Information session takes stock of CSO’s role in climate and disaster risk financing
MAKATI CITY, Philippines— Representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), non-government organizations (NGOs), and government agencies convened in an information session on the Global Shield against Climate Risks to highlight the critical role of CSOs in climate and disaster financing in the Philippines on April 14, 2025. The session was organized by the Global Shield Secretariat, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), and Start Network, co-organized and with the support from Philippine Department of Finance (DOF). The session provided a deep dive on the Global Shield against Climate Risks, a joint initiative of the Vulnerable 20 Group of Finance [...]
Building livable cities together: Southeast Asia Mobility Awards 2024 launched to promote sustainable transport
The Clean Mobility Collective Southeast Asia (CMC-SEA) announced the launch of the Southeast Asia Mobility Awards (SEAMA) 2024, an initiative that aims to recognize cities across the region for their excellence in creating sustainable, inclusive, and commuter-friendly urban mobility systems, on December 9 , 2024. SEAMA 2024 is a citizen-driven initiative encouraging participants to highlight their daily commuting experiences through visual storytelling. The campaign urges citizens to submit creative videos that document their journeys, focusing on two categories: the Public Transport Commuter-Friendly City Challenge and the Bicycle-Friendly City Challenge. Each video should depict a two-kilometer journey and promote public [...]
Philippine cities need improved monitoring and evaluation tools for Climate Finance accountability – experts
The recent Roundtable Discussion on Urban Climate Finance, held in Quezon City was organized under the Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon and Resilient Cities (Urban-Act) Project, a regional initiative led by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. In the Philippines, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) is an implementing partner of the Urban-Act Project, with Clean Air Asia, GIZ Philippines, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as the Project’s main political partner. The discussions brought a clear message: the Philippines urgently needs a more comprehensive system for monitoring and evaluating [...]
ICSC partners with LGUs to solarize municipal buildings
TACLOBAN CITY, October 15, 2024—The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) signed memorandums of agreement (MOAs) with the local governments of Guiuan, Eastern Samar and Paranas, Samar for the installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for their respective municipal buildings earlier this month. At the official MOA-signing event, ICSC Executive Director Angelo Kairos dela Cruz said that solarization projects aim to kickstart the uptake of renewable energy (RE) at the local level by driving the adoption of rooftop-mounted solar PV systems in municipal, commercial, industrial, and residential buildings. Dela Cruz signed MOAs with Guiuan Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan [...]
Government, civil society tackle unlocking finance for urban climate action
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities PRESS RELEASE PASIG CITY, August 15, 2024 – Officials from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and representatives from government agencies and civil society discussed the importance of unlocking climate finance to support the implementation of effective climate action in cities and urban areas across the Philippines in a roundtable discussion on August 8. “Cities are not infallible; in fact, having cities as concentration hubs for essential services, businesses, investments, and governance make them highly vulnerable to shocks. Now [...]