DILIMAN, Quezon City — Following President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.’s call for optimal initiatives for sustainable development during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SoNA) last Monday, July 28, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) is urging the administration to prioritize climate action and integrate more tangible climate-resilient solutions into the country’s long-term strategies,
According to ICSC executive director Angelo Kairos Dela Cruz, the president's call for accountability has been evident in the SoNA where the importance of progress across all the government’s programs was highlighted and the need for their impacts to directly benefit Filipinos.

"Prioritizing climate action will lead to better development and an important step is to approach it holistically," Dela Cruz stressed while pointing out that with the Philippines considered as one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, there is a need to do more beyond the usual disaster response initiatives such as evacuation centers and flood control projects.

“We have to ensure that Filipino communities are protected from climate- and disaster-related risks and that they are equipped with the right tools and approaches to adapt to climate change impacts,” he enthused.
In this regard, the ICSC official lauded the Department of Energy’s efforts to facilitate the rapid adoption of renewable energy (RE) across the country, with nearly 200 power plants scheduled for commissioning in the next three years.

"Nearly 90 percent of these power plants will come from renewables, approximately 7.8 gigawatts (GW) from solar, 2.3 GW from wind and 400 megawatts (MW) from battery storage. All these signal a strong shift toward cleaner energy systems that will bring more affordable, reliable and secure power for all Filipinos," he noted emphatically.

Moreover, he also mentioned rooms for improvement, such as the expansion of the “scope of the coal moratorium beyond greenfield coal projects with 970 MW of the additional capacity in the next three years still expected to come from the expansion of existing coal-fired power plants.” Another is the Siquijor power crisis which further reinforces the need for distributed power generation through RE.

“Given the Philippines’ archipelagic nature, energy planning and policymaking in the country must prioritize self-sufficiency and resilience. Decentralizing our energy systems can contribute to access to affordable and reliable electricity for both unserved and underserved areas, further reducing our reliance on fossil fuels,” he added.
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