University of the Philippines National Climate Resilience Institute Act

Stilate Anite of the meerretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 25 SEP 24 P4:50 First Regular Session ) SENATE RECEIVES BY: S. No. _ 1416 Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE INSTITUTE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE The Philippines remains one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, consistently ranked at the top of global risk indices. Each year, the country faces the devastating impacts of multiple typhoons, floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and droughts, alongside the slower yet equally damaging threats of sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and other climate change effects.? Despite the passage of Republic Act No. 10121 in 2010, which created the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and advanced the disaster risk reduction paradigm, institutional gaps continue to persist. Fragmented mandates, limited scientific integration, weak coordination across government levels, and persistent underperformance in local government units undermine the effectiveness of national resilience efforts? The University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI) was created as a hub for evidence-based disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation strategies. ^ Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft & Ruhr University Bochum - Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV). World Risk Report 2023. Available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/world-risk-report-2023 2 Asian Development Bank. Philippines: Assessment of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Institutional Capacity (2021). Available at: https://www.adb.org/projects/documents/phi-assessment-disaster-risk-reduction-and-management-in stitutional-capacity-tar

Over the years, it has served as a vital center for hazard mapping, data analytics, policy studies, and community engagement. However, as a regular unit within the UP System, the Institute lacks direct fiscal support from the national budget and does not enjoy the stability of plantilla positions and sustainable programming. These constraints limit its ability to function at the scale required by the country's escalating risk environment. This measure seeks to elevate the UPRI into the University of the Philippines National Climate Resilience Institute (UP NCRI), thereby granting it the authority, capacity, and permanence of a national institute. As such, it will be mandated to conduct policy, interdisciplinary, and action-oriented research, and to translate its findings into practical toolkits, operational templates, and planning guides usable by government agencies, local government units, and communities. It will maintain a centralized Resilience Knowledge Platform to serve as a repository of data, research, and best practices, while fostering collaboration with academic institutions, civil society, scientific organizations, and private sector partners. The UP NCRI will also establish educational programs, support degree offerings, and institutionalize a national system for resilience-oriented research and foresight. Through these functions, it will not only generate knowledge but also ensure that scientific insights are integrated into governance and practice, thereby strengthening the capacities of state institutions and communities to withstand and adapt to climate and disaster risks.3 The transformation of the UP Resilience Institute into the University of the Philippines National Climate Resilience Institute is both timely and necessary. By institutionalizing this national institute and securing its fiscal foundation, the State affirms the critical role of science, education, and evidence-based policy in safeguarding Filipino lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems from the intensifying threats of disasters and climate change. LOREN LEGARDA 3 Altan, O. et al. Disaster Risks Research and Assessment to Promote Risk Reduction and Management (2015). Archium Ateneo. Available at: https://archium.ateneo.edu/sa-faculty-pubs/51/

Senate Difite of the Secretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session ) 25 SEP 24 PA :50 SENATE S. No. 1416 Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE INSTITUTE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "University of the

2 Philippines National Climate Resilience Institute Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to:

(a) Uphold the right of all persons to life, safety, and human dignity by ensuring the protection of lives, livelihoods, infrastructure, cultural heritage, and ecosystems before, during, and after disasters; (b) Recognize climate resilience as an integral component of national development, environmental sustainability, and human security, and mainstream it into all levels of governance and sectors of society; (c) Promote a proactive, anticipatory, and risk-informed approach to disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), grounded in scientific evidence, multi-hazard assessments, and inclusive stakeholder engagement; (d) Ensure the establishment of a strong institutional foundation through the creation of a permanent national institute with the requisite authority, capacity, and mandate to oversee and coordinate resilience programs

and policies; (e) Institutionalize integrated national and local systems for early warning, emergency operations, recovery planning, data management, and public communication, including the use of digital governance, predictive analytics, and innovative technologies; (f) Facilitate sustained investment in resilience-building measures, including but not limited to public budgeting, private sector participation, risk financing instruments, and climate-related investment mechanisms; (g) Encourage innovation, localization, and community empowerment through research and development, resilience education, participatory governance, and indigenous and local knowledge systems; and (h) Monitor and evaluate disaster risk governance outcomes through evidence-based performance metrics, transparency mechanisms, and a robust system of policy feedback, public accountability, and continuous improvement.

Sec. 3. Establishment of the University of the Philippines National Climate

Resilience Institute. - The University of the Philippines Research Institute (UPRI) is hereby converted into a national institute to be known as the UP National Climate 19 Resilience Institute (UP NCRI).

Sec. 4. Mandate of the UP NCRI. - The UP NCRI shall continue the mandate of

the UPRI as a proactive hub of benchmark innovative information vital to the nation's efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation. It shall empower local 23 communities through multidisciplinary actions toward resilience. Among others, it shall: (a) Undertake policy research, action research, and interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary research or creative work; (b) Disseminate research findings, creative works, and innovations (c) Establish non-degree educational programs and support degree programs; (d) Establish and institutionalize a national system for resilience-oriented research, foresight, and knowledge integration to advance science- based, anticipatory, and adaptive resilience governance;

(e) Facilitate collaborative projects with universities, local government units (LGUs), scientific institutions, civil society organizations, and private sector partners, and shall support the translation of research into actionable policies and local solutions; (f) Develop and maintain a centralized and interoperable Resilience Knowledge Platform to serve as a public repository of resilience data, research findings, learning modules, analytics tools, and best practices; (9) Ensure that resilience-related research outputs, innovations, and knowledge products are converted into practical guidance materials, toolkits, planning aids, and operational templates for use by LGUs, local communities, and institutions; and (h) Improve the capability of relevant national agencies and offices as agents of change for climate resilience in the Philippines and the Pacific Rim region.

Sec. 6. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation

of this Act shall be charged against the current year's available appropriations of UPRI whose functions are herein absorbed, transferred, or realigned to the UP NCRI. 18 Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from

the effectivity of this Act, the University of the Philippines, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management, and other relevant agencies, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. The Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be developed through a consultative process involving local government units, civil society organizations, the private sector, academic institutions, and other relevant stakeholders, as applicable.

Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared

unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,

executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. Effectivity. - Notwithstanding the non-issuance of the implementing

rules and regulations, this Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,