UNICEF calls for climate-resilient schools in PH
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara are ushered inside a classroom by a teacher at Epifanio Delos Santos Elementary School in Malate, Manila on Monday, June 16, 2025. DARLENE CAY/GMA Integrated News
UNICEF Philippines is calling on the government to prioritize the development of climate-resilient schools in the country as students return to school during the rainy season.
UNICEF made the appeal ahead of the country's submission of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) — the Philippines' updated climate action plan under the Paris Agreement — to be presented at the upcoming COP30 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil.
The organization urges the government to ensure the new NDCs are 'child-sensitive,' with concrete commitments to protect children's right to continuous, quality education amid worsening climate threats.
'The climate crisis is not just changing the planet, it is changing children,' said Behzad Noubary, UNICEF Philippines Representative Ad Interim.
"Climate-related class disruptions deprive them of opportunities to develop the necessary foundational and socioemotional skills to thrive in the future,' added Noubary.
The World Risk Index has ranked the Philippines as the country with the highest disaster risk for three years in a row. Meanwhile, a UNICEF study places the Philippines as the second most climate-vulnerable country for children in East Asia and the Pacific.
According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), students in disaster-prone areas lose up to a month's worth of school days each year due to weather-related disruptions.
The same report found that the Department of Education (DepEd) incurs nearly ?18 billion in annual losses due to damage from natural hazards. Floods, typhoons, and earthquakes routinely damage classrooms, destroy learning materials, and restrict student access, especially in remote areas where transport infrastructure is also compromised.
Climate goals
UNICEF stressed that schools can play a vital role in both climate adaptation and mitigation.
'Children cannot afford to wait. If we want to secure their future, we must act now. We need to transform climate goals into reality for children,' Noubary emphasized.
UNICEF is already working with school communities across the country to develop resilience through training, resources, and localized emergency preparedness protocols. It is also promoting inclusive and participatory climate action in schools, empowering students to advocate for their own rights and for the protection of their learning environments.
The organization is also pushing for climate investments that allow schools to better anticipate, absorb, and adapt to disasters — whether through stronger buildings, remote learning solutions, or climate education.
'We have a responsibility to ensure that every child — no matter where they live — can go to school safely, learn without interruption, and prepare for a future shaped by the climate crisis,' Noubary said.
As the government finalizes its climate roadmap for the next decade, UNICEF's message is clear: quality education must not be a casualty of the climate emergency. Ensuring that children learn in safe, inclusive, and resilient environments is not just an environmental goal — it is a moral and developmental imperative.
UNICEF is the United Nations agency dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of every child, especially those most vulnerable. Working in over 190 countries and territories, UNICEF strives to help children survive, thrive, and reach their full potential, no matter the challenges. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
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