Loren Legarda works to Improve Access of LGUs to People’s Survival Fund

Loren Legarda has urged government agencies to improve the capacity of LGUs and other organizations to access climate finance from the People’s Survival Fund (PSF). The PSF is the Philippines’ local adaptation fund that provides grants to LGUs and organizations for the projects that aid communities to cope with the impacts of climate change. Legarda authored and sponsored its creation in 2012 through Republic Act 10174, also known as the People’s Survival Act.

The fund is annually allocated with P1 billion although it may be augmented by other sources. It is managed by the PSF Board, headed by the Department of Finance. The PSF Board also includes representatives from various government agencies such as the National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of Budget and Management, and the Climate Change Commission (CCC). In their discussions, the PSF Board considers climate hazards, poverty incidence, and key biodiversity areas in the approval of proposals from LGUs.

“Alam naman natin kung gaano ka-vulnerable ang ating bansa sa mga bagyo, tagtuyot, pagbaha, pagtaas ng karagatan, at iba pang epekto ng climate change that’s why it frustrates me that we are not utilizing the one-billion annual allocation for the PSF. That fund is really meant to provide long-term financing for local climate projects and programs in order to prevent further destruction and losses within our vulnerable communities,” Legarda expressed

“Only six LGUs have secured PSF grants so far. I know that project development takes time, especially since our LGUs and organizations need also to appreciate the process behind it, including assessing their own locality’s climate risks and vulnerabilities before identifying the needed interventions. That’s why I’m also urging government agencies, most especially the CCC and the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Local Government Academy, to bolster your program in partnership with local academic institutions and civil society organizations, to help our LGUs access the climate finance that they urgently need,” Legarda added.

The six municipalities that will receive the grant amount to P342.5 million are:

Siargao Climate Field School for Farmers and Fisherfolk by Municipality of Del Carmen (P80.7M), Surigao Del Norte in partnership with the Surigao State College of Technology, Ridge-to-Reef Disaster Risk Reduction and Management as an Adaptation Mechanism to Resiliency (P39M) by Municipality of Lanuza, Surigao Del Sur, Building Resilience through Ecological-based Farming (P38.2M) by Municipality of San Francisco, Camotes Island in Cebu, Promoting Climate-Resilient Agriculture (P38.1M) by Municipality of Gerona, Tarlac, Establishment and Sustainable Management of River Ecosystem (P28.7M) by Municipality of Kitcharao, Agusan Del Norte, and Saub Watershed Ecosystem Rehabilitation and Flood Risk Reduction for Increased Resilience (P102.9M) by the Province of Sarangani.

Currently, the PSF has a total of 29 project proposals, where 18 are undergoing enhancement. The CCC’s capacity and technical assistance program have integrated orientation and learning sessions on PSF to 167 LGUs, and 124 Higher Education Institutions.

“Tinatayang mas lalala at mas dadalas ang epekto ng climate change sa patuloy na pag-init ng mundo. Mas kakailangan ng ating mga LGUs ang sapat na pondo upang maagapan at maibsan ang magiging epekto nito sa kanilang komunidad. We need to learn and share the experiences of the six LGUs that were successful in securing grants. Our government agencies must also assess other gaps and challenges that our LGUs experience and to address them through our continuing support programs. Let’s make this stringent process easier for them,” Legarda concluded.