QUEZON CITY, July 29, 2025 – Responding to the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) calls for greater urgency in integrating climate action and more tangible climate-resilient solutions to the Philippines’ long-term strategies, ensuring optimal results and leading Filipinos towards better, sustainable development.

In detail, ICSC Executive Director Angelo Kairos dela Cruz said:

“The call for accountability has been evident in this year’s SONA, as the President emphasized the importance for progress across all the government’s programs and the need for their impacts to directly benefit Filipinos. Inter-agency collaboration across sectors – such as employment, agriculture, and energy – was also clear. 

“In ICSC, we have continuously emphasized that prioritizing climate action will lead to better development, and an important step is to approach it holistically. These pronouncements signal that we are on the right track. However, we underscore the need for more urgency in integrating climate action and more tangible solutions in the country’s long-term development strategies. 

“The science has already proven that climate change impacts will only worsen, especially if the pace and scale of climate action is not enough. As one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, it is all the more pressing that beyond disaster response initiatives such as evacuation centers and flood control projects, we have to ensure that Filipino communities are protected from climate- and disaster-related risks, and that they are equipped with the right tools and approaches to adapt to climate change impacts. 

“Renewable energy (RE) sources, which are readily available in the Philippines, are low hanging fruits that we need to prioritize. We laud the Department of Energy (DOE) for their continuous effort to facilitate rapid adoption of RE across the country, with nearly 200 power plants scheduled for commissioning for the next three years. Nearly 90% of these power plants will come from renewables – approximately 7.8 gigawatts (GW) from solar, 2.3 GW from wind, and 400 megawatts (MW) from battery storage – signaling a strong shift toward cleaner energy systems that will bring more affordable, reliable, and secure power for all Filipinos. However, we urge to expand the scope of the coal moratorium beyond greenfield coal projects, as 970 MW of the additional capacity in the next three years is still expected to come from the expansion of existing coal-fired power plants. 

“The Siquijor power crisis further reinforces the need for distributed power generation through RE. Given the Philippines’ archipelagic nature, energy planning and policy-making in the country must prioritize self-sufficiency and resilience. Decentralizing our energy systems can contribute to access to affordable and reliable electricity for both unserved and underserved areas, further reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. 

“The Philippines is truly worth investing in, as the President highlighted in yesterday’s SONA, and this means that a sustainable development pathway is necessary to deliver optimal, long-term impacts. The momentum for renewable energy investments is already accelerating, and we have to ensure that these investments translate to societal impact: spanning national infrastructure, locally-led and ecosystem-based approaches, people-centered transportation, and decent green jobs with livable wages. 

“As the current host of the Fund responding to Loss and Damage, and in the midst of preparations for the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026, the Philippines is in its best position to set an example for climate action and resilience. While the pronouncements made in this year’s SONA are promising, we call on the national government to have a stronger position and stand up for the most vulnerable: from calling for the long-overdue climate finance commitments of developed countries, to fostering transparency and accountability in the delivery of regional and national priorities. ICSC remains committed to working with the government and doing our part in advancing a more ambitious, just, and science-aligned climate action, because the lives, livelihoods, and future of our fellow Filipinos depend on it.”

ABOUT
The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities is a Philippine-based non-governmental organization that advances climate, energy, and low-carbon solutions to enable fair and climate-resilient development at the national and international levels.

CONTACT
Sanaf Marcelo, ICSC: media@icsc.ngo, +63 968 886 3466, +63 917 149 5649 

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