Courtesy: House of Representatives
HOUSE Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III on Tuesday said the proposed University of the Philippines-National Climate Resilience Institute (UP-NCRI) will play a critical role in helping the country confront the growing threats posed by climate change after the measure secured committee-level approval in the House of Representatives.
The House Committee on Higher and Technical Education jointly with the House Committee on Climate Change approved the substitute bill consolidating House Bills Nos. 2577, 4533, 5832, 6430, 6869, 8247, and 9029, which seek to establish the UP-NCRI as a permanent institution dedicated to advancing climate resilience and disaster preparedness in the country.
Dy said the measure recognizes that climate change is no longer a distant challenge but a present-day threat affecting millions of Filipinos through stronger typhoons, flooding, droughts, extreme heat, and other climate-related disasters.
“Taun-taon nating nararanasan ang mas malalakas na bagyo, mas matitinding pagbaha, tagtuyot, at iba pang epekto ng climate change. Kung nais nating maprotektahan ang ating mga komunidad at kabuhayan, kailangan nating paghusayin ang ating kakayahang magplano, maghanda, at tumugon gamit ang pinakamahusay na siyensiya at datos,” Dy said.
“Ang pagtatatag ng UP-National Climate Resilience Institute ay isang mahalagang hakbang upang matulungan tayong harapin ang mga panganib na dulot ng climate change. Magiging sentro ito ng pananaliksik, inobasyon, at pagbuo ng mga polisiya na makatutulong sa pamahalaan at mga lokal na komunidad sa paggawa ng mas matalinong desisyon.”
Dy noted that the Philippines remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate-related disasters, making investments in climate science, research, and preparedness increasingly important.
“Hindi man natin kayang pigilan ang mga bagyo o iba pang natural na kalamidad, kaya naman nating bawasan ang kanilang epekto kung mas mahusay ang ating kaalaman, paghahanda, at koordinasyon. Ang institusyong ito ay makatutulong upang gawing mas matatag ang ating mga komunidad laban sa mga hamon ng nagbabagong klima,” he said.
The Speaker also emphasized the importance of harnessing the expertise of the country’s premier state university in addressing one of the defining challenges of the 21st century.
“Napakaraming Filipino scientists, researchers, at experts ang may kakayahang tumulong sa pagharap sa climate change. Sa pamamagitan ng UP-NCRI, mabibigyan natin sila ng isang matibay na institusyon na maaaring magsilbing sentro ng kaalaman at inobasyon para sa buong bansa,” Dy said.
The substitute measure seeks to institutionalize the UP-NCRI and build upon the University of the Philippines’ long-standing work in disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, and resilience science.
UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, who appeared before the joint hearing of the Committees on Higher and Technical Education and Climate Change, noted that after Project NOAH concluded as a national government program in 2017, UP stepped in to ensure that the knowledge, data, systems, and expertise developed through the initiative would continue serving the Filipino people. Through the UP Resilience Institute and the UP NOAH Center, the university has since worked with government agencies, local governments, schools, and communities by providing hazard assessments, geospatial analytics, risk modeling, technical assistance, training programs, and decision-support tools that support planning and disaster preparedness efforts across the country.
“In this environment, resilience cannot be treated as a temporary project. It must become a permanent national commitment,” Jimenez said.
He emphasized the value of science-based decision-making in protecting lives and communities.
“These efforts have demonstrated something important: science saves lives when it reaches the people who need it most,” he pointed out.
Jimenez likewise stressed the need for a permanent institution to sustain resilience efforts over the long term.
He stressed that “climate change does not operate on project timelines. Disaster risks do not pause when grants end.”
According to Jimenez, the proposed institute would provide a stronger and more enduring platform for research, innovation, capacity-building, and science-based policymaking. It would help preserve and strengthen the country’s investments in resilience science, bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and public decision-making, and provide communities and local governments access to the tools, data, and expertise they need to anticipate risks before disasters occur.
Jimenez said that “the question is not whether we can afford to invest in resilience. The question is whether we can afford not to.”
Jimenez also briefed the House chief on Project NOAH in September last year. During the meeting, the Speaker expressed support for the initiative and emphasized the importance of ensuring that local governments have access to the tools, data, and expertise needed to prepare for disasters. The proposed UP-NCRI seeks to strengthen these efforts by providing a permanent institutional framework for climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and science-based policymaking.
