Iloilo groups launch first Community Climate Response Hub and citizen-led urban heat report

Citizen groups in Iloilo City marked a significant milestone in grassroots climate action with the launch of the Philippines’ first Community Climate Response Hub (CCRH) and a citizen science-led urban heat report during a forum held on Tuesday, July 15.

The initiative, led by a coalition of youth and civil society groups, aims to place communities at the forefront of climate resilience, disaster risk preparedness, and adaptive planning. Designed as a decentralized platform for people-led response and advocacy, the CCRH will act as a hub for local action, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration in responding to worsening climate impacts.

Iloilo citizen groups gather to launch the first Community Climate Response Hub in the Philippines [photo credit: Navallasca-Abendan Farmers Advocacy Nafa Facebook]

A platform for grassroots-driven resilience

Among the core groups behind the CCRH are Greenpeace Philippines, Green Eco-Warriors, Green Forum Panay Guimaras, CurrentShift, and the Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Inc., along with Alerto Ako E-Yusay Memorial School and Navallasca Farmers Rise Against Hunger and Malnutrition, Inc.

According to organizers, the CCRH will facilitate community-centered adaptation strategies and serve as a launchpad for participatory CCA and DRRM programs, while also collecting local data and forming evidence-based policy recommendations.

“This is a shared space where communities have the power to push for climate justice, climate preparedness, and climate response—led by communities and backed by stakeholders,” said Lady Kyla Balibagoso of Greenpeace Philippines – Iloilo Volunteers.

Citizen science puts a spotlight on urban heat

The forum also saw the release of the study “Turning down the heat: citizen science and the urgency of climate action in the Philippines”, developed by Greenpeace Iloilo Volunteers and the Ulirat Collective. Using community narratives and local research, the report examines urban heat from a citizen’s perspective, calling for more inclusive decision-making in climate planning.

“Science is too important to be left to scientists alone,” said Cathy Manalo of Ulirat Collective. “Residents should be actively involved in learning about the environment and pushing for liveable communities.”

With the climate crisis intensifying, the CCRH and urban heat report both highlight the critical need for people participation in climate governance.

“This is where the CCRH should step in,” said Naomi Alaban Basay of Homeless People’s Federation Philippines Youth Iloilo. “It empowers individuals not just as recipients of aid but as active agents of change.”