Philippines

Emmanuel de Guzman, Philippine Climate Change Secretary

The development of the Philippines’ National Plan on SLCPs is nearing completion. Throughout the planning process, active communication with the Technical Working Group (TWG) responsible for updating the Philippines’ Nationally Determined Contributions was maintained. This ensures better integration of the plan’s SLCP discussions, results, and recommendations. Ultimately, this effort advances the goal of incorporating SLCPs into the Philippines’ mainstream climate action plan. This project complements many existing national priorities, including the country’s development ambition “to become a prosperous middle-class society free of poverty” by 2040.   

Institutional Arrangements and Relevant Policies 

The Philippines has long been at the forefront in terms of policy and action for better air quality. The Inter-Agency Steering Committee on Climate Change (IASCCC) was created in 1991 and remains functional at the present, involving several national agencies and working groups. Today, it is chaired by the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and co-chaired by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The enactment of the Clean Air Act of 1999 (RA 8749) came after the establishment of the IASCCC, promoting the creation of a national air pollution management program. This initiative emphasizes pollution prevention, emission regulation, and the protection of air quality to foster a healthier environment. 

To further accelerate the ongoing efforts, the Climate Change Act (RA 9729) took effect in 1999 and established the CCC, an independent body tasked to coordinate, monitor and evaluate programs and action plans of the government related to climate change. The committee was responsible and brought together relevant stakeholders to elaborate the Philippine’s updated NDC published in April 2021. With support from the NDC Partnership, the Philippines closely aligned their mitigation and adaptation actions with the national development agenda. 

This document is complemented by the National Climate Change Action Plan 2011, which sets the adaptation and mitigation agenda for the period from 2011 to 2028. The plan seeks to weave climate risk reduction into national, sectoral, and local development strategies, highlighting the crucial role of collaboration and capacity building to effectively combat climate change impacts. 

Commitments 

The Philippines signed the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016, and ratified it on March 23, 2017. With this ratification, the Philippines became the 135th country to commit to the agreement, which seeks to limit global warming. Under the requirements of the agreement, the Philippines has submitted its first NDC in 2017 and was updated in 2021. It commits to a projected emission reduction and avoidance of 75%. Of this commitment, 2.71% is unconditional and 72.29% is conditional. In alignment with this commitment, the Philippines is currently developing the SLCP National Action Plan to support and enhance its efforts. 

Energy Sector 

The Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050 published by the Department of Energy (DOE) has a Reference Scenario of achieving a 35% renewable energy share in the power generation mix by 2040, and the importation of Liquefied Natural Gas starting in 2022. It also supports energy consumption levels that align with accelerated economic expansion, post-pandemic. The current blending schedule for biofuels (2% biodiesel and 10% bioethanol) is maintained until 2040, with a target of a 5% penetration rate of electric vehicles for road transport, including motorcycles, cars, and public utility jeepneys, by the same year. Additionally, ongoing efforts to promote energy efficiency and conservation as a way of life, will continue until 2040. 

On the other hand, the Clean Energy Scenario outlines several ambitious targets for the Philippines. By 2030 and 2040, the country aims to achieve a 35% and 50% share of renewable energy in its power generation mix, respectively. Starting in 2022, a 5% blending for biodiesel is also targeted. Additionally, between the years 2020 and 20240, there is an expected 1.5% increase in aggregated natural gas consumption from the transport and industry sectors. The scenario envisions a 10.0 percent penetration rate of electric vehicles for road transport, including motorcycles, cars, and jeepneys, by 2040. Energy savings on oil products and electricity are projected to reach 5 percent by 2040.

Apart from this, central to the Philippines’ sustainable energy agenda is the optimal use of renewable energy resources. The National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) provides the policy framework to achieve the goals set forth in the Renewable Energy Act of 2008. It aims to stimulate investments, develop technologies, and facilitate national and local planning for renewable energy.  

In 2010, renewable energy contributed the highest share to the indigenous energy supply mix, with geothermal, biomass, and hydro being the major contributors. The NREP targets to nearly triple the renewable energy capacity to 15,304 MW by 2030. 

It institutionalises a comprehensive approach to address challenges and facilitate private sector investments in renewable energy. The NREP's goals include increasing geothermal, hydropower, biomass, wind, solar, and ocean energy capacities, promoting the use of these resources, and providing frameworks for future renewable energy developments. This focus on renewable energy reduces reliance on fossil fuels, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing energy security. 

Agriculture Sector 

The agriculture sector is a vital pillar of the Philippine economy, contributing about 12% to the country’s GDP. However, it also stands as the largest contributor to methane emissions in the nation. Despite this, the sector is considered underdeveloped, and it is due to various limitations that have hindered its capacity to meet the food demands of the growing population. Consequently, the Philippines relies heavily on food imports, particularly for staple crops such as wheat and rice. 

In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, the Philippines generates a total of 101 megatons of CO2 equivalent. The agriculture sector alone accounts for 25% of these emissions, with rice cultivation making up 63% of the agricultural emissions. 

In 2011, the country managed to reduce its CO2 footprint by 5% and improve its economic CO2 intensity by 14%. The Philippines' NDC aims for a conditional 75% reduction in emissions by 2030. This target, however, excludes the agriculture sector to avoid negatively impacting livelihoods. The success of this goal then depends on financial resources, access to technology, and capacity-building support. 

The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Systems-wide Climate Change Office (SWCCO) leads efforts in agricultural climate risk management, supporting local initiatives like the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) program. This program is implemented regionally by Regional Field Offices (RFOs) in collaboration with Local Government Units (LGUs). Despite these efforts, the adoption of climate-resilient agriculture (CRA) faces challenges such as overlapping training programs, poor coordination, and insufficient financial support. Improved collaboration and resource allocation are crucial, especially since the decentralization to LGUs lacks financial provisions, hindering effective CRA adoption.  

Republic Act (RA) 8435, known as the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997, mandates agencies to consider climate factors in agriculture and fisheries. It also requires the Department of Agriculture (DA) to develop a modernization plan for food security and sustainability.  

While these policies demonstrate a commitment to climate resilience, there is a need for improved coordination, full implementation of policies, and revisions to existing laws. For example, enforcing agriculture loan allocations is essential to sustain and scale climate-resilient agriculture efforts. 

Recently, the CCAC has closed a call for proposals to deliver a national rice sub-sector strategy for SLCP mitigation. Aside from supporting the implementation of the SLCP National Action Plan in the country, the project should also contribute to the Philippines’ commitments to the Global Methane Pledge. The project will start soon.  

Waste Sector 

The Philippines, through the DENR, the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC), and the support of CCAC with the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), has developed the National Strategy to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants from the Municipal Solid Waste Sector in the Philippines. Key strategies include:

• Biodegradable Waste Diversion: Raise the proportion of biowaste that is composted or digested to 17.9% by 2025, 24.3% by 2030, and 37.1% by 2040, compared to the base year 2010's 5%. 

• Methane Capture: Raise methane capture from solid waste disposal sites (SWDS) to 54% by 2040, with 50% of small SWDS using eco-efficient soil covers to capture methane. 

• Recycling and Waste-to-Energy: Aim for 60% recycling of recyclables and 56% utilization of captured biogas for energy by 2040, reducing reliance on traditional disposal. 

• Burning Reduction: Reduce backyard waste burning by 70% and open burning at unmanaged disposal sites by closing or rehabilitating 70% of these sites by 2040. 

In addition to the action being done to achieve its waste management priorities, the Philippines has participated in the CCAC’s Waste technical assistance and finance programme to develop financially sustainable waste infrastructure that reflect local ambitions. Cebu City for example is engaged in the CCAC’s municipal solid waste work. The city aims to implement waste separation at source and collection, to promote a material recovery facility and composting facility for organic waste, and to improve the final disposal site. These activities build on the Ecological Solid Waste Management (Act No. 9003) of 2000, which set up institutional mechanisms and incentives for ecological solid waste management. The associated Implementing Rules and Regulations specify the design of composting facilities and landfill sites in order to prevent the creation of methane or recover and convert it into energy.   

Transport Sector 

The 2010 Philippine GHG Inventory recorded the transport sector as the third-largest emitter of GHG in the country. Its main sources are from land transportation (87.88%), water-borne navigation (9.18%), and domestic aviation (2.95%). Given this information, the transport sector is with the whole country in trying to achieve our NDC commitments. There are numerous mass transport infrastructures and systems being built and enhanced to respond the growing need for the ease of transport of goods, services, and people. Existing transport systems are being managed or revamped to respond to climate change impacts. 

Launched in 2017, the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) the program aims to replace old jeepneys (a common form of Philippine public transportation, usually running on diesel engines which emit high levels of pollutants), and other public utility vehicles (PUVs) with new ones that meet higher safety and environmental standards. A key feature of the PUVMP is the use of vehicles with Euro 4-compliant engines, which produce fewer pollutants than older models. This shift is expected to significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions, helping to mitigate climate change. By encouraging the use of eco-friendly vehicles, the PUVMP supports the country's goals of improving air quality and reducing its carbon footprint, particularly, reducing CO2 and PM2.5 emissions. The end-user’s readiness, however, is an ongoing issue in the country due to the financial challenges faced by jeepney drivers and operators.  

Cooling Sector 

The Philippines is a signatory of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal protocol and aims to reduce, and in time, phase down the production and consumption of HFCs as a country. The Philippines has the Philippine Ozone Desk (POD), the national coordinator of programs for the implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

As a developing nation (classified as an Article 5 country under the Protocol), the Philippines follows an extended timeline with a 10-year grace period to phase out ODS, aligning with the Protocol’s schedule.

The Philippines does not produce or export ODS; instead, it imports these substances. The DENREMB regulates ODS imports, and specific substances like methyl bromide are also overseen by the Department of Agriculture’s Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA). Customs officials enforce import restrictions to ensure compliance. 

Key obligations under the Montreal Protocol for the Philippines include: 

• Trade Restrictions: Banning the import and export of ODS with countries that are not party to the Protocol and restricting the import of certain products containing ODS. 

• Licensing System: Implementing a mandatory licensing system for the import and export of both new and used ODS. 

• Reporting Requirements: Submitting annual data on ODS consumption to the Protocol’s Secretariat. 

• Public Awareness and Research: Promoting awareness, conducting research, and sharing information on ODS reduction, alternatives, and control strategies. 

The POD has several Chemical Control Orders for different substances: Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and its revision, and Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). These play a crucial role in the Philippines’ environmental management strategy, in both ozone layer protection and environmental impact.