As congress starts hearing today (Tuesday) the proposed 2011 budget for the environment and natural resources, budget activists reiterate the call for a more “climate sensitive” national budget saying Malacanang’s proposed P13.1 Billion remain insensitive to the threats of climate change.
La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga), which acts as the secretariat of the Environment Cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI-Envi) led by Social Watch Philippines said the budget for the environment and natural resources sector should at least be equal to 1% of Malacanang’s total proposed budget amounting to P1.645 trillion.
The group is proposing an additional P4 billion on top of Malacanang’s proposed budget across the DENR, DOE, DA, DOST-PAGASA and the Climate Change Commission to enable the government to implement climate change adaptation and mitigation measures that will cushion the effects and impact of climate change such as super typhoons, flash floods and drought.
According to Ronquillo, financing climate change actions remain crucial especially in the face of the worst impacts of climate change.
He said no less than Pres. Aquino recognized the urgency of the situation in his budget message when he said the proposed national budget was designed to promote “a sound environment today and for the future.” While we welcome President Aquino’s pronouncement that environment will be one of the priority items in his reform budget, we would like to see this commitment translated through a climate-sensitive 2011 GAA, Ronquillo stressed.
In addition, to prepare the country for natural calamities, such as Ondoy which ravaged Luzon including the National Capital Region in the last quarter of 2009, La Liga is proposing an allocation of P1 billion for the Office of the Civil Defense’s revolving fund for disaster risk reduction as mandated by the DRRM Act; increase to P100 million the allocation of the newly-formed Climate Change Commission for national and local climate change action plan participatory processes; an additional P50 million new item for nationwide information, education and communication campaign on climate change; and P100 million new item for the rehabilitation of the Marikina Watershed.
For biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry, the group is proposing that P1 billion from the P8 billion allocation of the Department of Agriculture under the item “development of crops sector” be earmarked to climate adaptation actions that include setting up of community based early warning systems, training on climate resilient crops and assistance to farms damaged by extreme weather events. La Liga also proposed to earmark P100 million from the P4.3 billion DA-Office of the Secretary budget to set up a sustainable agriculture coordination office and increase to P1 billion the allocation for the promotion and development of organic agriculture.
La Liga said since food security is crucial to the country’s sustainable development, there should also be a budget increase amounting to at least P50 million for various agricultural research and development projects, particularly on climate resilient crops; increase by P50 million allocation for the conservation, regulation and protection of fisheries and aquatic resources; increase by P50 million allocation for the production and dissemination of technical and popular materials in the conservation and development of natural resources including environmental education that will include climate change literacy program.
Other proposals:
- Increase to P191 M (2010 level) CBFM allocation
- Increase by P300 M allocation to soil conservation and watershed management
- Allocate a total of P35 M or P 5M each for the following protected areas: a) Tubbataha reef; b) Apo Reef; c) Mts. Banahaw and San Cristobal; d) Mt. Kitanglad; e) Northern Negros National Park; f) Central Cebu National Park; g) Mt. Kanlaon National Park
- New Item: Total of P60 M or P10M each for the establishment of Marine Sanctuary and coastal resource management in six (6) critical coastal habitats: Lingayen Gulf (Pangasinan), Tayabas Bay (Quezon), Visayan Sea (Panay-Masbate), Cebu Strait (Cebu-Bohol), Panguil Bay (Misamis Occidental)
- Increase by P50 M allocation to the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy to include budget for Coral Triangle Initiative
Finally, to lead the country to a more low-carbon, climate sensitive development path, La Liga is proposing to allocate P2 B under the Department of Energy for the Renewable Energy Trust Fund as mandated by the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, and the allocation of the P5 million for the operational requirements of the Renewable Energy Management Bureau to coordinate and implement the law.
