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 knowing how much money is available, where it can come from, how quickly it can be mobilized, and most importantly, how can we access it? These are important questions. But for many Local Government Units (LGUs) in the Philippines, the issue is not only the availability and access of climate [...]
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 the community must wait until four in the afternoon to use them again. The lack of access to electricity affects many aspects of their daily lives, from household routines, livelihood, to education and healthcare. Yet during our visit, what stood out to me was not the limitation, but the women [...]
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 session organized by the Clean Mobility Collective Southeast Asia, held ahead of the 12th Better Air Quality Conference (BAQ 2026) in Bangkok, Thailand on March 9. When fares increase, people adjust in different ways. Some reduce travel altogether. Workers with flexible arrangements may shift to remote work, cut down on [...]
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 participated as a delegate to the Thai Nguyen International Climate Change Conference, held October 14-15, 2025 at the Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF). The event convened over 150 participants from local and international organizations, scientists, environmental experts, and members of the academe. This was organized by Brot [...]
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 Tagbilaran City, Bohol, one participant said, “Energy is not just about power—it is about opportunity, resilience, and the future we choose to build for our communities.” This quote struck me during the roadshow because the energy transition is not just policy—it is about real change in people’s lives. Across the [...]