Marcos eyeing Senate ratification of HCA with GGGI

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Monday said he expects a quick Senate ratification of a Host Country Agreement (HCA) with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). 

The HCA, approved by Marcos in December 2023, would allow the GGGI to establish its office in the Philippines.

In Malacañan Palace, Marcos met former United Nations Secretary General and GGGI President and Chairman Ban Ki-Moon.

 “We welcome any assistance or any advice on the subject (climate change). I’m certain that after you meet with the Senate President and you will speak with the senators, the ratification of the agreement will follow very quickly,” Marcos told Ban. 

 “I think it is something we are all, all of us in government or out of government have really put a great deal of emphasis on simply because it has been, it has affected us greatly. I hope that we can come with some strategies that will help us,” he added. 

The ill effects of climate change could not be avoided, said Marcos. 

 According to a Palace statement, Ban said that the GGGI was looking forward to working with the Philippine government. 

 The GGGI is an international intergovernmental treaty-based organization based in South Korea, which began in 2012 following the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development.