From Climate Change to Community Action: Training Barangay Health Workers on Climate and Health in the Philippines
UP NIH ICHHD team with the Barangay Health Workers from Rizal, Palawan
Our article titled "From Climate Change to Community Action: Training Barangay Health Workers on Climate and Health in the Philippines" was recently published in The Global Health Network.
The Philippines faces significant health risks due to its vulnerability to climate-related disasters such as typhoons, floods, and droughts. In response to these risks, a pilot training program was launched in Palawan in March 2025 to educate Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) on the connection between climate change and public health. These local volunteers serve as essential frontline responders, bridging the gap between formal medical systems and rural communities. By integrating climate change concepts into existing health modules, the initiative empowers workers to identify and communicate risks such as disease outbreaks and malnutrition. The program highlights that grounding technical concepts in lived experiences, using participatory methods, and building on existing systems are some the most effective ways to strengthen community resilience. Overall, strengthening the capacity of these local leaders is considered a vital strategy for adapting to a changing climate.
Click on the link to read more:
https://mesh.tghn.org/.../climate-change-community.../
Authors: Maria Vinna Crisostomo*, Ma. Gladys Nicole Daque*, March Helena Jane Lopez, Michelle Ylade, Kristal An Agrupis
*co-first authors
Notes:
- All photographs in this article were taken by Ma. Gladys Nicole Daque
- This initiative was done under the research program "Climate Change and Health: Data from the Philippines" of the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health, Institute of Child Health and Human Development (UP NIH ICHHD). Funding was from the SSCIS project of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. For more information about the project, you may visit https://upmnih-ichhd.com/giz
For correspondences, you may contact: Dr. Kristal An Agrupis (kcagrupis@up.edu.ph)
