ILOILO City – Iloilo City is taking its disaster resilience program to the international stage, showcasing its nine operational Iloilo City Action and Resilience (ICARe) Centers while seeking ways to transform local climate adaptation initiatives into projects capable of attracting funding and delivering concrete results on the ground.
Mayor Raisa Treñas presented the city’s ICARe model at the International Disaster Resilience Leaders Forum (IDRLF) 2026 in Incheon, Republic of Korea, where she was the only local chief executive from the Philippines listed among the participants in the Sept. 7-8 gathering.
Treñas presented the ICARe Centers during the City Networking Event on Monday as local governments exchanged practical approaches to disaster risk reduction, including partnerships, capacity building, technology and community-based resilience programs.
Iloilo City currently operates nine ICARe facilities, which have evolved beyond their original emergency-response function into local resilience and learning hubs.
The facilities provide venues where government agencies, communities, private-sector organizations and other stakeholders can coordinate disaster preparedness, planning and response efforts.
Iloilo City’s experience was presented alongside disaster resilience initiatives from officials and representatives of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand.
The international forum brings together local government leaders, national officials, technical experts and representatives of international organizations to exchange strategies for strengthening local and urban resilience as disaster and climate risks become increasingly complex.
This year’s theme, “Translating Locally-led Resilience into Action in the Age of Complex Risk and Digital Transformation,” puts emphasis on moving disaster risk reduction strategies beyond planning and into concrete local action.
Discussions are centered on innovative financing for local disaster risk reduction, artificial intelligence-driven disaster prevention and risk-informed investments, among other emerging approaches.
The forum is co-organized by the Incheon Institute and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Office for Northeast Asia and Global Education and Training Institute (ONEA & GETI), with support from South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety and in partnership with the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat.
Treñas’ participation will extend beyond showcasing Iloilo City’s resilience initiatives.
She is scheduled to join the Training Workshop on Climate Adaptation Project Preparation: Converting Ideas into Fundable Projects on Sept. 9.
The one-day workshop, organized by UNDRR ONEA & GETI together with the ICLEI World Secretariat and Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030), will focus on strengthening the ability of local government officials and other stakeholders to develop and finance climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction projects.
The workshop is expected to tackle a critical challenge confronting local governments — turning climate and disaster resilience proposals into viable projects that can secure financing and ultimately be implemented at the community level./PN
