In this episode of #OpenTalk with Caloy Conde, climate advocate John Leo Algo, national coordinator of Aksyon Klima Pilipinas, reveals shocking details about how the Philippine government’s spends its climate budget over the years and how the Department of Public Works and Highways, which gets the biggest slice of the piece, is not even attending climate consultations.

JL discusses how over 80% of the climate-tagged funds in next year’s budget will go to the DPWH, mostly for flood control projects — many of which are now under scrutiny for alleged corruption, inefficiency, and lack of transparency.

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Link to the DBM’s budget and expenditures for 2024, 2025, 2026: https://www.dbm.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/BESF/BESF2026/B21.pdf

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The conversation also tackles:

🌏 How corruption in flood control affects climate resilience

🏛️ The ₱1 trillion “climate budget”: Where will the money actually go?

📊 DPWH gets 80% of climate funds—why this is a problem

🌏 The mismatch between infrastructure-heavy projects and real climate action

📊 How the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and other agencies struggle with monitoring and accountability

🏛️ How ordinary citizens can demand accountability: The need to localize climate action so LGUs and communities can genuinely respond to the crisis

💬 Anti-corruption advocacy and the role of civil society: Why public pressure and civic engagement remain crucial in fighting corruption

📊 The upcoming COP30 and updates on the Loss and Damage Fund

This episode takes a deep dive into the intersection of climate policy, governance, and corruption—a must-watch for anyone concerned about how climate funds are being used (or misused) in the Philippines.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carlosconde.substack.com