Introduction

Climate change without a doubt is the most serious global environmental challenge we are
facing. It is estimated that the worldwide average temperatures rose by 0.7°C in the last century.
Further, the period of 2001-2011 was recorded as the hottest by various meteorological services
around the world. Climate models shows that global warming is more likely to increase and exceed
the projected 2°C, with a possible 4°C increase as early as 2060 causing severe impacts to global,
regional, and national conditions (The World Bank, 2012).
As the third most vulnerable country in the world to weather-related extreme events, earth
quakes, and sea level rise, we are already experiencing the consequences brought about by climate
change. We are very much directly exposed to multiple climate-related hazards such as typhoons
(i.e. Pepeng, Ondoy, Yolanda), floods (i.e. Rizal, Metro Manila), landslides (i.e. Quezon, Leyte),
and droughts (i.e. 1997-1998, 2010). Among the most affected are those living in coastal
communities and the lower rung urban communities that lack awareness on proper disaster
preparedness measure to take. The urban poor in informal settlements are also considered the most
vulnerable group due in part to additional pressure on urban systems created by rapidly increasing
population growth.
The increasing levels of Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that form in our atmosphere is
said to be the major contributor to global warming. While we in the Philippines are minor
producers of such relative to other countries, our GHG emissions are projected to quadruple in the
energy sector and double in the transport sector by 2030 due to growing economy, urbanization
and motorization. Human-induced environmental deterioration and unsustainable development
practices that aggravate the country’s climate vulnerability has been more rampant and also
extensive, adding more to our dilemma.
In response to the urgency to act on climate change, the Republic Act 9729, otherwise
known as the Climate Change Act of 2009 paved the way for the establishment of the Climate
Change Commission (CCC), a policymaking body that will coordinate, monitor and evaluate
climate change programs and action plans in the country. The National Framework Strategy on
Climate Change (NFSCC) 2010-2022 was then created to denote the guiding principles that
envision “…a climate risk-resilient Philippines with healthy, safe, prosperous and self-reliant
communities with thriving and productive ecosystems…” carried out through the development of
the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) 2011-2028.
However, although the Climate Change Act and the NCCAP represent a clear evolution of
priorities for our country, climate policy reform efforts are only partially aligned with development
plan outcomes, thus limiting their effectiveness. National, sectoral, and local plans and policies are
not fully aligned with the NCCAP, creating difficulties in monitoring climate activities and
hampering coordination and convergence across all levels of government. More importantly, there
were insufficient provisions of technical and financial assistance to Local Government Units
(LGUs) to formulate their own Local Climate Change Actions Plans (LCCAP).
As satement, the People’s Survival Fund (PSF) was created to finance adaptation programs
and projects that are directly supportive of the objectives enumerated in the NCCAP and LCCAP
of LGUs and communities.
Through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), a memorandum
circular no. 2014-135 dated October 21, 2014 provided the LGUs with the guidelines on
formulating their own LCCAP and another unnumbered memorandum dated October 3, 2014
provides the framework for mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and climate change in
Local Development Plans (LDP).
 Effects of Climate Change in Dasmarinas Cavite

Evidences

FLOOD (HEAVY RAINFALL)

EXTREME WEATHER
DENGUE OUTBREAK
WATER & ENERGY SHORTAGE
 Implications

Climate change is happening now and it's happening, not in far-flung corners of the world,
but in human communities. Scientists say human activities are largely responsible for the
continued increase in average global temperatures, which causes climate change. Global
greenhouse gases emitted by the fossil fuel industry (which gives us electricity and fuels our cars)
trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere thus warming the entire planet. Dasmarinas City will likely
experience the effects of climate change:

Energy:
 Bulk of local power supply in RP comes from hydroelectricity
 Any decrease in rainfall means more reliance on imported coal and oil

Agriculture:
 Less rain or too much rain means less harvest
 More intense El Nino
 Changes in timing of rain also critical
 CO 2 rise favors crops, but weeds like it more
 CO 2rise can enhance corn growth, but only in roots and stalk, not its edible parts

Forests and biodiversity:

 Moist forests will shrink, turn into dry forests
 GW may raise flood risk, worsening habitat degradation and species loss
 However, human impact still much more damaging

Health:
 Disease vectors (i.e. mosquitoes) will expand range
 Displacement due to disasters will be a worsening health issue
Water Resources:
 Rainfall, river flow and flooding to intensify
 Rainfall is decreasing over Luzon and parts of Mindanao where major dams are found
 Rainfall is increasing in the Visayas where there are no major dams
 Sea level rise may cause salinity intrusion; Laguna Lake at risk

Marine Resources:
 Warmer temperatures can kill coral (as in 1998)
 Higher CO 2 in atmosphere can disrupt carbonate chemistry, make shell and bone
formation difficult

References

Climate Change And the Philippines (2009, April 20). Retrieved from
https://www.slideshare.net/meih/climate-change-and-the-philippines-1315236

Ranada, P. (2014, January 22). 6 ways climate change will affect PH cities. Retrieved from
https://www.rappler.com/nation/48599-six-ways-climate-change-affects-ph-cities

Algo, J. (2017, September 9). How climate change impacts health in the Philippines.
Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-climate-change-impacts-
health-in-the-philippines_us_59c4f03de4b0f2df5e83ad6d