As climate change continues to intensify flooding, coastal erosion, and other environmental threats across Cagayan Valley and its neighboring provinces, more than a hundred representatives from local governments, national agencies, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and Indigenous Peoples convened in Cauayan City, Isabela on 29-20 July 2026 during the KLIMA (Luzon Cluster 2): Workshop on Regional Assessment of Climate Risks and Vulnerabilities.
Organized by the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) and the TOWNS Foundation, Inc., in partnership with the Provincial Government of Isabela through the Isabela Coastal Development Office (ICDO), the two-day workshop aimed to strengthen regional climate risk assessment by equipping local governments with science-based tools to prepare communities for the growing impacts of climate change and translate scientific evidence into policies and development plans that protect vulnerable communities, strengthen ecosystems, and build long-term resilience.
The workshop opened with messages from Isabela Governor Rodolfo T. Albano III and NAST PHL President Academician Jaime C. Montoya, followed by a message from House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III delivered by Isabela Board Member Marco Paolo A. Meris. Academician Rex Victor O. Cruz, chair of the NAST PHL Task Force on Climate Change, provided an overview of the KLIMA initiative.
Setting the tone for the discussions, Climate Change Commission Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Secretary Robert E.A. Borje delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the need for stronger collaboration among government, scientific institutions, and local communities in building climate resilience. This was followed by presentations on the People's Survival Fund (PSF), including resilience financing mechanisms discussed by Climate Change Commission Assistant Secretary Romell Antonio O. Cuenca and the streamlined PSF application process presented by Department of Finance Director IV John Adrian M. Narag.
The afternoon session shifted to practical applications through an interactive workshop facilitated by Professor Dr. Laura T. David, Outstanding Young Scientist 2007, and her team from the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute. Participants also exchanged experiences on climate adaptation during presentations by Governor Edgar B. Aglipay of Cagayan and representatives from local governments, while private-sector initiatives on sustainability and corporate social responsibility were presented by First Gen Corporation and SGV. The day concluded with presentations on regional climate initiatives by DOST Regional Office II and closing remarks from TOWNS Foundation President Atty. Patricia-Ann T. Prodigalidad.
On the second day, discussions shifted from policy to implementation, focusing on translating climate science into local action. Academician Cruz underscored the need for strong governance systems anchored on institutional coordination and science-based planning. Dr. David discussed climate change and water-related hazards, while Isabela Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Atty. Constante A. Foronda Jr. shared the province's disaster preparedness initiatives.
Cabagan Mayor Mila "Milette" A. Mamauag presented successful projects funded through the People's Survival Fund, followed by discussions on coastal engineering solutions by Dr. Nathaniel R. Alibuyog of Mariano Marcos State University and agricultural resilience strategies for local governments by Dr. Decibel F. Eslava of the University of the Philippines Los Baños School of Environmental Science and Management.
Participants likewise discussed integrating climate change and coastal vulnerability considerations into the Cagayan River Basin-based Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plan and Comprehensive Land Use Plan, as well as initiatives aimed at strengthening agricultural resilience.
The workshop culminated in a hands-on computer simulation on coastal resilience, allowing participants to apply scientific tools to assess climate risks, identify vulnerable areas, and develop evidence-based adaptation strategies that can be incorporated into local development planning and decision-making. Participants also reflected on key learnings before the workshop formally concluded.
Veteran broadcast journalist and immediate past TOWNS Foundation president Cecilia Oreña-Drilon moderated the workshop, guiding discussions among experts and participants throughout the two-day event.
The activity brought together representatives from the coastal municipalities of Isabela and the provincial governments of Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, and Aurora, alongside national and local government agencies, academia, research institutions, the legal sector, media, women's organizations, and civil society.
By bringing together policymakers, scientists, local governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations, and the private sector, the workshop reinforced the importance of science-informed, locally driven, and collaborative approaches to addressing climate risks as communities across Luzon confront increasingly complex climate challenges (John Nikko V. Espiritu/NAST PHL).
The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) is an attached agency to the Department of Science and Technology, mandated by law (Executive Order 818 s.1982) to serve as an adviser to the President of the Republic of the Philippines and the cabinet on policies concerning science and technology in the country. For more updates, follow NAST PHL’s (@nastphl) social media accounts.