PROJECT TRANSFORM
Transdisciplinary Approach for Resilience and
Environmental Sustainability through
Multistakeholder Engagement
Project Transform: Building
resilience through
collaboration
It is an LGU-led multi-stakeholder partnership model that
aims to engage local governments in ENR governance
particularly in increasing their capacities for environment
and natural resource management, climate and disaster
resilience, and socio-economic development. The DENR
launched Project TRANSFORM in the following municipalities:
Ormoc City in Leyte, Malimono, San Francisco, and Burgos in
Surigao del Norte, and Limay, Mariveles, and Orion in Bataan
and will be replicated in other LGUs.
LOCAL government units (LGUs) across the Philippines are
commending the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources' (DENR) flagship program, Project Transform, a
multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to empower
communities to combat climate change and achieve
sustainable development.
Project Transform has been launched in Ormoc City in Leyte,
Malimono, San Francisco, and Burgos in Surigao del Norte,
and Limay, Mariveles, and Orion in Bataan, Rizal province
and Quezon City.
Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez highlighted the
city's role as a pilot site, emphasized the program's
effectiveness. Having personally experienced the
devastation caused by typhoons and floods, Gomez has
made climate change a top priority for her administration,
noting that the program provides the city with useful
resources like training on disaster management, greenhouse
gas accounting, and biodiversity profiling.
"The ultimate gratification is not only seeing the
environmental, social and economic improvement in the
lives of our constituents but being recognized by the DENR
as a successful case study for LGU-based climate action that
can be replicated across the nation," said Gomez.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte echoed this sentiment,
expressing gratitude for national recognition of their
environmental efforts and looking forward to more green,
sustainable, and inclusive climate initiatives for QCitizens.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Jose "Bingo" Matugas 2nd
emphasized the project's importance in improving disaster
preparedness and sustainable development through public-
private partnerships.
Project Transform's pilot testing areas include towns like Del
Carmen, Burgos, Malimono, and San Francisco, which were
severely damaged by super typhoon "Odette,"
demonstrating how important the project is in helping
communities who are at risk.
For her part, Rizal Governor Nina Ynares underscored the
transformative impact of Project Transform on communities,
saying, "It would help us based on the transformation of our
communities into a more resilient and sustainable home,
where our children, our future, and our dreams can be
nourished and nurtured."
"Project Transform is one concrete application of how local
governments may move together and continuous
consultation with the DENR and all the stakeholders in
government and in the private sector as well as academia,"
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Mari Antonia
Yulo-Loyzaga emphasized.
The project's scope is broad, including land, air, and sea
domains, with innovative land inventory systems and
inclusivity-driven strategies.
Project transform aligns with President Ferdinand
"Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s climate directives and represents a
whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to
climate action and economic prosperity.
To ensure a sustainable future for the Philippines, Marcos
pushes for cooperation between the public and private
sectors, businesses, academic institutions, and foreign
partners. He also underlined the alignment of economic and
climate change objectives.
"The building blocks of progressive, livable and sustainable
communities will never be complete without appropriate and
responsible action to mitigate and to adapt to the effects of
climate change," he said.
"Collaboration is the key: between and among government
offices; between government and the private sector;
between industries and the academe; between government
and international partners. And most importantly,
collaboration between and among our populace."
