The funding will support the country’s Climate Change Action Plan, Subprogram 2 (CCAP2), which aims to advance climate resilience and sustainability efforts nationwide.
The ceremonial exchange for the CCAP2 was formally executed in Manila on June 2, 2025, between Recto and French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel.
“This is a vote of confidence in the Filipino people and our shared vision of a greener, safer, and more resilient future,” said the Finance chief.
The CCAP2 builds upon the gains of the first subprogram (CCAP1), which ran from January 2020 to March 2022, and was funded by AFD (€150 million) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB, $250 million).
CCAP consists of three subprograms focused on critical policy reforms: strengthening climate planning, financing, and institutional coordination; enhancing resilience to climate impacts; and (promoting low-carbon development pathways.
These are aligned with the Philippines' Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and seek to support vulnerable communities in transitioning to a sustainable economy.
The current subprogram is co-financed by other international development partners: ADB with €449.12 million (P28.36 billion), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with JPY35 billion (P13.3 billion).
“With this agreement, we strengthen our strategic cooperation on climate action, reinforce our institutional capacities, and accelerate the delivery of real, lasting change—especially for the most vulnerable,” said Recto.
Ambassador Fontanel welcomed the deepening partnership, emphasizing that “France and the Philippines stand once again united in their commitment to address the urgent challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, and ocean protection.”
AFD Country Director Benedicte Gazon echoed this sentiment, stating that systemic, policy-level cooperation is crucial to addressing the scale of the climate crisis. “We firmly believe that working on systemic change is essential to meet the scale and urgency of today’s climate challenges,” she said.
Recto also reiterated the Philippine government’s strong commitment to ensuring the effective and transparent use of funds. “We will ensure that every euro invested, and every collaboration, will translate to meaningful impact in the lives of ordinary Filipinos.”
The AFD, France’s public development bank, plays a key role in supporting sustainable development and poverty alleviation worldwide. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
