofel (Usagi) and Pepito (Man-yi), devastated areas already affected by earlier tropical cyclones, causing PHP469.8 million in infrastructure damage and PHP8.64 million in agricultural losses, which affected 1.8 million people across 34 provinces.
“Given the disproportionate disaster and climate risks the Philippines is facing, there is a great need to push for loss and damage mechanisms, including disaster and climate financing in all international negotiations and platforms,” Salceda said in a news release on Monday.
The resolution urges President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to proclaim 2024 to 2030 as the disaster and climate emergency years.
It also calls for the establishment of a Disaster and Climate Emergency Fund, with an initial allocation of PHP1 billion for 2025, to bolster climate-resilient programs and disaster recovery initiatives.
It further recommends the issuance of a presidential proclamation mandating all government agencies, local government units, and state-owned corporations, government financial and insurance institutions, and state universities and colleges to adopt a “build forward better faster” approach to address the disaster and climate crisis.
The resolution calls on Congress to pass critical legislation, including the Department of Disaster Resilience bill and calls for the inclusion of climate-focused strategies in the Philippine Development Plan. (PNA)