Battling hidden storms

A woman in a coastal barangay in Cebu sat quietly on the battered veranda of what used to be her modest shop.

- 

The roar of Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) had already passed. With winds gusting over 150 km/h and a storm-surge swallowing entire low-lying streets, the destruction was immediate and raw.

Last week, even as the province braced for Tropical Depression Verbena, this woman’s story is not just about loss — it is about adaptation, survival, and the quiet rise of her community.

Microfinance amidst Climate Change

The Philippines routinely faces 20 or more tropical cyclones each year. The storms are not just intensifying; weather patterns are also changing: erratic rainfall, longer dry spells, rising sea-levels, intensified storm surges. For many poor Filipinos, climate change has come to mean loss of lives, livelihoods, and properties.

Against this backdrop, the Microfinance Council of the Philippines (MCPI) has become a leading advocate for climate-responsive microfinance. Through its “Green Inclusive Finance” program -- implemented with Appui au Développement Autonome (ADA) and the Luxembourg Ministry of Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development — MCPI is guiding microfinance institutions (MFIs) to design and implement green loan products. The initiative has supported institutions such as JMH Microfinance, SEDP-Simbag, Bangko Kabayan, Kasagana-Ka Credit & Savings Cooperative, and Rangtay sa Pagrang-ay Microfinance Inc. in rolling out products for renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, and sustainable housing.