First Gen president Giles Puno (center) and vice president Shirley Cruz with CCC Sec. Robert Borje during the MOA signing at the Eugenio Lopez CenterFirst Gen Corporation and the Climate Change Commission (CCC) have agreed to work together in helping communities and local government units (LGUs) prepare climate change adaptation and mitigation plans and strategies.

First Gen president Giles Puno and CCC Sec. Robert Borje signed on Jan. 24, 2023 at the Eugenio Lopez Center (ELC) a memorandum of agreement that aims, among other things, to strengthen climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives of First Gen’s partner-communities and LGUs.

First Gen and CCC officials and staff planted trees on the ELC grounds to commemorate the start of the partnership.

“Our mission of forging collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future simply means that we cannot do it alone. Signing an agreement with Climate Change Commission is completely aligned with what our company is trying to do, in addressing an important challenge that’s ahead of us—climate change,” Puno said.

Both parties agreed on several joint commitments, including training key stakeholders using the CCC’s Communities for Resilience modules, which include a background on national and international climate change policies and frameworks.

They also committed to enhance the scope of First Gen’s Create for the Climate information, education and communication program by adding a training component on localized climate risk profiling and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Under the partnership,

First Gen’s host municipalities will be provided with guidance and technical assistance in formulating and enhancing their Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs). This could help the LGUs in accessing the People’s Survival Fund (PSF) for LGU-led climate adaptation programs.

Separately, the CCC has committed to organize for selected officials and personnel of First Gen’s partner-communities capacity development trainings related to LCCAP development and PSF proposal development.

The CCC is the lead policymaking body of the government tasked to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the programs and action plans relating to climate change.