University of Philippines Manila

Research Aims to produce Climate Information Services (CIS) and Educate Policymakers, Communities on Climate Change-Induced Health Outcomes

Text by Jennifer Manongdo
Photo from the Institute of Child Health and Human Development (ICHHD)

Experts from the University of the Philippines Manila and Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) forged an alliance to produce relevant information to address  climate-induced health risks. In the photo are (from left) UP-NIH ICHHD co-investigator Dr. Kristal An Agrupis, Edwin Cariño (from the office of Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, 1st Congressional District of Ilocos Norte), City of Batac Mayor Albert Chua, UP NIH Executive Director Dr. Eva Maria Cutiongco-dela Paz, GIZ Program Manager Dr. Nicole Kranz, Climate Change Commision Deputy Executive Director Rommel Antonio Cuenca, UP-NIH ICHHD principal investigator Dr. Michelle Ylade, GIZ SSCIS Chief Advisor Mr. Jimmy Loro, MMSU co-investigator and Vice President for Research and Development Dr. Nathaniel Alibuyog.

The University of the Philippines Manila – National Institutes of Health (UPM-NIH) recently partnered with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Climate Change Commission (CCC) for the establishment of a center focusing on providing Climate Information Services (CIS) to address climate-induced health risks.

The Subnational Competence Center (SNCC) was launched in November at the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) and is part of the South-South Collaboration on Climate Information Services (SSCIS) Project of the GIZ.

The SSCIS Project was designed to build the foundation for localized climate research, data-sharing, and practical action plans to support communities through relevant CIS  focusing on health and agricultural concerns.

This is complemented by the SNCC – the country’s first collaborative research hub for climate change services including risk assessments, adaptation strategies, and community-level mitigation planning.
The Institute of Child Health and Human Development (ICHHD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is at the forefront of gathering essential data on the health impacts of climate change for the SSCIS project. Through this initiative, experts from UPM-NIH-ICHHD and MMSU are conducting a comprehensive study titled “Effect of Climate Change on Health: Data from the Philippines.” This study aims to consolidate and analyze essential local data to provide a deeper understanding of how climate change parameters affect public health.

Results of the study will serve as a reference for capacity-building and coaching activities involving national and regional agencies, universities, and research institutions to enhance the utilization and dissemination of CIS.

“Conducting climate change and health-related workshops and research entails a strong collaboration with MMSU,” Dr. Kristal An Agrupis, co-investigator at UPM-NIH ICHHD said.
Additionally, associative data between local weather patterns and disease prevalence is being developed into innovative knowledge products for various stakeholders including urban planners, policy and decision-makers, communities, media, and practitioners.

Milestones

Several milestones have been achieved from the partnership between UPM-NIH-ICHHD and MMSU that began in February 2024 through the project: “Impact of Climate Change on Malnutrition, Hypertension, and Dengue in Ilocos Norte” (Ilocos CHIME).

The partnership, which began in May 2024 through a Memorandum of Understanding, led to a research capacity-building workshop conducted by UPM-NIH for MMSU researchers. Consequently, a research protocol for Ilocos CHIME was developed by the researchers and approved by the UPM-NIH Scientific Review Council and the UPM Research Ethics Board (UPMREB) and the MMSU-University Research Ethics Review Board (URERB)

Data collection and analysis are currently underway in Ilocos.

“The project is on track to deliver its findings by the first quarter of 2025, providing critical insights into the health impacts of climate change in the Ilocos Norte region. This partnership underscores the vital role of UPM-NIH-ICHHD in bridging research, policy, and practice to address climate change’s health effects, further advancing the SSCIS Project’s objectives,” Dr. Michelle Ylade, principal investigator at ICHHD said.  

The research is part of the commitment of the NIH to support the government in mitigating the effects of climate change through timely and evidence-based research initiatives, Dr. Eva Maria Cutiongco-Dela Paz, Executive Director of UPM-NIH, said.#