In one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, A-PAD Philippines has delivered a strong message to its volunteers: this is the year to lead, to collaborate, and to ignite lasting change.
Through IGNITE 2026, a year-long mobilization program, the organization is strengthening its Human Resource Network (HRN) across nine regions—Ilocos, Central Luzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, SOCCSKSARGEN, Caraga and Davao—signaling a coordinated nationwide push for disaster risk reduction and climate action.
“This year holds enormous promise for climate advocacy and disaster resilience,” APAD-PH Executive Director Athea Peñaloza said during the virtual kickoff, urging volunteers to step forward not only as responders, but as champions within their communities.
The strategic direction for 2026 centers on localization. Volunteers will intensify grassroots campaigns, expand digital advocacy, promote enterprise resilience, and support localized medical simulation drills.
The emphasis on medical simulations and microenterprise resilience reflects a deliberate shift toward preparedness and long-term recovery systems, moving beyond reactive disaster response.
Throughout the year, regional volunteer networks will host cultural and community events dedicated to climate action advocacy, tapping music, visual arts, and performance to bring resilience messaging beyond policy spaces and into everyday community life.
Each region is expected to mobilize at least 20 active volunteers to lead campaigns on disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation. A monthly National DRRM Webinar Series will further strengthen cohesion across the network, with regions taking turns to showcase local innovations, lessons learned, and best practices.
The launch also served as a moment of reflection. In the past year, A-PAD PH responded to a 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Cebu and to Typhoons Uwan and Tino, delivering food and non-food assistance to nearly 3,000 families. The network expanded significantly and trained close to 200 volunteers in social media for advocacy, sharpening its capacity to amplify disaster resilience and climate action through digital platforms.
As the session closed, volunteers embraced the challenge with excitement and optimism. The year ahead may demand sustained action and momentum. With a growing corps of dedicated volunteers and a broadened vision of disaster resilience, A-PAD PH is positioning 2026 not simply as another year of response but as a year of ignition toward stronger, more sustainable resilience.