Home to more than 114 million people and about 14,000 species—half of which are endemic to the country— the Philippines stands at an environmental crossroads. In 2024, the country lost more than about 19 billion pesos in agriculture alone from a mix of typhoons, monsoons, and dry spells. The extreme heat and the consecutive storms even caused an adjustment to last year’s growth projection as businesses slowed down, showing just how destructive and disruptive extreme weather events are, especially for a country still on its way to economic prosper.

Huge as these losses are, should the effects of climate change continue to intensify, it stands to lose not just ecosystems or property—but lives, livelihoods, and legacies.

Those effects are already unmistakable. Sea levels in the Philippines are rising three times the global rate. Communities are seeing higher and more frequent flooding. Coral reefs are bleaching. Farmers are watching their harvests wither through erratic rainfall and intense heat waves. All the while, Filipinos continue to bear the brunt of intensifying storms that occur at a minimum of 20 times a year.

These are not distant threats—they are here, and for a country like ours, the stakes are incredibly high.

The Pearl of The Orient Under Threat

Rich in culture, biodiversity, and history. The Philippines is heralded as the Pearl of the Orient, boasting picturesque beaches, lush forests, and rolling mountains teeming with life. With it come Filipinos who hold stories of perseverance, and quiet determination in the face of adversity.

But as the climate crisis deepens, this treasured heritage and the people who carry it stand on fragile ground.

Just last year, the Philippines experienced a record number of storms entering the country within just one month. Although the country has weathered many storms in the past, historical data shows that what we're currently experiencing is a result of a changing, warming planet. And it's expected to not only increase in frequency but grow in intensity, too.

The World Weather Attribution group confirmed that the six consecutive typhoons that battered northern Luzon between October and November 2024—affecting over 13 million people—were significantly more likely and more powerful due to human-induced climate change. Their analysis shows that powerful storm clusters—like the six that hit the Philippines in late 2024—are now 25% more likely because of climate change. What used to happen once every 15 years can now become more alarmingly common.

And it's not just the storms we have to look out for.

Recently, PAGASA issued warnings to different parts of the Philippines cautioning "dangerous to extremely dangerous" heat levels that can cause heat stroke and serious illness with even minimal exposure. Despite the country's inherent abundance of sun, the rising global temperatures can further push the Philippines from experiencing lazy summer days to life-threatening conditions.

But what's behind these headlines and projections? To truly understand the weight of climate change in the Philippines, we must look at its people. Climate change is deeply personal, and for a country that relies on its forests, seas, and fields, we must look beyond the weather. We must look at the people living through it.

Living Through Climate Change

A farmer struggling to make his crops thrive in the sweltering heat.

A student wading through floodwaters just to get home.

Families relocating and rebuilding their entire lives while mourning a loss.

These are not isolated stories—they are shared realities. Across the Philippines, climate change is rewriting the way people live, work, and hope.

As weather extremes grow stronger and more frequent, so too do the inequalities they expose. Agricultural workers, who already face the struggle of incredibly low market value for hard-earned harvests and catches, now have to worry about surviving extreme heat and strong typhoons. The nature of their jobs also makes them extremely vulnerable to heat-related health concerns like heat exhaustion and strokes.

In cities and across the countryside, families are forced to face the realities of broken homes—whether fractured by circumstance or rebuilt after every typhoon that passes through the Philippines. Deep within forests and in the seas, ecosystems are being disrupted and changed forever.

Carrying the Burden of Giants

A country as small as the Philippines and a nation so deeply rooted in its environment can hardly be the sole reason for its rising temperatures and intensifying typhoons.

More developed countries have been attributed as the top contributors to climate change. Yet, countries like the Philippines carry most of the burden.

According to the Climate Risk Index 2025, the Philippines ranks among the Top 10 countries most affected by climate change—not because of what we’ve done, but because of where we are, and how little power we hold in global systems that continue to prioritize profit over people.

This is what climate injustice usually looks like: those who have contributed the least to the problem are paying the highest price.

Now more than ever, it's crucial to demand better, more sustainable policies—and to uplift Filipino-led ideas that can help mitigate, and even reverse, the effects of climate change.

Fueling the Change, One Venture At A Time

In the words of climate advocate Peggy Shepard, we must "create the change we need by incorporating equity and lived experience." That is why 1882 Energy Ventures strongly believes that the global shift to decentralized energy, decarbonizing the industry that contributes the most to climate change, must be contextualized.

Solutions must come from the people who live the experiences—who see it in the eyes of their fellow Filipinos and feel it themselves every day. 1882's goal is to challenge the norm by bringing those ideas to life.

Our ventures, like Solviva Energy and Voltai, align with this mission. Solviva, making residential solar more accessible, gives people the option to opt out of the grid into a more stable, affordable energy source at a time when the cost of electricity is at a record high. Voltai focuses on the growing industry of logistics and delivery, giving people who help power Filipino businesses the chance to join the movement.

Because at the heart of every storm weathered, every harvest lost, and every home rebuilt is a Filipino who refuses to give up—and they deserve more than survival. They deserve a future powered by solutions that understand their struggle, reflect their resilience, and honor their hope.

This is the future 1882 Energy Ventures strives to build.

One that doesn’t just respond to climate change, but redefines what’s possible when energy begins with empathy, and power is placed back in the hands of the people.