Building Low Emission Alternatives to Develop Economic Resilience and Sustainability Project 2nd Quarterly Report

The project's primary objective is to contribute to the realization of the Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), specifically under Development Objective (DO) 3 – Environmental Resilience Improved. During the second quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, the project accomplished several key milestones. One notable achievement was the development of the Batangas City Green Business Summit Declaration, which was jointly crafted, signed, and adopted by the Local Government Unit (LGU) and the business sector of Batangas City. The declaration advocates for sustainable businesses and products, including climate change mitigation technologies and services. Another significant achievement was the release of Ordinance No. 13-2015-1073 by the city of Mandaue, which incorporates incentives for green buildings as stipulated in Section 3, Article 4 of the revised investment code. This ordinance accounts for 25 percent of the target set for FY 2016, bringing the accumulated result to 50 percent of the Life of Project (LOP) target. The project also conducted seven trainings related to green building ordinance implementation and the role of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in the preparation of Power Service Agreements (PSAs), among others. These trainings provided a total of 2,080 person-hours of instruction and learning sessions, with 60 percent of participants being men and 40 percent being women. This number of person-hours comprised 176 percent of the target set for FY 2016, with a cumulative result of 11,076 person-hours that is 185 percent of the LOP target. The project's activities are focused on strengthening in-country capacity on low-emission development, increasing investments in clean energy projects, and promoting public-private partnerships. The project's work is guided by the principles of gender equality and female empowerment, and it aims to contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change. The project's progress is being monitored and evaluated through a set of performance indicators, which include the number of laws, policies, strategies, plans, agreements, or regulations addressing climate change proposed, adopted, or implemented as a result of U.S. Government assistance. The project's quarterly reports provide an update on its progress and achievements, and they serve as a key tool for monitoring and evaluating the project's performance. The B-LEADERS project is a critical component of the USAID's efforts to promote low-emission development strategies in the Philippines. Its work is focused on building the capacity of local governments, businesses, and civil society organizations to develop and implement low-emission development strategies, and it aims to contribute to the realization of the country's development objectives and the Sustainable Development Goals.