PCW and CCC Forge Stronger Alliance for Gender-Just Climate Action

^{The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and the Climate Change Commission (CCC) renewed their partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)  to advance gender equality in climate governance.
In photo (L-R): CCC Commissioner and GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) Chairperson Atty. Rachel Anne Herrera, CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Secretary Robert E.A. Borje,
PCW Executive Director Nharleen Santos-Millar,  and PCW OIC Deputy Executive Director for Management Services Dr. Macario T. Jusayan.}

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and the Climate Change Commission (CCC) reaffirmed their commitment to advancing gender equality in climate governance with the signing of a strengthened Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at the City Garden Suites in Manila on November 20, 2025. 

The ceremony gathered key leaders from both agencies, including PCW Executive Director Nharleen Santos-Millar, CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Secretary Robert E.A. Borje, CCC Commissioner and GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) Chairperson Atty. Rachel Anne Herrera, and PCW OIC Deputy Executive Director for Management Services Dr. Macario T. Jusayan, attesting the partnership’s strategic importance in integrating gender-responsive approaches across national climate action.

A Renewed Partnership Built on Shared Purpose

^{Building on years of foundational work, PCW and CCC officials signed the new MOA,
deepening the collaboration on gender and climate change action that was initially established by their 2018 Memorandum of Understanding.}

The collaboration between PCW and CCC traces back to the 2018 Memorandum of Understanding, which first formalized the agencies joint work on gender and climate change. Since then, both institutions have undertaken a series of key initiatives—from policy reviews and gender analysis workshops to the development of PCW’s Gender and Development (GAD) Proactive Technical Assistance (ProTA) Plan for the Environment Sector.

These collective efforts have strengthened the foundations for a more inclusive and gender-responsive climate governance system in the Philippines.

In her commitment message delivered during the ceremony by Executive Director Santos-Millar, PCW Chairperson Valdeavilla emphasized the justice dimension of climate work.

^{Executive Director Nharleen Santos-Millar, reads the commitment message of Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla,
which emphasized that women—particularly those in rural and marginalized communities—bear the brunt of climate change while also serving as vital leaders of gender-just adaptation and resilience.}

“Climate change is not only an environmental crisis—it is a social, economic, and gender justice issue. Women, particularly those in rural, indigenous, and low-income communities, are among the first to feel its effects and, at the same time, among the most powerful agents of adaptation and recovery,” she said, underscoring how women in rural and marginalized communities experience disproportionate impacts yet remain powerful leaders in adaptation and resilience.

She further reinforced this by stating, “Climate action without gender justice is not climate action at all”. Noting that the Philippines, which was ranked number 1 in the 2024 World Risk Index for overall disaster risk, requires building gender-just climate-resilient systems where women’s knowledge, labor, and leadership are recognized as central to climate solutions.

Secretary Borje supported this view, highlighting the MOA as a concrete and strategic roadmap.

^{CCC Secretary Robert E.A. Borje called the MOA a roadmap for action, placing women’s leadership and gender equity at the heart of the Philippines’ climate response.}

“The MOA is a blueprint for tangible action,” he noted, asserting that the partnership ensures gender lens is integrated into climate policies, financing mechanisms, and local adaptation strategies. “We are here because we recognize a fundamental truth: climate change is not gender-neutral. It deepens existing social inequalities, and its impacts fall disproportionately on women. However, our purpose today is not to frame women solely as victims, but to empower and position them as leaders, innovators, and vital agents of change in our national climate action”, he added.

Both agencies reaffirmed that climate change is not gender-neutral—its impacts deepen existing inequalities, making women’s leadership and agency essential to effective climate responses.

A Strategic Roadmap: The 2025–2026 Joint Work Plan

^{PCW OIC Deputy Executive Director for Management Services Dr. Macario T. Jusayan presented the expanded 2025–2026 Joint Work Plan,
outlining coordinated actions to embed gender responsiveness across national climate policies, systems, and programs.}

At the center of the renewed partnership is an expanded Joint Work Plan for 2025–2026, presented by PCW OIC Deputy Executive Director for Management Services, Dr. Macario T. Jusayan. The work plan outlines coordinated actions across three major outcomes to institutionalize gender responsiveness within the climate sector. 

1. Strengthening Gender-Responsive National Climate Policies and Systems. The plan includes:

• Development of the Gender Action Plan for the National Adaptation Plan (NAP GAP) through nationwide consultations.
• Integration of gender-specific indicators into the Climate Change Expenditure Tagging (CCET) system.
• Improved monitoring and evaluation of gender outcomes in national climate frameworks.

2. Building Institutional Commitment and Capacity. To ensure durable gender integration, the partnership invests heavily in institutional strengthening:

• Capacity-building workshops on Gender Analysis, the Harmonized GAD Guidelines, and GAD Planning and Budgeting for CCC’s GFPS and program implementers.
• Strengthening the gender integration elements in climate programs supported by the People’s Survival Fund (PSF).
• Submission and validation of the CCC’s Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework (GMEF) assessment.

3. Ensuring Adoption of Gender-Responsive Tools and Policies. The partnership will finalize and institutionalize:

• The Harmonized GAD Guidelines (HGDG) Checklist for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CCAM).
• A PCW–CCC Joint Circular that will mandate and guide its adoption across relevant national agencies and local government partners.

This package of tools ensures that gender responsiveness is embedded in climate programs from conceptualization to implementation and evaluation.

Affirmations of the Partnership

^{Affirming the PCW’s resolve to sustain the partnership, Executive Director Nharleen Santos-Millar declared that climate action must include gender justice, equity, and sustained institutional support.}

PCW Executive Director Santos-Millar reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to sustain the partnership. “Climate action without gender justice is not climate action at all,” she said, emphasizing the need for equity, inclusion, and continuous institutional support.

^{PCW and CCC officials proudly signed the new MOA, deepening their partnership to advance gender-responsive climate action for a Bagong Pilipinas.}

Looking toward the future, CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director, Secretary Robert E.A. Borje reminded both agencies that the true impact of the partnership would be seen in its implementation. 

“The true measure of our success lies in the lives improved, the resilience built, and the leadership fostered in communities across the archipelago,” he declared.

Toward a Just, Inclusive, and Climate-Resilient Bagong Pilipinas

The MOA signing concluded with a photo session featuring members of the PCW–CCC Technical Working Group, GFPS representatives, and sectoral teams—symbolizing collective commitment to the work ahead.

^{The post-signing photo session symbolized the collective commitment of the PCW–CCC Technical Working Group, GFPS representatives,
and sectoral teams to advance gender equality across national climate policies and programs.}

The renewed PCW–CCC partnership stands as a crucial step in ensuring that climate policies and programs across the Philippines uplift women’s leadership, address gender-differentiated vulnerabilities, and advance equitable climate resilience for all.

This strengthened collaboration supports the country’s broader commitments under the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Gender Action Plan, the National Adaptation Plan, and other national frameworks toward a just, inclusive, gender-responsive, and climate-resilient Bagong Pilipinas.