Lingayen, Pangasinan — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippines and the Provincial Government of Pangasinan have formally strengthened their partnership to advance climate and disaster resilience through the ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Localities Against Disasters and Climate Change (SHIELD) Programme, the flagship resilience initiative supported by the Australian Government.

The ceremonial signing was led by Pangasinan Governor Ramon V. Guico III and UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Christophe Bahuet, marking the official rollout of SHIELD Programme activities in the province.

Pangasinan is at the heart of the Philippines’ food system as one of the country’s largest agricultural producers and a key coastal province driving regional economic growth. Yet this strategic position also places it squarely on the frontlines of climate change impacts. The province faces escalating risks from typhoons, flooding, storm surges, drought, and extreme heat. These hazards threaten communities, critical infrastructure, livelihoods, food production, and hard‑won development gains. This is why the SHIELD Programme underscores the urgent need to strengthen climate and disaster resilience in Pangasinan.

Through the SHIELD Programme, with generous support from the Australian Government, the Provincial Government of Pangasinan and UNDP, together with the National Resilience Council, Philippine Business for Social Progress, and UN Habitat are collaborating to demonstrate what scalable, risk‑informed governance looks like in practice. Local governments are increasingly focusing on how resilience investments can deliver tangible benefits, especially for communities most exposed to climate change and disasters. 

SHIELD will help bolster local government capacities in strengthening local systems using climate risk analytics in planning, budgeting, and investment decisions, expanding access to technology including early‑warning tools and digital platforms. It will also support economic and private‑sector resilience through risk‑informed value chain analysis and business continuity planning. In parallel, it will help steer investments towards resilience by developing investment-ready proof-of-concepts that can attract public and private financing.

Governor Guico expressed his appreciation for the partnership and reaffirmed Pangasinan’s strong commitment to advancing resilience efforts, highlighting the province’s continued investments in protecting communities and its readiness to fully comply with and actively support the implementation of the SHIELD Programme:

“On behalf of the Province of Pangasinan, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Australian Government for its support to this programme. We have long invested significant resources to protect our provincemates each year, and we are continuing to strengthen these efforts, including the development of sustainable housing initiatives.

To our partners, thank you for your commitment. We affirm that the Provincial Government will be a proactive and cooperative partner in advancing this programme. Rest assured that we will fully comply with the requirements of this Memorandum of Understanding. You can count on Pangasinan as a strong and reliable partner in the SHIELD network.”

UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Bahuet explained what this new partnership aims to achieve:

“SHIELD thrives on a simple truth: resilience starts with empowered local governance. Over the next two years, UNDP and our partners—with strong support from the Australian Government—will work with Pangasinan to co-develop scalable solutions, from risk maps and governance tools to investment-ready projects. With the right support, local communities can adapt and thrive.”

Under this partnership, Pangasinan will establish a province-wide resilience network that scales up the Sambayanihan model into a multistakeholder platform and champions inclusive resilience planning and implementation. This platform brings together government, communities, businesses, academic and research institutions to create a shared space for dialogue, coordination, and co‑ownership of resilience actions.  Implementation will be undertaken in collaboration with national government agencies, including the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The Programme also works closely with the SHIELD consortium partners. Uniting fragmented efforts into a coherent, whole-of-province system enables resilience investments to be scalable and sustained long after the project ends.

DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Marlo L. Iringan, underscored the importance of strengthening local government capacities and fostering whole-of-government and whole-of-society collaboration to advance climate and disaster resilience:

“The Department looks forward to the implementation of the SHIELD Programme in the Province of Pangasinan for it is seen as a potent platform to further assist the province in leading and enabling an environment where collaboration and coordination among national and local actors are reinforced. This is part of our advocacy to further strengthen the capacities of LGUs and to advance disaster and climate resilience and governance.

Through the programme, we aim to support the province in becoming a resilience champion that proactively implements localized and evidence-based interventions, while advocating for and undertaking collective actions at the grassroots level. We further aim to highlight the significant contributions of local actions with the province working together with its component cities and municipalities, relevant government agencies, and civil society organizations to address the impacts of disasters and climate change and transform conditions in at-risk communities.”

Mr. Peter Adams expressed support to this partnership:

“Disaster resilience is a priority for Australia in the Philippines. Through SHIELD, we are partnering with provincial and municipal governments in Pangasinan—alongside national agencies, the private sector and civil society—to deliver locally led solutions, from risk-based planning and early warning systems to investable resilience projects that strengthen community preparedness and response to climate and disaster risks.”

In a decade defined by climate uncertainty, supporting local governments across the Philippines becomes even more important. We must prioritize long‑term solutions so that progress is not lost every time a typhoon or drought strikes. The SHIELD Program is committed to investing in resilience that ensures communities can protect their development gains and continue to grow stronger over time.