Date: 20 May 2011
Place: Manila, Philippines
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) of the Government of the Philippines officially launched the the National Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) Strategy on 20 May 2011 in Manila, Philippines.
The EST Strategy has two objectives:
- To reduce the annual growth rate of energy consumption and associated green house gas (GHG) and air pollutant emissions from the transport sector in urban areas of the country; and
- To achieve sustainable mobility through the development of a viable market for environmentally sustainable transport (EST) goods and services, which includes promoting transportation systems of low carbon intensity and shifting towards the use of more sustainable transport modes.
Under the technical and financial support of UNCRD, CAI-Asia (through ADB-SUMA Project), and Ministry of the Environment, government of Japan (MOEJ), the National Center for Transportation Studies of the University of the Philippines (UP NCTS), the officially designated national collaborating center (NCC), prepared the National EST Strategy in close coordination with two EST focal points in the Government of the Philippines: Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Since the inception of the process in September 2008, the National EST Strategy had been reviewed and developed in a highly participatory and consultative process through a series of national stakeholders consultation meetings, including three regional consultations held in Iloilo, Davao, and Baguio.
Philippines Presidential Administrative Order No. 254 (dated 30 January 2009) to mandate DOTC to take the lead in formulating a Strategy also attached importance to the development of the National EST Strategy.
This comprehensive strategy is expected to serve as a national guideline for changing the country's transport policies into more people- and environment-friendly ones and to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Transport Goals set forth in the Bangkok 2020 Declaration, which is an important regional consensus agreed upon at the Fifth Regional EST Forum in Asia held in August 2010.
The Strategy is also expected to provide an important basis and framework to develop and realize relevant EST activities as nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) to take full benefit of the international support available in addressing the climate issues.
More about Formulation of the National EST Strategies
More about Asian EST Initiative
Launching of the Philippine National EST Strategy
Date: 20 May 2011
Venue: Discovery Suites, Manila, Philippines
Presided over by Hon. Jose P. De Jesus of Secretary of DOTC, and Hon. Elisea Bebet Gozun of Presidential Assistant on Climate Change and former Secretary of DENR-Philippines, official launching ceremony was held with attendance of over 70 officials from key government agencies, international organizations, donors, NGOs, and key transport stakeholders to cerebrate the completion and launching.
| Presentations/Speeches | Speakers |
|---|---|
| Opening Remarks | C.R.C. Mohanty, UNCRD |
| Message from Focal Agencies | Hon. Jose P. De Jesus, Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) |
| Hon. Ramon J. P. Paje Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) | |
| Panel Discussion: Operationalizing EST in Support of Sustainable Development in the Philippines
Facilitator: Ms. Sophie Punte and Mr. Bert Fabian, CAI-Asia |
|
| National EST Highlights | Dr. Jose Regin F. Regidor, NCTS |
| Reactions/Comments | Mr. George D. Esguerra, Asst. Sec., DOTC |
| Mr. Nigel Paul Villarete, former Cebu City Planning Coordinator | |
| Mr. Bruce Dunn, ADB | |
| Mr. Baher El-Hifnawi, WB | |
| Congratulatory Message | Hon. Akio Isomata, Minister, Embassy of Japan |
| Statement to mark the Official Launching of the National EST Strategy | Hon. Elisea "Bebet" G. Gozun, Presidential Assistant on Climate Change |
Web portal of the Philippines National EST Strategy (operated by NCTS)
For More about the launching event, please visit:
2. CAI-Asia
