Deepening the Understanding of Clouds and Aerosols Through Shared Science

This August 25, the NASA P-3B started its first flight over the Philippines, gathering samples to understand the interaction between aerosols and clouds. This flight marks the start of the one-and-a-half-months flight campaign of the Cloud, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes – Philippines Experiment...

Local and National Government Agencies and Regional Scientists Come Together for First CORDEX Stakeholder Workshop

11-12 July 2019– As part of the Manila Observatory’s mission, science-based planning is essential particularly in the Philippines, one of the hardest hit countries by climate change and extremes, such as extreme rainfall, drought and tropical cyclones, with unevenly distributed impacts among vulnerable groups. In...

Jollibee Group Foundation engages with the Observatory for an overview on Climate Change

The Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) and their local government partners headed by Executive Director Gisela Tiongson reached out to the Manila Observatory for an introduction to Climate Change to supplement their projects that aim to support farming communities that supply the food conglomerate’s...

Manila Observatory joins the APEC EPWG meeting in Boracay

Upon the invitation of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Program Secretariat, the Manila Observatory (MO) joined the APEC Emergency Working Group (EPWG) meeting held in Boracay Island on 13-14 May 2015. The leaderships of APEC EPWG recognized MO’s innovations in bringing science...

Research Partnership with the International Rice Research Institute

From 2013, the Regional Climate Systems program worked with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on two projects. In one project “Determining five climate change impacts hotspots agricultural areas in Southeast Asia: Site Selection” under the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)...

Understanding Palawan as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

The Manila Observatory participated in a study which examined the impact of mining activities on the UNESCO Palawan Biosphere Reserve. Maps using remote sensing and geographic information systems (RS-GIS) have been generated, which includes Environmentally Critical Areas Network (ECAN), biodiversity, mining, other related...

Analyzing The Vulnerability of the Philippine Rice Terraces Towards Resilience and Better Adaptive capacity to the Potential Impacts of Climate Change

The Ifugao Rice Terraces have long been a source of national pride and identity for every Filipino. For over two thousand years it has withstood both the effects of time and weather. But recent decades have brought urbanization closer to once isolated areas...

Manila Observatory: Frontline View of Climate Change, and the Poverty-Risk Connection

From their vantage point at Manila Observatory, scientists have monitored changes in temperature and rainfall that have altered life in the Philippines. But they also have watched changes due to human actions—land-use, building, and development decisions that have made people more vulnerable to...

Highlights of 2012

The  year  2012  was  a  year  of  growth  for  the  Manila  Observatory.  We  celebrated  triumphs,  new  collaborations  and  the  strengthening  of  partnerships  in  the pursuit  of  our science agenda. Here are some of the many highlights of our work in 2012. Exhibit by...

Albay Sustainable Development Guidebook

The  Albay  Sustainable  Development  Guidebook  is the product of  two-year  research conducted  by Manila Observatory scientists  in partnership  with  Chevron  Geothermal  Philippines  Holdings  Inc.  and  the  provincial government of  Albay. Analysis  of  land  use and  land  use  change,  hazard  &  vulnerability  mapping  and ...

Workshops on Sustainable Development with Communities and Local Governments

In  the  development  of  the  Albay  Sustainable  Development  Guidebook,  Manila Observatory scientists and researchers worked closely with the local governments of Tiwi and  Malinao. The communities  in Tiwi  and Malinao are  located  in  the  province  of  Albay.  Communities  in  Albay  are  exposed  to...

Christian Aid Documentary on Flooding in 2012: “Big River Rising”

In  August  2012,  Metro  Manila  and its environs were affected  by  a  period  of  heavy and  continuous  rainfall  caused  by  an  enhanced  monsoon  season  (Habagat).  The  disaster  affected  millions  because  of  flooding and  rainfall-induced  landslides.  Christian  Aid,  a  UK-based  international  development  and relief ...

The Ridge, River to Reef Rural-Urban Land Use Evaluation System for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management (R3 RULES for CCA-DRM)

Located in the tropics within the Pacific  Rim  of  Fire  and  being  archipelagic,  the  Philippines  is  hazard-prone  and  most  vulnerable  to  impacts  of  climate  change.  Local government units are required  to prepare Comprehensive  Land  Use Plans  or  CLUPs  to  plan the development and...

Making Climate Change Adaptation a Multi-Disciplinary Challenge: IRIACC-CCaR Launch

by: Geonelle Louise Corneby In recent years, typhoons such as Ondoy and Sendong, as well as other natural hazards, have incurred economic losses, massive loss of lives and property and damage to infrastructure. These have, in turn, increased the need for and urgency...