Philippines: A Whole-of-government Approach to Creating Green Jobs

The Philippines has adopted a comprehensive national strategy for a just transition, primarily through the 2016 Green Jobs Act (RA 10771), which provides financial incentives for businesses to create decent, environmentally beneficial employment. Supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the country piloted just transition guidelines from 2016 to 2017, establishing inter-agency cooperation and social dialogue mechanisms. While the framework is strong, challenges remain regarding worker protections, barriers to green business technology, and low public awareness of climate change.

• The 2016 Green Jobs Act (RA 10771) promotes sustainable growth and climate resilience by offering financial incentives to businesses that create 'green jobs'. These are defined as employment that helps preserve or restore the environment and meets standards for decency, including fair income, worker rights, and social protection. Specific incentives include tax-free imports of capital equipment and tax deductions for research, development, and skills training equivalent to 50% of the total cost.
• Between June 2016 and December 2017, the Philippines participated in a pilot implementation of the ILO's Guidelines on Just Transition towards Environmentally Sustainable Economies and Societies. This initiative, funded by the ILO and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), resulted in the 2017 Implementing Rules and Regulations for the Green Jobs Act, which emphasize social justice, poverty reduction, and job security for affected workers.
• The Philippine government employs a 'whole-of-government' approach to green jobs, involving 15 different government departments and agencies. The Climate Change Commission serves as the lead policy-making body. This integrated strategy aligns the Green Jobs Act with the Philippine Development Plan and the country's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.
• Despite policy foundations, the transition faces significant hurdles, including a historical lack of social safety nets and labor rights, which the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) highlighted by ranking the country in the second-lowest of six categories in 2020. Additionally, businesses struggle with high capital costs and a lack of expertise in green technology, while policymakers face limited public awareness of climate change at the community level.

APA

World Resources Institute (2021). Philippines: A Whole-of-government Approach to Creating Green Jobs. https://www.wri.org/snapshots/philippines-whole-government-approach-creating-green-jobs

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Philippines: A Whole-of-government Approach to Creating Green Jobs. 2021. https://www.wri.org/snapshots/philippines-whole-government-approach-creating-green-jobs.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Philippines: A Whole-of-government Approach to Creating Green Jobs |date=1 April 2021 |url=https://www.wri.org/snapshots/philippines-whole-government-approach-creating-green-jobs |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2021philippines, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Philippines: A Whole-of-government Approach to Creating Green Jobs}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://www.wri.org/snapshots/philippines-whole-government-approach-creating-green-jobs}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }