The Philippine Chamber of Cooperatives. Inc. (Coop Chamber), representing millions of cooperative members nationwide, declares its comprehensive position at the ongoing COP30 Summit from November 10 to 21, 2025 in Belem, Brazil.
“We stand firm: our communities are on the frontlines of climate change, disasters, and food insecurity, and we demand urgent, just, and people-centered action,” -Mr. Noel D. Raboy, Chairperson of the Philippine Chamber of Cooperatives, Inc. and the President and Chief Executive Officer of the CLIMBS Life and General Insurance Cooperative.
On Climate Change
- Climate justice is not charity. Throughout history, countless casualties and victims have perished due to injsutices. We must continue to demand climate justice, for it is a debt owed to vulnerable nations like the Philippines.
- We strongly urge scaled-up climate financing that flows directly to grassroots communities, empowering those most at risk, rather than being trapped in layers of bureaucracy.
- Cooperatives must be recognized as key implementers of adaptation and resilience projects, given our proven capacity to mobilize communities.
- We call for transparency and accountability in all climate funds, with cooperative and civil society oversight.
On Natural Disasters and Corruption
The Philippines is battered by typhoons and floods every year. Moreover, major earthquakes also occur unpredictably. Cooperatives are often the first responders and last line of defense for their members.
- We demand that climate resilience projects, especially flood control, be free from corruption.
- All offices and officials involved in disaster-related projects that are anomalous must be immediately punished to restore public trust and ensure genuine resilience.
- Resilience must be community-led, cooperative-driven, and corruption-free.
On Food Sovereignty
Food security is not enough. The Philippines must embrace food sovereignty, the right of our people to define and control their food systems.
- We demand support for local production and agro-industrial cooperatives, including revival of critical industries like salt, rice, and fisheries.
- Policies must protect farmers, fisherfolk, and food producers from exploitative trade and monopolies.
- Food systems must be climate-resilient, culturally appropriate, and democratically governed.
Our Positions addressed to the Philippine Government
1. Elevate cooperatives as official partners in climate, disaster, and food sovereignty programs.
2. Guarantee transparency in climate finance and disaster funds, with cooperative participation in monitoring.
3. Eliminate corruption in climate resilience projects like flood control, with immediate punishment for all corrupt offices.
4. Champion food sovereignty in national policy and international negotiations, prioritizing local producers over imports.
5. While formal inclusion in the COP30 delegation is no longer feasible, we demand that the government institutionalize cooperative representation in future climate summits and policy dialogues, ensuring our voices shape both domestic and international climate action.
Our Call
The Coop Chamber declares: We are not passive beneficiaries, we are active builders of resilience, justice, and sovereignty.
We encourage the Philippine Government to align its international commitments with genuine inclusion, accountability, and a firm stance against corruption at home.
We call on the global community to recognize cooperatives as essential actors in the fight for climate justice.
Our Future, We Protect!
Contact Person:
Edwin A. Bustillos
09178017309
