MANILA, Philippines — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) is fast-tracking the development of standards and certification system for providing incentives to enterprises that generate and sustain “green” jobs.
Republic Act 10771 or the Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016 defines green jobs as “employment that contributes to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment, be it in the agriculture, industry or services sector.”
The CCC aims to start next year the implementation of the system which will certify business enterprises that comply with RA 10771.
The law provides for “special deduction from the taxable income equivalent to 50 percent of the total expenses for skills training and research development expenses which is over and above the allowable ordinary and necessary business deductions for said expenses under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.”
The incentives also include “tax- and duty-free importation of capital equipment: provided that the capital equipment is actually, directly and exclusively used in the promotion of green jobs of the business enterprise.”
CCC secretary Emmanuel de Guzman said the commission is also expediting the update of the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) using a whole-of-government-and-society approach.
“We are updating the NCCAP to advance climate actions based on the country’s current development, priorities, climate finance strategies, and research and development needs,” De Guzman said.
The revised NCCAP will include the National Adaptation Plan, which presents the climate actions in seven priority areas; and the nationally determined contribution (NDC), which defines the country’s target of reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
In 2015, the Philippines has committed to reduce its emissions by 70 percent by 2030.
CO2 is among greenhouse gases that help trap heat in the atmosphere, raising global temperature which leads to climate change.
“Although we emit only less than half of one percent of the global emissions, submitting an ambitious NDC in the context of our national capability and circumstance is critical in enjoining other nations to heed the call for urgent and ambitious action,” De Guzman said.
The Philippines and other signatories to the Paris agreement are expected to re-submit or update their climate pledges or NDCs by next year.
The Paris agreement aims to strengthen global response to the threat of climate change by keeping the global temperature increase “well below” two degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial times and preferably within 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The climate pact is set to come into effect in 2020.