Forest Foundation Philippines and CLIMBS Life and General Insurance Cooperative (CLIMBS) have formalized a strategic partnership to strengthen climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and community-based adaptation efforts across the Philippines through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The partnership brings together Forest Foundation Philippines’ expertise in biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and community development with CLIMBS’ experience in microinsurance, climate risk protection, and disaster resilience. Together, the organizations aim to develop and promote innovative solutions that can help vulnerable communities better prepare for and respond to climate-related risks while supporting sustainable development.
The collaboration is aligned with Forest Foundation’s Philippines-Canada Partnership on Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation (PCP4NbS) program, which seeks to contribute to strengthening climate resilience of communities, particularly rural and indigenous women, while ensuring co-benefits from, and for, natural resources and healthy ecosystems.
“We believe that protecting people and nature must go hand in hand, and that ecosystems cannot be sustainably protected without improving the resilience and well-being of the people who depend on them. Through this collaboration, we commit our expertise in microinsurance, climate risk protection, disaster resilience, and community development to support vulnerable communities and create practical, lasting solutions that benefit both people and nature,” said Mr. Noel Raboy, President and Chief Executive Officer of CLIMBS.
Under the partnership, Forest Foundation Philippines and CLIMBS will explore joint initiatives that promote climate resilience and risk protection among vulnerable and underserved communities through innovative insurance and sustainability programs, support the implementation and promotion of Climate and Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (CDRFI) initiatives, including Weather Protect Insurance (WPI), advance women-centered resilience and empowerment programs that strengthen financial inclusion, protection, and gender-responsive climate adaptation strategies, including the We Protect Her initiative,promote sustainability, environmental conservation, and community-based ecosystem restoration through initiatives such as Plant a SEED (Sustainability and Ecosystem-based Solutions for Environmental Defense) and other community-led programs, and encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing, technical assistance, and capacity-building activities related to climate action, biodiversity conservation, environmental sustainability, and disaster preparedness.
Atty. Jose Andres A. Canivel, Executive Director of Forest Foundation Philippines, furthered, “This partnership is anchored not only on addressing the threats of climate change, but also on a shared vision for a resilient future for communities. The opportunity to access and avail of CLIMBS’ products affords our communities and partners the chance to ‘bounce forward’ from the impacts of climate-related calamities and the losses they face as they strive toward a better future for themselves and the ecosystem. It is not just a strategic and programmatic partnership, but one where we understand and value CLIMBS’ specific service offerings.”
As climate-related disasters become more frequent and severe, communities that depend on forests and natural resources face increasing vulnerabilities. Through this partnership, Forest Foundation Philippines and CLIMBS seek to demonstrate how nature-based solutions, climate financing, and community empowerment can work together to build a more resilient and sustainable future for the country.
About Forest Foundation Philippines:
Forest Foundation Philippines (FFP) is a non-governmental organization that provides grants and technical assistance to individuals and organizations that empower the people to protect and conserve the forests.
About CLIMBS Life and General Insurance Cooperative:
CLIMBS Life and General Insurance Cooperative is a life and non-life insurance cooperative licensed by both the Insurance Commission and the Cooperative Development Authority. It is the only composite insurance cooperative founded and remained its headquarters in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao.
