Readiness Before Resources? Why Enabling Conditions Matter for Local Climate Finance
by Jonas Brian Almendrala Editor’s Note: Jonas currently serves as the Manager for Urban Development at the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, supporting partner cities in their climate-readiness projects under the Urban-Act Project. Our usual conversations and discussions on climate finance usually deal with questions on [...]
Women Who Empower More Than Homes
Women Who Empower More Than Homes By Sanafe Marcelo In the small island community of Sulu-an in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, there is only eight hours of electricity that the island can use each day. The lights go out once the clock strikes midnight, and [...]
Beyond Fare Hikes: Investing in Affordable and Inclusive Mobility in the Philippines
by: Arielle Celine Tabinga EDITOR’S NOTE: Arielle Celine Tabinga is the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities’ Manager for Urban Development. This piece reflects her insights from the panel discussion Driving Action for Clear Skies: Inclusive Transport and Community-Led Clean Air Innovations in Southeast Asia and India, a pre-event [...]
Approaching waste management sustainably through community-led climate action
by Jessa Margallo-Zosa Editor’s Note: Jessa currently serves as the RE-Charge Pilipinas Facility Coordinator at the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, based in the organization’s regional office in Tacloban City, Leyte. I just returned to Tacloban City from my first international trip to Thai Nguyen, Vietnam where I [...]
The Road to Renewables: Turning Vision into Local Action
By Mel Matthew Doctor Note: Mel currently serves as the Senior Campaign Officer for Energy Policy at the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, and was acting project lead of the 2025 Road to Renewables: Conversations on Energy Transition Roadshow. During one of the focus group discussions in [...]
Sustainable energy is not a privilege, but a right for all
by Charisse Maxine Parchamento Editor’s Note: Cha is a Campaigns and Advocacy Officer of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, focused on energy policy. In my job interview for ICSC, I introduced myself with a precaution: I have limited knowledge and experience in the renewable energy [...]
Learning Drives us Forward on the Road to Renewables
by Miguel Joachim Balburias Editor’s Note: Mojie currently serves as a Data Analyst with the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities’ Energy Policy team. You have nothing to prove, but everything to learn. This was something my college mentor used to tell me all the time. It [...]
Charged for Change
by Jedidiah Yabut Editor’s Note: Jed is currently a Data Analyst with the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities. The Road to Renewables: Conversations on Energy Transition in Tacloban City was a four-day gathering focused on one big goal: localizing the Philippine energy transition. National policies are important, [...]
A brighter future awaits: the shared commitment for a just energy transition
by Allyssa Nerine Garcia EDITOR’S NOTE: Nerine is an Administrative Assistant of ICSC. She was part of the core team who led the preparations and execution of the Philippine Energy Transition Dialogue (Ph-ETD) 2025, held last September 3-4 at The Peninsula Manila. For more information about the Ph-ETD, which [...]
The Future of Forests Starts with Communities
By Andrea Joy Anas Editor’s Note: Aya is currently a Senior Climate Policy Analyst (with a focus on Climate Governance) with the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities. The CBFMA Policy Analysis and Inception Workshop, cited in this blog, served as a collaborative space to validate initial findings on [...]