Broad-based Partnerships to Combat Climate Change in the Philippines

Washington DC – The US-Philippines Society co-hosted a February 2 virtual forum featuring expert panelists USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Craig Hart, National Resilience Council President Ma. Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation President Rene Meily. Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez gave introductory remarks. Panelists offered their perspectives and insights into meeting the urgent challenges of climate change, cited examples of concrete actions taken by the private sector in collaboration with the Philippine government, academe and NGOs to mitigate the impact of climate change and increase national resilience. Panelists described the effective partnership between the United States through USAID and the Philippines, and regionally, through technology, effective communication, community engagement and other tools to combat climate change. The panel cited specific examples of wide-ranging government and non-government US-Philippines partnership including the CAMP2Ex program, George Mason University-Ateneo de Manila University project on city evacuation, University of Hawaii and Philippine technical experts, Energy Secure Philippines and Climate Resilient Cities Initiative.

In closing, Executive Director Hank Hendrickson said, at a broader policy and practical level, that the Bilateral Strategic Dialogue’s Vision Statement represented a shared commitment by both governments to address climate change. He added that the Biden administration’s 2021 Indo-Pacific Economic Framework calls for supporting private sector investments in resilience-building. In addition, he joined others in extending condolences to the Romulo family over the recent death of Ambassador Roberto R. Romulo who was a founding director of the US-Philippines Society.

Participants’ bio and forum event information

The program was co-hosted by US-Philippines Society, in partnership with Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia Forum and the SAIS Southeast Asian League of Students (SEALS). Chair for Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia Forum William Wise was moderator.