The People's Survival Fund Act (RA 10174)

RA 10174 amends RA 9729 (Climate Change Act) to establish The People's Survival Fund, a long-term finance stream to enable the government to effectively address climate change. It creates the nine-member People's Survival Fund board tasked to oversee policy and strategy on how the funds will be used. The board will be chaired by the finance secretary. The budget will be funded under the General Appropriations Act and may be augmented by donations, endowments, grants and contributions.

The law guarantees an annual PHP1bn (USD 22.2m) fund. Activities supported through the fund include: (i) adaptation activities in water resources management, land management, agriculture and fisheries, health, infrastructure development, natural ecosystems including mountainous and coastal ecosystems; (ii) improvement of the monitoring of vector-borne diseases triggered by climate change, and in this context improving disease control and prevention; (iii) forecasting and early warning systems as part of preparedness for climate-related hazards; (iv) institutional development, for the LGUs in partnership with local communities and NGOs, for preventive measures, planning, preparedness and management of impacts relating to climate change, including contingency planning, in particular, for droughts and floods in areas prone to extreme climate events; and (v) strengthening or establishing regional centres and information networks to support climate change adaptation initiatives and projects. The fund may also serve as a guarantee for risk insurance needs for farmers, agricultural workers, and other stakeholders.