Climatelinks Photo Gallery

Field researchers on USAID’s Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans, and Landscapes project recorded the measurements of a towering Manggis tree in Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape (MMPL) in southern Palawan, Philippines. They did this as part of the comprehensive ecological assessment they conducted to determine the status of species, habitats, and threats in the protected area. Manggis trees are towering species commonly found in old-growth forests of MMPL. Together with the rich soil and other trees in old-growth forests, Manggis trees are vital for sequestering carbon in the atmosphere. However, with the increase in activities such as timber poaching, slash-and-burn farming, charcoal making, fuelwood collection, and construction/development activities, the Manggis and old-growth forests are under threat. USAID is working with the protected area management office in MMPL to update their management plans through the results of the Agency’s biodiversity assessment. This will help local stakeholders craft better-informed programs and policy decisions for protecting the forests and biodiversity of MMPL to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Most disaster management interventions rely on services to people who can see, hear, and respond to instructions. Often, critical information is presented in languages and formats not accessible to the Deaf. These practices contribute to the escalating disparity encountered by the Deaf in accessing social protection programs, particularly in climate disaster preparedness and resilience. 

Rommel Agravante, a sign language researcher and a member of the Filipino Deaf community, interviewed Deaf residents of Cavite City to document the signs used for climate-related concepts by collecting their personal stories on the challenges they faced during calamities. Using signs and climate-related images posted on the wall, Marites, Merlinda, and Rosario shared how they were unable to evacuate in time and detailed the difficulties they endured during typhoons. Signs, including variations, employed in their narration will aid Rommel, and other researchers, in establishing the lexicon for effectively communicating weather- and climate-related concepts to Deaf communities. 

The Oscar M. Lopez Center, with the support of USAID, through its project entitled Signs for Inclusive Governance and Development or Project SIGND works with Deaf organizations to create a lexicon for Filipino Sign Language to improve their preparedness and adaptive capacities to climate-related risks and disasters.

Forester Lito Calub, a consultant with the BLUEFRA Association, trains members of vulnerable populations in Sitio Tawi Tawi, Brgy. Progonsino, Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines in composting and organic farming.

Officers with the BLUEFRA Association deliver information on climate change mitigation and forest protection to local communities in Sitio Tawi Tawi, Brgy. Progonsino, Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines.

In the Philippines, women are leading the way in reducing plastic waste pollution by creating circular economies where waste is used and reused as a resource. This also offsets climate change-fueling emissions. Aling Socorro is one of the Aling Tinderas–waste collection network managed by women entrepreneurs in Manila City–supported by USAID Clean Cities, Blue Ocean through grantee the Plastic Credit Exchange. In 2022, she received a redesigned manual baler fit for her height and build, which enables her to compress the plastic bottles she buys back from the community, reducing the amount of plastic waste leaking into the environment. Part of USAID's gender empowerment strategy is to ensure women can participate in the workforce without added burden.

Mangrove forests are vital ecosystems that are abundant along the coastlines of Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (SIPLAS) in the Philippines. Aside from their canopies and ground cover serving as habitat for diverse flora and fauna species, mangrove forests are also major contributors to climate change mitigation. They serve as carbon sinks, absorbing tons of carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in their branches, roots, and sediment. The SIPLAS Community Mobilization Officer for USAID’s Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans, and Landscapes (SIBOL) project visited a mangrove area in San Benito to conduct an initial assessment of its status post-Super Typhoon Odette. USAID continues to work with local government units and environmental offices in SIPLAS to promote the protection and rehabilitation of these coastal habitats.

A fisherfolk in Masinloc, Zambales, Philippines dries her fish catch that will be sold in the markets to earn income to support her family. She makes sure that her fish products are of the right sizes, avoiding young or juvenile ones. This is part of the locals’ efforts to support sustainable fishing so that future generations can still benefit from the marine resources of Masinloc. Through engaging in sustainable fishing, locals in Masinloc no longer need to partake in illegal activities that pose a threat to reef areas and coastal ecosystems vital for mitigating the impacts of climate change. USAID, through its Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans, and Landscapes (SIBOL) project, supports environmental campaigns to raise awareness among the local communities in Masinloc about the importance of marine protected areas and to encourage their participation in conservation initiatives.

Field researchers on USAID's Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans, and Landscapes (SIBOL) project spotted a green tree skink during an ecological assessment in Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape (MMPL) in southern Palawan, Philippines. MMPL is a 120,457-hectare protected area that is home to the green tree skink and various other flora and fauna species. Preliminary data from the assessment showed that there were 97 bird species, 24 mammals, 67 reptiles and amphibians, and 290 species of plants identified in the area. However, several human-induced threats such as slash-and-burn farming, timber poaching, and hunting were also prominent in the area. Aside from being home to various species, Mt. Mantalingahan is an important frontier in carbon sequestration through its old-growth forests serving as carbon sinks. USAID is working with local partners in MMPL to update their protected area management plan using the results of the assessment to aid MMPL’s protection, conservation, and sustainable management.

A family from the Palaw’an tribe in Mt. Mantalingahan in southern Palawan, Philippines displayed their freshly harvested root crops. Indigenous groups residing in Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape (MMPL) are highly dependent on the natural resources of the protected area. Apart from root crops and fruits, they also collect non-timber products such as honey, rattan, and almaciga resins. However, several activities such as timber poaching, charcoal making, and slash-and-burn farming pose imminent threats to them. Without appropriate conservation initiatives for the protected area, the Palaw’an will be among the first to be vulnerable against climate change impacts by losing their main sources of livelihood. USAID, through the Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans, and Landscapes (SIBOL) project, is engaging locals in the sustainable management of Mt. Mantalingahan by supporting the establishment of biodiversity-friendly enterprises such as ecotourism in the protected area. With alternative sources of livelihood, locals may be deterred from partaking in illegal environmental activities and engage in the conservation of MMPL's natural resources.

To T'boli farmer Cedelia Mozo, the once lush greenery in their watershed now seemed almost barren and the powerful roar of the waterfalls grew fainter each day. The deteriorating state of the watershed, combined with unstable agricultural markets, has dealt a blow to productivity, discouraging farmers from returning to cultivation. 

In 2021, USAID Philippines, through its Safe Water project, recognized the potential of sustainable coffee farming as a viable livelihood opportunity. Collaborating with the US Department of Agriculture and local NGO partner Conrado Ladislawa and Alcantara Foundation, Inc. (CLAFI), they established the Climate-Resilient Coffee Farmers' Field School. Indigenous peoples, including Cedelia, learned essential agricultural practices and processing techniques, vital for meeting the demand for high-quality beans and unlocking potential earnings. 

Their remarkable success inspired neighboring tribes and upland communities to adopt sustainable coffee practices, reforesting degraded areas with coffee trees and forsaking destructive practices. Equipped with USAID's support and knowledge, farmers in other villages achieved recognition and won prizes in coffee quality competitions.

To support waterworks personnel like Rustom and Rowel, USAID Philippines, through its Safe Water Project, stepped in to assist the Aborlan Municipal Government in Palawan. This initiative involves the funding, reconstruction, and redesigning of the water supply systems in Culandanum and Talakaigan, Aborlan, which will benefit more than 2,000 households. The project aims to create climate-resilient water systems that can withstand the impacts of future disasters. By providing robust infrastructure, the water supply system can be better prepared to face climate-related challenges. 

Once the reconstruction is complete, waterworks personnel will no longer have to rely on frequent repair works, which are often challenging inside the watershed. The improved water system will enhance their ability to perform regular operations and maintenance effectively, ensuring consistent and reliable access to clean water for the community.

In the wake of Typhoon Rai (Philippine name: Super Typhoon Odette) devastating the nation in 2021, numerous local governments have earnestly invested in climate-resilient water supply infrastructure. The Rizal local government unit in Palawan, after a year of intensive training and mentorship through USAID Philippines' Safe Water Project, constructed a new intake structure, adhering to climate-resilient design standards and evidence-based water source assessment and development.

In Taytay, Palawan, Philippines, Lake Manguao fosters ecotourism livelihoods and supports income-generating products from freshwater tilapia and non-forest goods. It also serves a vital surface water supply source. However, its vast land area presents a significant challenge for the Taytay Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) forest patrol team including Karl, John, and Veo, constrained by limited human resources. Within the remote forest-covered areas encircling the lake, illegal activities like timber cutting, charcoal making, and slash-and-burn farming are widespread and contribute to emissions that increase climate change. 

USAID Philippines, through its Safe Water Project, collaborates with MENRO and community-based organizations, notably the Lake Manguao Community and Indigenous People Agricultural Cooperative (LMCIPAC). Together, they strive to enhance patrolling efforts using the technology-based Lawin forest and biodiversity protection system. Lawin offers a digital platform to record forest observations, detect threats, and communicate with environmental law enforcement authorities, generating automatic patrol reports. By utilizing mobile phones donated by Globe Telecom, MENRO and LMCIPAC undertake patrols, extending coverage to vulnerable and hotspot areas in Lake Manguao. For the community members, the preservation of forests surrounding the lake is paramount, as it safeguards their livelihoods and ensures a thriving ecosystem and water source.

A fisher uses a kasag caliper to comply with sustainability requirements to catch legal sized blue swimming crabs. The USAID Fish Right Program co-developed the tool with the University of the Philippines Visayas and launched its use with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the island Barangay of Igbon. Igbon is a blue swimming crab model village in Concepcion, Iloilo that is receiving support from public and private sector partners to increase the blue swimming crab stocks. 

A strong public-private-community partnership between BFAR, USAID, blue swimming crab fishers, industry partners, and others, is aimed at improving the rating of the Philippine blue swimming crab from red (avoid) to yellow (good alternative) in the U.S. market. A yellow rating, which is conditional on responsible fishing practices, means broader access to the export market for blue swimming crab fishers. Sustainable fisheries facilitates a more stable livelihood and better incomes for fishers, a key contributor to climate resilience. 

Young Tagbanua women Calauit island in Busuanga, Palawan monitor the Women-Managed Area of their ancestral water after two weeks of rain. 

The Tagbanua elders have awarded parts of the ancestral waters for the women to manage. This partnership has helped conserve the already-dwindling stock of cachipay (windowpane oyster) as the women protect and conserve marine reserves, sustainably harvesting cachipay for food and livelihood. Cachipay is an important food source for the Tagbanua people of Calauit, especially during bad weather when the men cannot go out to fish. The cachipays also served as a critical food resource for the community during the COVID-19 lockdowns. With extreme weather events becoming more frequent with climate change, conserving food sources such as cachipay is crucial for this Indigenous community. 

USAID Fish Right, in partnership with the PATH Foundation Philippines, Inc. and Community Centered Conservation Philippines, helped establish the Calauit Women-Managed Area and trained Indigenous Tagbanua women in natural resource management, entrepreneurship, and environmental protection.

The Kaamulan Festival is a gathering of the seven indigenous people groups of Bukidnon, Northern Mindanao. Tourists flock the city of Malaybalay as the Indigenous Peoples perform rituals, dances, and prayers for a bountiful year ahead. The subjects in the photo are grandmothers and grandchildren, who are having fun while other people perform. From intense heat to heavy rains, they are resilient, but still need funds to further protect their crops and livelihoods.