Manila: The Climate Change Commission (CCC) is strengthening efforts to integrate gender equality into the country's climate agenda by rolling out the implementation phase of the Nationally Determined Contribution Gender Action Plan (NDC-GAP) 2024-2030.
According to Philippines News Agency, at the core of the rollout is the establishment of a Gender and Climate Change Advisory Group (GCAG), a multisectoral body tasked to lead implementation by finalizing its membership and guidelines, conducting stakeholder mapping, and rolling out capacity-building sessions for Gender and Development (GAD) focal points across agencies.
The GCAG will be co-chaired by CCC Commissioner Rachel Anne Herrera, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, and Philippine Commission on Women Deputy Executive Director Anita Baleda. "The implementation of the NDC-GAP marks an important step for the Philippines. It moves us from mere recognition that climate change is not gender neutral, to concrete action, by putting gender and social inclusion squarely into how we plan, implement, monitor, and improve our climate actions," Herrera said.
The NDC-GAP 2024-2030 serves as the country's framework for integrating gender and social inclusion into climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, ensuring that policies and investments actively reduce inequalities and empower vulnerable sectors. It emphasizes mainstreaming gender across all stages of climate governance, from planning and implementation to monitoring and evaluation, while strengthening accountability systems and coordination among agencies.
GCAG members committed to a unified implementation strategy for the six-year plan, clarified member roles and responsibilities, and identified immediate priority actions to sustain momentum across all government levels, noting the importance of coordinated action across government agencies. Officials said the plan marks a shift from recognizing that climate change is not gender-neutral to institutionalizing inclusive, gender-responsive climate governance, aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s goal of a climate-resilient Philippines.
The GCAG also includes other key agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, and Department of Transportation, along with the partner institution, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development. The CCC said development partners such as the Agence Fran§aise de D©veloppement and the Asian Development Bank are supporting the initiative, with technical assistance from the Miriam College - Women and Gender Institute.
