Victorino Aquitania (3rd from the left), ICLEI SEA Regional Director, turns over the membership plaque for the City Government of Baguio to Baguio City Councilor Betty Lourdes F. Tabanda (2nd from the left) last April 14, 2026 during the International Conference on Local Equitable and Inclusive Resilience (ICLEI-R). (L-R) Baguio City Councilor Elmer Datuin; Councilor Tabanda; Aquitania; Councilor John Rhey Mananeng; and Councilor Van Oliver Dicang.

ICLEI Southeast Asia (SEA) recognized the City Government of Baguio in the Philippines as one of its active, longstanding members by presenting a membership plaque received by Baguio City councilors last April 14, 2026 during the International Conference on Local Equitable and Inclusive Resilience (ICLEI-R).

Baguio City hosted the three-day conference, which served as the flagship event of the Enhancing Local Capacities in Socially Inclusive Resilience in Asia (SIRA) Project, implemented under the Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE) Programme funded by UK Aid through the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada.

ICLEI SEA awarded the membership plaque as part of a series of activities for its 21st anniversary celebration, including recognition of its members.

Baguio City has been involved in several ICLEI projects over the years, starting with ICLEI SEA’s first project, the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign from 1999 to 2005.

Since then, Baguio City has been part of many other ICLEI projects, namely: the Ambitious City Promises (ACP) Replication: Harnessing Cities Share; Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN); AsianCitiesAdapt – Impacts of Climate Change in Target Cities in India and the Philippines and Local Adaptation Strategies; Enhancing Local Capacities in Socially Inclusive Resilience in Asia (SIRA); One Planet City Challenge (OPCC); Preparatory Research for LAB Asia Initiatives Phases 1-3; Safe and Sound Cities Programme (S2Cities); and the Sustainable Water Integrated Management and Governance (SWIM).