The Philippines is calling for a major increase in global financing under the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, after the first round of funding requests showed overwhelming need far outpacing what is currently available. Initial submissions for support reached more than $2.8 billion, while the fund has just $250 million on hand to distribute. This gap was highlighted during a high-level discussion held alongside the 81st United Nations General Assembly, co-organized by the Philippine government and the fund’s secretariat.
The FRLD was set up to help developing countries most at risk from climate impacts, covering both economic and non-economic losses from extreme weather and slow-changing effects such as rising seas. Its governing board has 26 members—14 from developing nations and 12 from developed countries—with the Philippines holding one of three seats allocated to Asia-Pacific states.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasized that without sufficient and reliable funding, developing nations must take money away from essential services like health care and education just to recover from disasters. He noted that predictable funding, fast release of resources, and simpler access rules are key to making the fund work as a strong pillar of global climate support. As host of the fund’s board and ranked among the world’s most vulnerable nations, the Philippines also restated its role as a bridge between raising global funds and delivering help to communities on the front lines.
Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna stressed that gradually adjusting to climate change is no longer enough, and laid out priorities to make loss and damage finance work better: simpler ways for local communities to get direct support, dedicated help for losses that cannot be measured in money, and climate-focused social protection for those most exposed. He said this support is not charity but a basic requirement for fairness, human dignity, and shared stability, and called to replace slow, piecemeal promises with fast, direct assistance to those who need it most.
The Philippines and the FRLD Secretariat are urging wealthy nations to meet their pledges and provide far more direct climate funding, and also inviting businesses, foundations, and other sources to expand the fund’s base and build lasting support for global climate justice.
Separately, Cuna said shifting to renewable energy is critical to shield the Philippines from price swings and global instability caused by relying on imported fuels. He noted that depending on foreign oil and gas has left the economy exposed to global disruptions, and that climate action and the energy transition are central to national security. The country aims to get 35 percent of its power from renewables by 2030 and over 50 percent by 2050, and Cuna called on global investors and public leaders to back this shift with funding and technology.
