The Climate Change Commission (CCC) visited key state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Mindanao to strengthen collaboration in localizing climate resilience efforts and empowering communities as climate champions.
The CCC recently met with officials from the Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU) and Cotabato State University (CotSU) to advance convergence on climate adaptation, research, and capacity building.
CCC vice chairperson and executive director Robert E.A. Borje, in a meeting with SKSU president Dr. Samson L. Molao and his team, discussed leveraging the university’s critical role as an academic and research hub to build local climate capacities.
The dialogue stressed SKSU’s potential in driving evidence-based climate action in the region, with sustained support from Senator Loren Legarda, a long-time advocate for empowering SUCs.
“The CCC will continue to engage stakeholders in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of a climate resilient Philippines. We are turning communities into champions for climate,” said Borje.
Borje met separately with CotSU president Dr. Sema G. Dilna and team, focusing on mobilizing SUCs to localize the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and build capacities for transformative climate action.
Developed under the leadership of President Marcos, the NAP aims to steadily reduce climate-related loss and damage and to build the country’s adaptive capacity toward transformative resilience and sustainable economic development by 2050.
The NAP serves as a national instrument for pursuing efforts at all levels of governance to address climate risk and reduce the country’s vulnerability to climate change impacts by bolstering adaptive capacity, fostering resilience, and integrating adaptation into relevant policies and programs.
It specifically identifies SUCs as supporting agencies in several key adaptation strategies, recognizing their critical role in translating national policy into local, on-the-ground action.
For the health sector, SUCs support the reinforcement of primary care and community health workers, aimed at minimizing patient mortality from climate-sensitive diseases.
They also contribute to the development of resilient health networks, which ensures seamless access to climate-responsive health services.In the area of ecosystems and biodiversity, SUCs are positioned to support the protection and rehabilitation of biodiversity across habitats and ecosystems, as well as enabling and empowering communities to lead ecological management.
These includes helping establish collaborative research partnerships between local communities, researchers and environmental organizations to provide access to scientific expertise, enabling ecological assessment and better-informed decisions at a local level to improve the resiliency of ecosystems.
The engagement at CotSU also included a symbolic tree-planting activity at the university’s College of Forestry. CCC News
CCC and CotSU officials planted Malugay (Pometia pinnata) seedlings―a native, fruit-bearing hardwood tree valued for its strength and ecological benefits.
“Every tree planted and grown is a step towards renewing its value for our communities,” Borje said. “We thank the CotSU College of Forestry for choosing this species and for working with us to ensure these trees―and our partnership―grow strong.” CCC News
