The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is working closely with the Department of Energy (DOE) on updating the offshore wind and floating solar guidelines so they would become components of next year’s National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“I think what’s also very important is to take note of our energy roadmap because, for us, at this point, we would like to see the transitions, of course, that we all need to actually support in terms of the movement towards renewable energy sources,” Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said during a Palace press briefing on Wednesday.
“So, for the DENR, in this case, we have worked very closely with the DOE to update the guidelines for offshore wind and for a floating solar and those investments would be components of the next year’s NEP.”
The DENR secretary made the remarks when asked by reporters what climate-related projects will be funded by the P500 billion-climate change expenditures as proposed under the 2024 NEP.
Yulo-Loyzaga expressed elation on the implementation of convergence budgeting, through climate tagging, which involves the work of different departments and their contributions to either climate change adaptation or mitigation.
The Program Convergence Budgeting is an approach that aims to focus government resources on key programs and projects, which shall be coordinated in a holistic approach across departments/agencies working towards the same goals.
“Whether it involves the investments of the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), whether it involves the DOTr (Department of Transportation) for example in their design of their transportation infrastructure, whether it involves DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) for example in the preparation for possibly the impacts of typhoons such as the one that we’ve had… we are very glad for that,” she said.
In terms of the DENR’s own climate change agenda, Yulo-Loyzaga said that the agency now represents the President in the Climate Change Commission (CCC), and will be presenting soon the National Adaptation Plan during the 2024 budget deliberations.
“The National Adaptation Plan has really evolved over the number of years. It never has been finalized but we are happy to say that this is now in the process of being completed,” Yulo-Loyzaga said.
“The National Adaptation Plan will mention the different ways by which the investments in the NEP actually will realize positive values for us in terms of adaptation to climate change.” PND
