Events facts
Asia/Seoul
Network-led Capacity Building: Invitational Training on Exploring Climate Adaptation Technologies for Philippine Climate Resilient Cities
In a strong example of locally led climate action, six Philippine cities came together in May 2026 to develop climate technology project ideas with the potential to attract international climate finance - with direct support from the CTCN PALO office, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and two CTCN Network Members from the Republic of Korea.
A Network-Supported, Locally Led Process
This workshop was made possible through a unique collaboration between Korea Environment Institute (KEI) and the Sustainable IF (SusIF) - two Korean CTCN Network Members - who secured dedicated funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) specifically to support cities in developing CTCN Technical Assistance (TA) requests. The training was co-facilitated with CTCN and GCF, bringing together the technology transfer and climate finance dimensions that cities need to move from idea to implementation.
Fifteen government representatives from five cities participated: Batangas, Borongan, Iloilo, Legazpi, and Zamboanga. The workshop was held as Day 4 of a five-day training programme, and notably, the Mayor of Borongan City joined in person, signalling strong political commitment to the process at the local level.
From Climate Narrative to Bankable Ideas
At the heart of the workshop was a climate narrative and Theory of Change exercise, designed to help cities articulate their climate challenges and translate them into project concepts that can attract international funding. Originally, the participating cities had been expected to bring two pre-prepared TA ideas - on water and waste - to the session. Instead, on Day 1 of the training, the cities decided to revise their ideas from scratch based on what they had learned over the week. This spontaneous decision reflected the depth of learning taking place and the cities' growing confidence in shaping their own climate project priorities.
Mr Bapon Fakhruddin, Climate Finance Principal and Water Specialist at GCF, joined the session online to provide guidance on the financial dimensions of the TA ideas generated, and has expressed continued interest in supporting the cities as they refine their project concepts.
Building Bridges to Climate Finance
A key connector in this process is Ms Aileen B. Leycano of SusIF, who also serves as Executive Director of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines. Her dual role creates a direct link between the participating cities and the Philippines' National Designated Entity (NDE) at the Climate Change Commission, strengthening the pathway from city-level ideas to nationally endorsed CTCN TA requests.
What Comes Next
KEI and SusIF plan to continue consulting with neighbouring cities throughout the second half of 2026, with the goal of scaling and strengthening the bankability of the project ideas developed during the workshop. CTCN will continue to support the process and work with the Philippines NDE to advance the most promising TA requests.
This activity demonstrates the power of Network-led, locally owned climate action, where CTCN Network Members bring funding, expertise, and relationships to the table, and cities drive the agenda.