MANILA -- In a concerted effort to strengthen the systematic incorporation of climate considerations within the government's budget, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) recently convened National Government Instrumentalities (NGIs) for the Annual Climate Change Expenditure Tagging (CCET) Orientation.
Aligned with the National Budget Call for FY2025, this year's CCET Orientation provided up-to-date information on NGIs’ climate budget programming, supporting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s vision for sustainable development and climate resilience.
The orientation was held in four batches, catering to budget officers, planning officers, and climate change focals of National Government Agencies (NGAs), agency members of the Program Convergence Budgeting (PCB) Risk Resiliency Program (RRP), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and Government Owned- or Controlled-Corporations (GOCCs).
Highlighting the significance of their roles, CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje emphasized, “As stewards of public funds, your roles extend beyond routine budgeting and programming. You help build the architecture of our nation’s climate resilience. Your meticulous planning, programming, and budgeting activities are the building blocks that contribute to the success of CCET and our nation’s adaptation and mitigation strategies.”
“We are reminded of our duty as public servants to be at the forefront of the national government’s transformative climate agenda”, DBM Undersecretary Joselito R. Basilio added.
In December 2023, the DBM issued National Budget Memorandum No. 149 to guide agencies in coordinating their resources toward achieving banner government programs such as climate change and risk resiliency.
“Let us remember that the delivery of climate actions within our respective mandates is a necessity”, said CCC Commissioner Albert P. Dela Cruz Sr.
The event was attended by 356 NGIs to enhance their capacity to tag, identify, and advance public resources for climate action.
The orientation marks the beginning of the CCET Quality Assurance and Review (QAR) approval process where the CCC reviews the climate-related programs identified by NGIs.
Pursuant to the CCC Memorandum Circular 2024-01, NGIs are expected to submit their climate budget proposals to CCC from 13 March 2024 until 12 April 2024 for issuance of an approval letter, as part of the DBM’s requirement for climate budget tagging.
In the 2024 National Budget Call, 260 out of 364 NGAs participated in the CCET process, making a significant advancement from the previous fiscal year, where 210 out of 326 NGAs participated in CCET.
The CCET serves as the government’s tool to track, monitor, and report public climate expenditures within its annual appropriations.
For more information about the CCET, visit https://climate.gov.ph/ and https://niccdies.climate.gov.ph/climate-finance/ccet. (CCC)
