“We don’t suffer from a lack of policies or plans – we suffer from poor execution because of the lack of accountability”
The month of July brought a grim reminder of the climate crisis we can no longer ignore.
Four typhoons struck the Philippines in rapid succession, causing severe flooding that uprooted families, destroyed livelihoods, and exposed the dangerous gaps in our disaster preparedness.
The country is bracing for more storms before the year ends, and the question we must ask is: Are we truly ready?
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address acknowledged the urgency of disaster preparedness and climate action.
He called out corruption in substandard flood control projects and committed to building more evacuation centers, reinforcing transparency, and enforcing discipline in waste management. These are encouraging signals—but words must be matched with action.
Climate change disasters will not wait for our bureaucracy to catch up.
The International Court of Justice recently issued a landmark opinion defining climate change as an existential threat and a violation of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
It underscores that inaction is not just neglect—it is a legally wrongful act.
Filipino communities know this firsthand. Every delay in taking climate action increases their vulnerability, and the consequences are counted in lost lives, damaged homes, and shattered livelihoods.
Filipinos are increasingly aware of this.
A Pulse Asia survey in June showed that infrastructure and flood control were top concerns citizens hoped the President would address in his SONA.
The public is no longer satisfied with rhetoric—they expect proof that their concerns are being acted on.
Similarly, a May 2025 Social Weather Stations survey revealed a growing optimism in national efforts toward climate resilience, but also a demand for more visible, accessible disaster relief systems. This trust must be honored with tangible, sustained action.
We don’t suffer from a lack of policies or plans – we suffer from poor execution because of the lack of accountability.
The President’s vow to prosecute those behind defective or ghost flood control projects is long overdue. Communities devastated by floods don’t need more investigations; they need functioning dikes, pumping stations, efficient drainage systems, and habitable evacuation centers.
They need assurance that every peso earmarked for disaster resilience actually builds it.
We must go beyond emergency response and into long-term climate adaptation.
The President’s renewed focus on flood control must be tied to a broader climate-smart infrastructure plan – one that integrates green design, circular economy practices, and risk mapping.
This also means investing in nature-based solutions like reforestation and watershed rehabilitation, not just pouring concrete.
What’s at stake is not just disaster mitigation but national development.
Without climate resilience, we cannot sustain inclusive growth. Floods don’t just cause temporary inconvenience—they derail education, devastate crops, and grind to a halt the commerce and daily survival of flood-stricken communities.
Business continuity hinges on resilient infrastructure, while investor confidence hinges on predictable, well-managed risk.
The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Risks Report ranked extreme weather as the second-most severe short-term global risk, just behind misinformation.
Over the long term, environmental risks dominate the landscape – pointing to a worsening trend unless governments pivot decisively toward climate leadership. In our region, the United Nations names climate inaction as the top threat – it underscores just how exposed we are – and how critical our actions will be in shaping the outcome.
To meet this challenge, the Philippine government must lead by example. It must ensure that climate resilience is not just a buzzword in speeches but a non-negotiable priority in national and local budgets.
Only infrastructure projects included in the National Expenditure Program should proceed, as the President declared—but more importantly, oversight must be relentless, and communities must be involved in both planning and monitoring.
At the same time, we need a whole-of-society approach.
Businesses, civil society, academic institutions, and local leaders must align their efforts toward climate resilience and sustainability goals.
Private sector innovation can accelerate green infrastructure, while grassroots participation can ensure that solutions are context-specific and inclusive.
CitizenWatch Philippines and our partners in the Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship are committed to promoting these cross-sectoral collaborations.
We believe that environmental protection and economic growth are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, resilience is a prerequisite for progress.
The devastation we’ve seen this year should not just provoke sympathy – it should provoke accountability and action.
Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it is already reshaping our lives, landscapes, and prospects as a nation. And while we welcome the President’s promises, we must measure leadership not by its rhetoric, but by its results.
The time to act was yesterday. The next best time is now.
