President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed all government agencies to accelerate the full implementation of climate change policies, warning that unmitigated global warming poses direct threats to the country’s economic stability, food security, and public health.
Speaking during a Palace press briefing Thursday, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro emphasized that as a tropical archipelago, the Philippines stands on the frontlines of climate vulnerability, facing increasingly intense typhoons, rising sea levels, and unpredictable rainfall patterns.
Without decisive intervention, Castro warned, climate disruption could trigger a cascading crisis across vital national sectors.
“If the issue of climate change is left unaddressed, it will severely impact our food supply, agricultural crops, commodity prices, inflation rates, and public debt, while triggering health threats such as spikes in leptospirosis and dengue cases,” Castro said, speaking partly in Filipino.
In response, President Marcos issued an explicit directive instructing state institutions to fulfill their statutory mandates and scale up proactive climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
“The President’s directive is clear: fully enforce our policies addressing climate change,” Castro said.
The climate response is being spearheaded by the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), alongside partner agencies and local government units (LGUs). Beyond immediate disaster preparedness, the administration aims to curb greenhouse gas emissions and build an ecologically resilient, inclusive economy for future generations.
Castro urged local communities and the private sector to collaborate closely with the government in building climate-resilient infrastructure and safeguarding livelihoods.
“Let us unite in fighting the impacts of climate change. If not now, when? We must not lag behind,” she added.