In partnership with the British Embassy in Manila, the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) announced that it is embarking on a campaign to track these public funds through the project “Budget Tracking and Reforms for Clean Air and Renewable Energy” or BtCare.

Roland Cabigas, managing director of La Liga, which acts as the convening organization of the Alternative Budget Initative-Environment Cluster, said the project aims to track the status of, and propose reforms for the Air Quality Management Fund and the Renewable Energy Trust Fund.

The funds were specifically designed for the implementation of the Clean Air Act and the Renewable Energy Act. 

The Clean Air Act created the Air Quality Management Fund, a special account to be accessed by the Airshed Governing Boards for programs for clean air. On the other hand, the Renewable Energy or RE Act created the RE Trust Fund for research, development and mainstreaming of renewable-energy projects.

Both the Clean Air Act and the Renewable Energy Act were enacted into law with relevant specific financing provisions more than 10 years ago.

Cabigas said actual budget allocations for these two important piece of legislations need to be fully utilized. 

“The implementation of these two environment laws remain slow and the phrase ‘unfunded mandates’ has been the convenient excuse by the government, when in fact, these laws have actually clear funding mandates. All we need to do is to locate the funds and utilize them to promote clean, renewable energy and help improve the quality of the air that we breathe,” Cabigas said.

He said using the funds for the implementation of these two important pieces of legislation will help address the growing clamor for the promotion of clean, renewable energy over dirty coal and fuel, as well as address the woes brought about by the adverse impact of air pollution to human health and the environment.