Senators Loren Legarda and Pia Cayetano drew support Thursday from the think tank La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI) in their proposal to recast the proposed P1.541-trillion budget for 2010 and make it more sensitive to the needs of the people to prepare them for the adverse effects of climate change.

Jonathan Ronquillo, LLPI environment campaigner, reminded lawmakers that the Philippines will remain vulnerable to climate change because of its unique geographic location.

He said the LLPI is calling for the massive cultivation of crops that can grow under conditions of high salinity, drought and prolonged flooding.

He said the proposals of Legarda and Cayetano support the LLPI's alternative budget proposal.

In its alternative budget proposal entitled "Financing Climate Change Actions: A Must for the 2010 Budget," LLPI called for a development path that is responsible to the urgent needs of the nation to respond to climate change.

LLPI asked Malacañang to use its P140-billion savings in 2008 to strengthen its disaster response strategy, starting with funding the ongoing rehabilitation efforts in typhoon-affected areas that were ravaged by cyclones Ondoy, Pepeng, and Ramil.

The paper, copies of which were submitted by LLPI to members of the Senate, noted the lack of overall national framework for climate change, highlighting the need for harmonization to ensure maximum impact of the various mitigation and adaptation initiatives of the government and various stakeholders.

"The Philippines is composed of 7,100 islands and islets and is situated along the typhoon belt, which makes us more prone to natural disasters. We need to strengthen our disaster response, first by financing climate-change mitigation and adaptation measures," he said.

LLPI insists on allocating an additional P11.4 billion for the environment and natural resources sector to better prepare the country to extreme weather effects such as drought and super typhoons.

The amount will cover specific climate change mitigation and adaptation measures to be implemented by government agencies, particularly the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Ronquillo noted that the DENR, the agency mandated to protect and promote the environment, was allotted P9.58 billion for 2010, which is 17.6 percent or P2 billion lower compared to the current year's budget of P11.63 billion, which is way below what is needed by the country.

The alternative budget proposal, Ronquillo said, will hopefully cover climate change mitigation and adaptation measures anchored on: Renewable/sustainable energy systems; biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry; clean and green industrial technology, and ecological waste management.