P1-B people’s survival fund not enough

The P1-billion People’s Survival Fund (PSF) will not be enough to fund the climate change adaptation projects of local government units, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) said Wednesday.

CCC acting deputy executive director Joyceline Goco said in a media briefing in Malacañang that they have so far received 13 proposals from LGUs, mostly situated in regions in Mindanao.

The PSF is a fund created through Republic Act 10174 signed by President Benigno Aquino III in 2012. At least P1 billion should be allotted as the PSF annually.

The Department of Finance (DOF), which heads the PSF board, however, has only activated the fund recently.
In October, the DOF asked LGUs to submit their proposals on climate change mitigation related projects.

“Looking at their proposals, in terms of the amount that they are requesting, we will go beyond the P1-billion allocation...We really have to increase the amount of P1 billion,” said Goco.

But Goco was quick to add that the proposals would still have to be evaluated and approved.

“We have to prove first and to see what are the different proposals...These proposals should be proposals on climate change adaptation and not just a proposal to, for example, develop an infrastructure by the local government,” she pointed out.

“[Proposals were] more on infrastructure like flood-control projects but would it really address climate change or would it be business-as-usual flood control projects?” Goco added.

Apart from this, Goco reminded LGUs to submit all the necessary documentary requirements before the funds are made available to them. —ALG, GMA News