A new exhibition at the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) is calling on Filipinos to shift from enduring climate disasters to actively confronting the crisis through community action and environmental storytelling.
Launched on April 28 in time for Earth Day, the exhibit “KATUMBALIKWASAN: Linking climate, nature, and people” was organized by Aksyon Klima Pilipinas (AKP) and its partner organizations. It showcases how civil society groups and local communities are responding to climate impacts—ranging from coral reef and forest protection to tackling disinformation and using creative platforms for advocacy.
“The time has come to redefine resilience in the Philippines,” said John Leo Algo, national coordinator of AKP. “The traditional perception of resilience, as defined by reacting to and enduring climate disasters and other threats, is no longer enough for the nation to overcome the ecological crisis we are facing.”
“It is time for Filipinos to become initiators instead of reactors,” he added, stressing that greater public understanding of the interconnectedness of environmental issues is critical to climate action.
The exhibition highlights both grassroots solutions and national climate plans, including the National Climate Change Action Plan, the National Adaptation Plan, and the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which must be updated ahead of the 2025 UN climate negotiations in Brazil.
In his keynote address, Climate Change Commission Vice-Chairperson Robert Borje said effective communication is key to turning policy into practice.
“Our policies must speak not in jargon, but in truths that touch the hearts and mobilize hands,” he said. “We have the science, the plans, and the policies, but without a shared language, they remain seeds on barren soil.”
NMP Deputy Director-General Jorell Legaspi described 2025 as a critical year, citing record-breaking heat and intensifying typhoons. “The exhibition symbolizes a call to action — that challenges each and every one of us to step up, speak out, and take responsibility for the future of our environment,” he said.
Among the featured innovations is Animal Town, a mobile game that raises awareness about biodiversity while generating funds for conservation. With over 18,000 users, the game is projected to raise up to PHP777,000 (USD14,000) to support the protection of nine biodiversity areas in the country.
“Animal Town is more than just a game app,” said Angelique Ogena, communications officer of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative, a joint effort by the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau and the UN Development Programme. “It’s a digital tool built to increase awareness and mobilize financing for biodiversity conservation.”
Also on display is a web-based Household Greenhouse Gas Calculator by Green Convergence. Part of the group’s Ako Ang Bukas program, the tool helps users compute their carbon footprint and the number of trees needed to offset it.
“The app’s accessibility and visual display of one’s GHG emissions can hopefully motivate people, especially the young, to share their results with others,” said Dr. Angelina Galang, the program’s director. “As sharing is fast in the digital world, the words ‘carbon footprint’ and ‘climate action’ can go viral.”
The exhibition runs until April 2026. AKP and its partners plan to hold workshops and seminars alongside the display to further empower communities to lead their own climate initiatives.
