President Ferdinand Marcos called on the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) Board to prioritize actionable solutions that would mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change on vulnerable nations like the Philippines.
“As the leader of a country frequently hit by typhoons and other calamities, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed hope that the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) Board would find solutions to the adverse effects of climate change, sparing Filipinos from further suffering,” Mr. Marcos said during a courtesy call by board members at Malacañang on Monday.
The President’s plea comes as the Philippines faces an escalating number of climate-related disasters, which he described as unprecedented since the mid-1940s.
These events have taken a severe toll on the country’s infrastructure, economy, and communities, with the poorest Filipinos often bearing the brunt.
President Marcos stressed that addressing climate change requires a unified global effort.
He urged the FRLD Board, which oversees funding to help nations cope with loss and damage, to focus on tangible measures that can ease the suffering of populations most affected by extreme weather events.
“The momentum since the industrial revolution is something that can’t easily be moved or stopped or at least redirected. In the meantime, I hope all of you can find solution so that, we in the Philippines, most of our people do not suffer,” he said.
The President also expressed his hope for the FRLD headquarters to be established in Manila, underscoring the urgency of the board’s mission.
With its location in the Pacific typhoon belt and the Ring of Fire, the Philippines faces recurring threats from typhoons, floods, and earthquakes.
To brace the impact of various weather phenomena, the government has ramped up its climate-related spending, allocating P457.4 billion this year for programs aimed at disaster risk reduction and environmental protection. This marks a significant increase from P178.2 billion in 2021.
The Philippines has also secured $590.92 million (P34.13 billion) for projects in areas such as forestry, biodiversity, and climate change adaptation.
President Marcos stressed that these investments reflect the government’s determination to safeguard communities, but more support is needed from international partners.
The FRLD Board, which governs the fund, includes representatives from 12 developed and 14 developing countries. The Philippines holds a key seat as the Asia-Pacific Group’s permanent representative for 2024 and 2026.
Co-chaired by Richard Sherman and Jean-Christophe Donnellier, the fund focuses on addressing loss and damage in developing nations most vulnerable to climate impacts.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated. Originally posted with the headline “Marcos seeks climate fund HQ in Manila.”
