Legarda rallies SUCs in Climate Adaptation Forum

Senator Loren Legarda, principal author of the Climate Change Act and long time champion of environmental protection, issued a powerful call to action as keynote speaker at the Knowledge Exchange Forum with State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) on the Localization of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) of the Philippines 2023-2050, held Tuesday, December 9 at the GT–Toyota Asian Center Auditorium, University of the Philippines Diliman.

Hosted by the Climate Change Commission (CCC) in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the forum convened presidents and representatives of SUCs, along with national government agencies, to advance the localization of the country’s first NAP, adopted through Commission Resolution No. 2024-003 and submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in May 2024.

Legarda underscored the urgency of decisive, inclusive climate action, citing the Philippines’ ranking as the world’s most disaster-prone country in the 2025 World Risk Index.

“When I authored the Climate Change Act in 2009, many questioned its relevance. Today, those questions have been answered by the relentless force of nature—and the numbers speak for themselves. This year, 23 typhoons have already entered our country, surpassing the average of 20 typhoons per year. Hundreds of lives have been lost, and the losses and damages have reached billions of pesos,” Legarda said.

The four-term Senator warned that without urgent adaptation measures, climate change could reverse decades of development gains.

“Without urgent action, climate change could slash our GDP by 13.6% by 2040, with the poorest among us suffering the most. The localization of our National Adaptation Plan is our collective mission to turn this devastating trajectory around,” Legarda declared.

With the theme, “From Knowledge to Action: Championing the Role of the State Universities and Colleges for Accelerated Climate Action,” the forum highlighted SUCs as vital knowledge hubs that support LGUs in conducting climate risk assessments and developing adaptation plans.

Legarda challenged SUCs and higher education institutions to take leadership roles.

“Mainstream climate education across all disciplines—not as an elective, but as a core competency for every graduate. Establish Climate Innovation Hubs in every region. Lead by example—ensure that every campus activity, event, and operation is net zero, single-use plastic-free, and sustainability-driven. Serve as climate data and analytics centers for your regions,” Legarda urged.

She further stressed that climate localization is as much a human undertaking as it is a scientific or institutional one.

“It involves listening to communities, empowering women and youth, and ensuring that no one is left behind. It means simplifying science without diluting its urgency. It means communicating early warnings in ways that are understood, believed, and acted upon,” Legarda explained.

The expected outcomes of the forum include a Call to Action for SUCs to strengthen their climate commitments, the Signing of a Commitment to Action by SUCs with the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Local Government Academy (DILG LGA) and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) in support of LGUs’ NAP localization efforts, and the Creation of a coordination platform linking LGUs, SUCs, Leagues, and Regional Development Councils (RDCs) to integrate NAP aligned measures into Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs).

Legarda closed her keynote by reaffirming the transformative role of academic institutions as climate stewards.

“To our SUC presidents, deans, faculty, and students: you are more than educators. You are climate stewards, resilience builders, and future shapers. The NAP localization is a national endeavor, but it will be realized through your leadership in every region, in every locality. Let us move from knowledge to action. From planning to practice. From vulnerability to resilience,” Legarda concluded. (30)