21-07-2025
People's Survival Fund Board OKs P99 million for climate vulnerability projects
Projects to be funded include the restoration of mangroves in areas in Pandan, Catanduanes and Tagum, Davao del Norte. File photo
The People's Survival Fund (PSF) Board, led by members of the government's economic team, has approved P99.675-million worth of grant resources for five new projects across the country seen to help local governments address climate vulnerability.
In its meeting on July 18, the PSF Board approved two full projects, and three project development grants. The PSF was created to supplement the annual appropriations allocated by government agencies and local government units for climate-change related programs and projects.
The biggest funding will be P86.162 million for reforestation and climate smart infrastructure initiatives in Pandan, Catanduanes, seen to address the municipality's vulnerability to storm surges and drought.
These include a Mangrove EcoShield component that will reforest 10 hectares of forest in six barangay beneficiaries, along with a mangrove nursery that will be established in Barangay Balagñonan to support the livelihood of around 519 individuals from 10 fisherfolk associations and five multi-sectoral associations.
Another project is the Climate-Smart Infrastructure Support for Agriculture (CSISA), which seeks to reduce reliance on external vegetable sources, and provide support to around 774 members of 15 farmers associations, and five multi-sectoral associations hit by drought.
Another fully-funded project will be a P7.513-million reforestation project in Tagum, Davao del Norte, which includes the restoration of 55 hectares or 57% of open and degraded mangrove ecosystems in barangays Busaon, Liboganon, Madaum, San Isidro, and Bingcungan.
Calamity early warning systems (EWS) will also be installed in the flood-prone barangays of Apokon, Canocotan, Madaum, and San Miguel, with around 36,084 households.
Project development grants worth P2 million each were likewise approved to help project proponents develop comprehensive proposals, including one for Basay, Negros Oriental that will support the proposal development of a rehabilitation and conservation project involving the Basay River and Watershed.
Also approved were those for Claver, Surigao del Norte involving an approach to address rising water levels and storm surges through nature-based solutions, and for Rizal, Kalinga involving the construction of irrigation networks to help address the impact of drought on agricultural productivity.
The PSF Board is chaired by the Department of Finance Secretary, and counts as members the vice chairperson of the Climate Change Commission, the Budget Secretary, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Director-General, the Interior Secretary, the chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Women, and representatives from the academe, the business sector, and non-government organizations (NGOs).
According to the Department of Finance (DOF), the PSF Board has approved P1.421-billion worth of resources for a total of 21 local climate adaptation projects and project developments to date. — BM, GMA Integrated News
