# Scoping trip to the Philippines on climate-ready health systems May 27, 2026 [ Vincenzo Bollettino, PhD ](/people/vincenzo-bollettino) [ Phuong Pham, PhD, MPH ](/people/phuong-pham) - [ News ](/news-categories/news) Over the week of March 18–25, 2026 the Advancing Local Integrated Global Health & Climate Network ALIGN team conducted an intensive field visit to Manila, Philippines to explore partnerships at the intersection of climate change and health. The team met with academic leaders, including the dean of the Mapua Medical School and colleagues at the UP-Resilience Institute, to discuss integrating climate and health content into medical and graduate curricula, online training for local responders, and potential case studies based on real-world climate impacts. Conversations with national and local actors from the Department of Health and the Climate Change Commission to hospital leaders and local government–focused partners, highlighted capacity gaps in climate-informed health planning, the need for better risk assessment data at the municipal and facility levels, and the importance of training hospital directors and health leaders to understand and act on climate risks. We also discussed opportunities to connect Philippine initiatives with broader regional efforts, including the Philippine-Pacific Initiative that supports health systems in small-island states. Across meetings, a consistent theme emerged, namely that strong scientific data and tools exist, but there is a gap in connecting them to frontline decision-makers including mayors, provincial governors, hospital directors, and community organizations. Going forward, we intend to build targeted training, and case-based learning to build climate-resilient health systems in the Philippines and the wider region. ![Group of people smiling](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/2026-05/IMG_3967.jpeg?itok=MK7f6tGH) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)