France has committed 250 million euros to the Philippines to support disaster risk reduction enhancement at the local level, the Department of Finance (DOF) said in a statement yesterday.
The DOF and the Agence Franí§aise de Développement (AFD) have signed the policy-based loan — approximately P14 billion — that is budget support in nature. The DOF said the program covers disaster risk reduction at the local level as well as disaster preparedness and response.
The Disaster Risk Reduction Enhancement at the Local Level Programme will also support the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in decentralizing the mandate and services for disaster risk reduction and climate change management to the local government units (LGUs).
According to the DOF, the fund will not only help build the capacity of the LGUs but also support ongoing reform programs throughout the country, taking into account the demands of the “new normal” that seek to address public health emergency concerns, as demonstrated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experience.
The program seeks to support LGUs in a sustainable trajectory as well as build the resilience of local economies and communities, the DOF said.
At the same time, this will limit any damage caused by disasters, reduce post-disaster emergency response time and make the recovery period more effective, it added.
Carlos Dominguez, DOF secretary, said the financing agreement highlights the strong partnership between France and a high-risk country like the Philippines on mitigating the adverse impact of climate change, in support of the country’s commitments on climate action under the Paris Agreement.
“This loan is the result of a long-term partnership with the DILG through the Disaster Risk Management Institutional Strengthening Project financed by the European Union through the AFD. It aims to further develop our cooperation on disaster risk management and climate change adaptation capacity for a period of three years,” Laurent Klein, AFD country director, for his part, said.
“It is also in line with France’s commitment to support climate action under the Paris Agreement, in order to help the Philippine government meet the ambitious targets it set for itself when it submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution to the UNFCCC earlier this year,” Klein added.
Meanwhile, French ambassador Michí¨le Boccoz stressed through the AFD, France is keen to support the Philippine government in implementing strategic reforms towards climate change mitigation and adaptation, including disaster risk governance at the local level.
