SECRETARY GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON AND EXCELLENCIES, WE SIGN THE PARIS AGREEMENT TODAY WITH FAITH AND HOPE IN THE 196 PARTIES TO THE UNFCCC THAT ADOPTED THE AGREEMENT.

THE PHILIPPINES, A HIGHLY VULNERABLE DEVELOPING NATION, WITH ONE OF THE MOST AMBITIOUS TARGETS, HAS ALREADY TAKEN STEPS TO PURSUE NATIONAL ACTIONS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH ITS INTENDED NATIONALLY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTION OR INDC.

DESPITE FINANCIAL LIM PHILIPPINES HAS ALREADY DEMONSTRATED ITS COMMITMENT TO MEETING ITS PLEDGE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND THE INTEGRATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN NATIONAL AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND BUDGETS. IT WILL CONTINUE TO CASCADE CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION ACTIONS TO SUB-NATIONAL LEVELS AND TO INVEST IN CLIMATE – RESILIENT LOCAL ECONOMIES, CONSISTENT WITH POST–2015 INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORKS SUCH AS THE 2030 AGENDA ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, SENDAI FRAMEWORK FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, AND MOST ESPECIALLY, THIS THIS PARIS AGREEMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE.

TO SECURE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE, THE PHILIPPINES IS PURSUING VALUE-ADDING STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THE PROVISION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND GREEN GROWTH TO ADDRESS POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION. TO THIS END, A GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING SYSTEM IS BEING DEVELOPED TO CREATE A TRANSPARENT, ACCURATE AND COMPARABLE BASELINE OF EMISSIONS.

IT HAS ALSO SUBMITTED RECENTLY ITS ARTICLES OF ACCESSION TO THE DOHA AMENDMENT TO THE KYOTO PROTOCOL.

AS A HIGHLY VULNERABLE COUNTRY, PHILIPPINES HAS COMMITTED EARLY TO CONTRIBUTING ITS FAIR SHARE TO THE GLOBAL ACTION CONSISTENT WITH THE CLIMATE VULNERABLE FORUM’S MANILA-PARIS DECLARATION WHICH CALLS FOR A MITIGATION GOAL OF BELOW 1.5 DEGREES CELSIUS AND FULL DECARBONIZATION AND 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION BY 2050.

TOO MUCH IS AT STAKE. DEVELOPED COUNTRIES THEREFORE NEED TO DO MORE IN TERMS OF DRAMATICALLY RAISING THEIR NDC AMBITION COMPATIBLE WITH THE 1.5-DEGREES CELSIUS THRESHOLD, AS WELL AS RAISING FUNDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE CLIMATE ACTION PLANS OF VULNERABLE COUNTRIES, WHICH REQUIRE ADEQUATE, PREDICTABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FINANCING. THE PHILIPPINES ALSO URGES DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ALIKE TO TAKE URGENT PRE-2020 ACTION.

FINALLY, TO ECHO PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT BENIGNO AQUINO, THE PHILIPPINE CONTRIBUTION TO THE GLOBAL PROBLEM THAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE IS ADMITTEDLY A DROP IN THE WELL. BUT LIKE THE DROPLETS IN THE OCEAN, THE CONCERTED EFFORTS OF ALL PARTIES CAN SURELY MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THEREFORE THE PHILIPPINES STRONGLY URGES ALL COUNTRIES TO BUILD UPON THE MOMENTUM FROM PARIS AND WORK TOGETHER TOWARD FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS AGREEMENT.

THANK YOU AND MABUHAY! 

® Public Affairs Office

Unfortunately, water is also one resource that we always take for granted and end up wasting through inefficient use and pollution.

To make matters worse, what precious supply we have in our reservoirs and aquifers is now threatened by less rainfall as a result of the occurrence of a strong El Niño phenomenon which is expected to hit the Philippines by October 2015 until the first quarter of 2016. To ensure that there is enough for everyone’s needs, water distribution is already being interrupted or rationed in several parts of Metro Manila and surrounding areas.

A shortage in water supply not only leads to less water for us to use for our domestic needs, but also threatens food production and energy supply. Angat Dam in Bulacan, for example, provides almost 97% of Metro Manila’s domestic, municipal and industrial water requirements, as well as 27,000 hectares of rice farms in Bulacan and Pampanga. It is also utilized to generate 246 megawatts of electricity.

It is therefore important for each of us to do what we can to ensure that we do not deplete this supply. By learning to use water prudently and efficiently, not only during El Niño but as part of our lifestyle,

• we save up on water expenses;
• we show generosity in ensuring that everyone gets a fair share of the supply; and
• we learn to consider water as a precious resource.

As Environment Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje has said: “Make water conservation a habit, and adopt a lifestyle that would have less negative impact on our precious water supply.”

Here are simple reminders on how we can sustain our water supply. But of course, these are not all that we can do. If you have more to add or would like to share with us some of the best practices in water conservation, please do not hesitate to email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

® Public Affairs Office