Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo has welcomed UN Special Rapporteur for climate change Ian Fry as the latter embarked on a 10-day trip to the Philippines.
The country’s top diplomat tackled the country’s climate actions under President Marcos during his meeting with UN Special Rapporteur.
Manalo cited the importance of the rapporteur’s role in promoting informed global discussions and driving consensus on issues such as climate finance, including loss-and-damage financing mechanism, which he said the Philippines has been pushing with other developing countries for some time now.
“Assured UN Special Rapporteur Ian Fry of PH’s full support for his mandate and a successful country visit. True to the Philippines’ climate action advocacies, we will work with Dr. Fry in pressing for urgent and meaningful COP28 (Conference of Parties) outcomes,” Manalo said.
Fry discussed with Manalo his mandate that was established by the Human Rights Council in 2021 following climate change and human rights talks in the Council, which had been shepherded by the Philippines, Vietnam and Bangladesh since 2009.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippines is the third country to be visited by Fry after his appointment in 2022 after Bangladesh and Honduras.
Manalo also emphasized the country’s efforts in championing climate justice, disaster risk resilience and climate adaptation, including through its participation in the advisory opinion proceedings by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and hosting of the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference in 2024, DFA said.
Besides the DFA chief, Fry also met with Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, with whom he discussed key features of the national policy framework.
Both Philippine officials expressed hope that Fry’s program would enable him to appreciate the Philippine government’s achievements and best practices in promoting and protecting human rights in the context of climate change.