Bacolod: The bill seeking to establish the University of the Philippines National Climate Resilience Institute (UP NCRI), introduced by Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez, is poised to benefit more communities in terms of science-based climate and disaster risk assessment. Dr. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay, UP Resilience Institute (UPRI) executive director and the director of the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center, called for support in the passage of the bill before local government officials and representatives during the Climate Resiliency Summit 2025 initiated by Benitez at the Nature’s Village Resort here Sunday afternoon.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lagmay emphasized the potential for the UP NCRI to distribute climate change maps to cities and municipalities, collaborating with state universities to conduct scientific research for climate and disaster risk assessment. Currently, the NOAH Center assists local government units (LGUs) and other entities willing to collaborate, but a transformation into a regularly funded institution would enable broader nationwide support.
The UP NOAH Center plays a critical role in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and mitigation efforts through research and development. House Bill 2577 aims to convert the UPRI into a national institute, the UP NCRI, continuing its mandate as a proactive hub for vital climate change information and empowering communities through multidisciplinary resilience actions.
In a press conference following the summit, Lagmay shared that from 2012 to 2017, Project NOAH received a budget of approximately PHP6.4 billion, supporting 21 projects, with the UPRI as a core component. He expressed a desire for the restoration of this regular funding, which ceased in 2017, stressing the significant impact even limited funding has had, with the NOAH platform generating substantial online engagement.
Rep. Benitez reiterated his commitment to advocating for House Bill 2577, expressing hope for its swift approval. He highlighted the government’s recognition of the necessity for science-based climate resilience planning, underscoring the bill’s role in institutionalizing such efforts.
The bill’s explanatory note, co-authored by Benitez, FPJ Panday Bayanihan party-list Rep. Bryan Poe Llamanzares, and Batangas Sixth District Rep. Ryan Recto, underscores the establishment of the UP NCRI as a solution to institutional gaps, providing a permanent, publicly funded scientific hub to support national and local risk planning, addressing the escalating climate and disaster risks facing the country.