Legarda: Empower local governments, build climate capabilities for a more resilient Bicol

NAGA CITY — Senator Loren Legarda underscored the need to continuously strengthen the capabilities of local governments and institutions to translate national climate policies into concrete action, as the Climate Change Commission (CCC) launched the pilot implementation of the Center for Local Leadership, Integrated MEAL, Training and Education (CLLIMATE) Roving Academy in Naga City from September 28 to October 1, 2026.

In her message, Legarda recognized the Climate Change Commission (CCC), participating government agencies, local government units, the academe, development partners, technical experts, and other stakeholders taking part in the initiative. She emphasized that while the Philippines has established important climate policies, plans, and institutional mechanisms, the continuing challenge is ensuring that these are effectively translated into programs, investments, decisions, and actions, particularly at the local level.

“Climate change affects everything: our development, our livelihoods, our infrastructure, our food and water security, our health, and our local economies. Climate action therefore cuts across all government sectors and demands the participation of different institutions and professionals,” Legarda said.

Legarda emphasized the critical role of local governments, which are on the frontlines of climate action and are directly involved in planning and delivering services to communities. She noted that local officials, planners, engineers, budget officers, and technical personnel have different climate-related responsibilities requiring the appropriate knowledge, technical skills, leadership, and practical competencies.

The Senator highlighted the significance of bringing the pilot initiative to Metro Naga and the wider Bicol Region, where local economies and communities are closely linked to climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.

The CLLIMATE Roving Academy pilot seeks to strengthen the capacity of LGUs to mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation into local development planning and enhance their technical competencies in developing risk-informed Enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plans. It also serves as a testing ground for the Academy’s modules and delivery mechanisms before its wider implementation.

The program covers climate change fundamentals, the ridge-to-reef approach, and the National Adaptation Plan, alongside practical sessions on climate projections, climate and disaster risk assessment, greenhouse gas inventories, Local Climate Change Expenditure Tagging, Gender and Development harmonization, and access to the People’s Survival Fund.

The pilot implementation has drawn broad participation from all the 18 municipalities and cities of the Metro Naga Development Council (MNDC). According to the Climate Change Commission, 122 participants, including LGU representatives, have confirmed their participation in the CLLIMATE Roving Academy.

Participants are coming from Bombon, Bula, Calabanga, Camaligan, Canaman, Gainza, Libmanan, Magarao, Milaor, Minalabac, Naga City, Ocampo, Pamplona, Pasacao, Pili, San Fernando, and Siruma in Camarines Sur, as well as San Pascual, Masbate.

Legarda, Principal Author and Principal Sponsor of Republic Act No. 9729, or the Climate Change Act of 2009, emphasized that the law recognizes local government units as frontline institutions in addressing climate change. She stressed that strengthening the knowledge, skills, and institutional capacities of local officials and personnel is essential to translating national climate policies into concrete action in communities.

Legarda also stressed that capacity development should not be limited to one-time training activities but should instead become a continuous and institutionalized process.

“The Academy should not simply be a place where people attend training. It should become a system that helps institutions continuously build, apply, and strengthen the competencies required for climate action,” Legarda said.

Senator Loren Legarda acknowledged the Climate Change Commission, Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, Naga City Vice Mayor Gabriel “Gabby” Bordado, the LGU of Naga, and the MNDC for their support in bringing the CLLIMATE Roving Academy to local communities. She emphasized that the partnership between national and local institutions is crucial in translating climate policies into concrete and responsive action, expressing hope that the lessons from the pilot implementation in Naga City and nearby municipalities would help strengthen local capacities and advance climate action throughout Bicol and the rest of the country.

The pilot in Naga will put the Academy’s preliminary competency framework into practice, allowing participants and organizers to determine how its competencies, learning pathways, and support mechanisms operate in a real local setting and identify areas that need to be strengthened.

Legarda said the lessons from Metro Naga can help demonstrate how national climate policies can be translated into practical and locally responsive action, particularly when local governments are provided with the knowledge, tools, and institutional support they need. (30)

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Legarda: Palakasin ang kakayahan ng mga lokal na pamahalaan para sa mas matatag na Bicol sa harap ng climate change

NAGA CITY — Binigyang-diin ni Senator Loren Legarda ang kahalagahan ng patuloy na pagpapalakas sa kakayahan ng mga lokal na pamahalaan at mga institusyon upang maisalin sa konkretong pagkilos ang mga pambansang polisiya sa climate change.

Ito ang mensahe ni Legarda sa paglulunsad ng Climate Change Commission (CCC) ng pilot implementation ng Center for Local Leadership, Integrated MEAL, Training and Education (CLLIMATE) Roving Academy sa Naga City mula September 28 hanggang October 1, 2026.

Kinilala ni Legarda ang CCC, mga kalahok na ahensya ng pamahalaan, local government units, academe, development partners, technical experts, at iba pang stakeholders na bahagi ng programa. Aniya, mayroon nang mahahalagang batas, polisiya, plano, at mekanismo ang bansa para tugunan ang climate change, ngunit nananatiling hamon kung paano ito maisasalin sa mga programa, pamumuhunan, desisyon, at aktuwal na pagkilos, lalo na sa lokal na antas.

“Climate change affects everything: our development, our livelihoods, our infrastructure, our food and water security, our health, and our local economies. Climate action therefore cuts across all government sectors and demands the participation of different institutions and professionals,” ayon kay Legarda.

Binigyang-diin din niya ang mahalagang papel ng mga lokal na pamahalaan na nasa frontline ng pagtugon sa climate change at direktang responsable sa pagpaplano at paghahatid ng mga serbisyo sa kanilang nasasakupan.

Aniya, magkakaiba man ang tungkulin ng mga lokal na opisyal, planners, engineers, budget officers, at technical personnel, kailangan nilang magkaroon ng sapat na kaalaman, technical skills, leadership, at praktikal na kakayahan para magampanan ang kanilang mga responsibilidad kaugnay ng climate action.

Mahalaga rin, ayon kay Legarda, na unang dalhin ang programa sa Metro Naga at sa mas malawak na Bicol Region, kung saan malaking bahagi ng kabuhayan at lokal na ekonomiya ang nakasalalay sa mga sektor na sensitibo sa epekto ng climate change gaya ng agrikultura, pangingisda, at turismo.

Layunin ng pilot implementation ng CLLIMATE Roving Academy na palakasin ang kakayahan ng mga LGU na maisama ang climate change adaptation at mitigation sa kanilang local development planning. Bahagi rin nito ang pagpapahusay sa kanilang technical competencies sa paggawa ng risk-informed Enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plans.

Magsisilbi rin ang pilot bilang pagsubok sa mga module at paraan ng pagpapatupad ng Academy bago ito palawakin sa iba pang lugar.

Kabilang sa programa ang climate change fundamentals, ridge-to-reef approach, at National Adaptation Plan. Mayroon ding mga praktikal na sesyon tungkol sa climate projections, climate and disaster risk assessment, greenhouse gas inventories, Local Climate Change Expenditure Tagging, Gender and Development harmonization, at pag-access sa People’s Survival Fund.

Malawak ang partisipasyon sa pilot implementation mula sa 18 munisipalidad at lungsod ng Metro Naga Development Council (MNDC). Ayon sa Climate Change Commission, 122 kalahok, kabilang ang mga kinatawan ng LGU, ang nagkumpirmang lalahok sa CLLIMATE Roving Academy.

Kabilang sa mga kalahok ang mula sa Bombon, Bula, Calabanga, Camaligan, Canaman, Gainza, Libmanan, Magarao, Milaor, Minalabac, Naga City, Ocampo, Pamplona, Pasacao, Pili, San Fernando, at Siruma sa Camarines Sur, gayundin ang San Pascual, Masbate.

Bilang Principal Author at Principal Sponsor ng Republic Act No. 9729 o Climate Change Act of 2009, sinabi ni Legarda na malinaw sa batas ang mahalagang papel ng mga local government unit bilang mga institusyong nasa frontline ng pagtugon sa climate change.

Aniya, mahalagang palakasin ang kaalaman, kasanayan, at kakayahan ng mga lokal na opisyal at kawani upang ang mga pambansang polisiya sa climate change ay maging konkretong programa at aksyon sa mga lokalidad.

Binigyang-diin din ni Legarda na ang capacity development ay hindi dapat matapos sa isang training lamang kundi kailangang maging tuloy-tuloy at bahagi ng sistema ng mga institusyon.

“The Academy should not simply be a place where people attend training. It should become a system that helps institutions continuously build, apply, and strengthen the competencies required for climate action,” ayon kay Legarda.

Pinasalamatan din ni Legarda ang Climate Change Commission, Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, Naga City Vice Mayor Gabriel “Gabby” Bordado, ang LGU ng Naga, at ang MNDC sa kanilang suporta sa pagdadala ng CLLIMATE Roving Academy sa mga lokal na pamahalaan.

Aniya, mahalaga ang ugnayan ng pambansa at lokal na pamahalaan upang maging konkreto at angkop sa pangangailangan ng bawat lugar ang mga polisiya sa climate change. Umaasa siyang makatutulong ang mga aral mula sa pilot implementation sa Naga City at mga karatig na bayan upang higit pang mapalakas ang kakayahan ng mga lokal na pamahalaan sa buong Bicol at sa iba pang bahagi ng bansa.

Sa pilot implementation sa Naga, aktuwal na gagamitin ang paunang competency framework ng Academy upang makita kung paano gumagana sa isang lokal na setting ang mga competencies, learning pathways, at support mechanisms nito, at kung anu-anong bahagi pa ang kailangang palakasin.

Ayon kay Legarda, maaaring magsilbing mahalagang halimbawa ang karanasan ng Metro Naga kung paano maisasalin ang mga pambansang polisiya sa climate change sa praktikal at angkop na pagkilos sa lokal na antas, lalo na kung may sapat na kaalaman, kagamitan, at suporta ang mga lokal na pamahalaan. (30)