MANILA, Philippines — The Aquino government has earmarked a substantial budget for anti-climate change initiatives for next year by proposing P12.3 billion for flood control and mitigation and another P7.5 billion for disaster-stricken provinces.

LPGMA party-list Rep. Arnel Ty threw his support behind the government’s fund allocation for the anti-climate change initiatives as contained in the proposed P1.816-trillion General Appropriations Act for 2012.

He said it is necessary to pour in resources to boost the country’s capacity to mitigate climate change, quoting a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) report showing that one-third of Metro Manila and between 20 to 80 percent of the land areas of at least 19 provinces are “susceptible to floods.”

He expressed concern that some 33.2 percent of the National Capital Region’s land area is vulnerable to floods based on the DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau report. Among the 19 provinces considered as most susceptible to floods are Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Maguindanao, Bulacan, North Cotabato, Mindoro Oriental, Ilocos Norte, Iloilo, La Union, Cagayan, Sultan Kudarat, Ilocos Sur, Bataan, Leyte, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, and Camarines Sur.

“As weather conditions become more extreme, we’re afraid that more communities are at risk of getting distressed by flooding in the years ahead,” Ty said.

In the national government’s proposed budget for 2012, some P12.3 billion has been allocated for the construction of 8,000 lineal meters of flood barriers, mostly along main river systems and key basins, and another P793 million for the Metro Manila Development Authority’s Solid Waste and Disposal Management Project to lessen the buildup of trash in waterways.

Ty also expressed support to the additional P367 million given to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) for automation since “fast and reliable weather forecasting has become absolutely imperative due to harsh climate change.”

He also noted that the Laguna de Bay Institutional Strengthening and Community Participation Project and the Pasig River Rehabilitation Project would get P485 million and P173 million respectively.

Ty said some P7.5 billion has also been earmarked for next year’s calamity fund, which is 50 percent more than the fund’s P5-billion allocation this year.

The fund provides aid, relief, and rehabilitation services to communities hit by man-made and natural calamities, including disease outbreaks, crises due to armed conflicts, insurgency, terrorism, and other catastrophes, which may arise during the budget year or those that occurred in the immediately preceding year.