With the world facing rising temperatures and the likelihood of a very strong El Niño, the Philippines is calling for urgent, concrete action to turn its national climate plans from written policy into real protection for vulnerable communities.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) made the appeal at the ongoing Baku High-Level Dialogue on Adaptation, where Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna emphasized that the country’s National Adaptation Plan cannot simply remain a document. “Our experience demonstrates that NAP cannot remain passive policy documents; they must become structural investment frameworks that govern national development decisions,” Cuna said.
The Philippines is pushing for three key steps: better integrated early warning systems for drought and extreme heat, stronger international partnerships, and clearer global guidelines to guide resource allocation. The proposed early warning system would link real-time climate monitoring with quick-release funding, so help reaches farmers and communities before dry spells and extreme heat destroy harvests and livelihoods—an urgent concern as El Niño conditions strengthen.
Cuna also urged that international aid be aligned with the country’s own priorities to avoid duplication and build local capacity. He called for simpler, grant-based financing rather than additional debt, so local governments and communities themselves can access funds directly for practical measures such as rainwater harvesting and drought-resilient farming. Indigenous knowledge and local voices should also shape these projects, he added.
The Baku dialogue, part of broader United Nations climate processes, brings together representatives from nearly 100 countries to bridge the gap between national adaptation plans and what actually happens on the ground. For Filipinos, the message is clear: with a potentially severe El Niño approaching, the focus must shift from planning to action—ensuring resources reach those most exposed to heat, drought, and climate risk as quickly and directly as possible.
