The Board of Investments (BOI), in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), convened a key knowledge session last November 26 to equip government industry champions with the framework for ensuring a “just transition” to a low-carbon economy. The hybrid event, titled “Bridging Industry and Sustainability,” gathered participants from the BOI and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to align industrial strategy with climate goals.
In a video message, BOI Industry Development Service Executive Director Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa emphasized that the transition must not force a choice between growth and sustainability. “It should lead to a transformation that can unlock new markets, attract green investments, and create decent jobs,” she stated, underscoring the need for whole-of-society collaboration.
The session focused on the Just Transition Framework, which aims to protect workers, communities, and businesses from being disadvantaged in the shift toward sustainability. This approach is integral to the Philippines’ climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, its Energy Transition Plan, and the Green Jobs Act.
DENR experts outlined the national policy landscape. Mr. Rolando Abad Jr. presented the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), submitted in 2021, which target a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Ms. Sandee Recabar detailed the Just Transition Framework, highlighting requirements for strategic policy integration and collective action. Mr. Ludwig Federigan later discussed the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), the government’s blueprint for climate resilience.
In closing, BOI Industry Policy and Planning Service Director Sandra Marie Recolizado committed to enhancing the agency’s technical capabilities and aligning its programs with the Just Transition Framework. “Let us translate these insights into concrete actions—better-designed projects, more informed industry dialogues, and coordinated efforts across government,” she said.
The Philippines’ just transition efforts are coordinated through an Inter-Agency Steering Committee on Climate Change (IASCCC), where the BOI participates in a technical working group dedicated to the issue. The country’s NDC targets are conditional, with 72.29% contingent on international support for climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.
The initiative supports the national goal to position the Philippines as a regional hub for smart and sustainable industries, leveraging its reserves of green minerals and potential for new green value chains and jobs.#
