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Residents wade through floodwaters to reach the tombs of their departed loved ones at the H.I. Cemetery in Hagonoy, Bulacan, on October 31, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Residents wade through floodwaters to reach the tombs of their departed loved ones at the H.I. Cemetery in Hagonoy, Bulacan, on October 31, 2025 — two days before the observance of All Souls’ Day.
Floodwaters remain stagnant in several parts of Hagonoy — a municipality long plagued by recurring inundation, which has recently drawn attention following the discovery of alleged anomalous flood-control projects involving several lawmakers, regional DPWH engineers, and other government officials.

Article (news)

UNDAS 2025- ALL SOULS DAY- FLOODING

Raphael Bosano

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176223622743020251031-flooding-hagonoy-cemetery-MT19.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Residents wade through floodwaters to reach the tombs of their departed loved ones at the H.I. Cemetery in Hagonoy, Bulacan, on October 31, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Philippines continues to be the world’s most at-risk country, especially when it comes to flooding.</p><p>This, according to the 2025 World Risk Report, which found that floods remain among the most severe hazards of this generation — impacting people, infrastructure, and ecosystems across the globe.</p><p>An analysis of local conditions, population density, and hazard exposure shows that much of the country faces medium to very high vulnerability to both coastal and river flooding. </p><p>For a nation made up of more than 7,000 islands, surrounded by warm seas and frequently battered by typhoons, the findings are no surprise.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/17/denr-urges-local-governments-to-be-proactive-vs-climate-change-flooding-2004">DENR urges local governments to be proactive vs climate change, flooding</a></div><p>What makes the situation worse, experts say, is climate change or the planet’s continuous warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. </p><p>In just a few days, that crisis will once again take center stage as leaders, experts, and advocates gather for the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.</p><p>The Philippines is expected to make its stand at the summit, calling for climate justice and equity.</p><p>“We are one of the least contributors of greenhouse gas emissions, less than half of one percent. Pero tayo ang napupuruhan pagdating sa epekto ng climate change,” said Climate Change Commission Executive Director Robert Borje. </p><p>(We are one of the least contributors of greenhouse gas emissions, less than half of one percent. But we are hit the worst when it comes to the impacts of climate change.)</p><p>“Kailangan maisulong natin hindi lang ang ating interest patungkol sa pagpalago ng kooperasyon sa climate finance, pero kung paano pa mapalakas ang coordination para matulungan ang mga bansa na patuloy pang humaharap sa problema ng climate change.”</p><p>(We need to push for our interest when it comes to enriching cooperation on climate finance and look at how we can strengthen that coordination to help countries that continue to face devastation as a result of climate change.)</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/7/2/explainer-how-climate-change-is-driving-extreme-weather-events-1827">EXPLAINER: How climate change is driving extreme weather events</a></div><p>COP30, happening a decade after the historic Paris Agreement, will serve as a checkpoint for nations to assess how far -- or how little -- they’ve gone in keeping their promise to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.</p><p>For the Philippines, that target isn’t just a number -- it’s the thin line between survival and devastation. </p><p>Warmer ocean temperatures and moist air from the Pacific provide the perfect conditions for tropical cyclones. On average, 20 typhoons enter the country each year. Some of them are catastrophic, like Yolanda and Odette.</p><div> </div><div><strong>FINANCING SURVIVAL</strong></div><p>In recent years, the country has strengthened its climate adaptation measures, from building seawalls, developing early warning systems, and even using satellite images. But experts admit that financing these efforts is a challenging hurdle.</p><p>Dr. Rosa Perez, senior research fellow at the Manila Observatory, admits that a lot of adaptation activities and measures lack financing.</p><p>“Para yan ma-realize, kailangan suportahan tayo ng mga bansang mas nakaaangat. We’re negotiating sa international COP na bigay tayo ng tulong, tulong pinancial, technological and capacity building,” she said.</p><p>(For this to be realized, we need support from developed countries. We’re negotiating at COP so that we may be given assistance financially, as well as technological and capacity building.)</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/7/24/what-the-icj-s-advisory-opinion-on-climate-means-for-the-ph-2327">What the ICJ’s advisory opinion on climate means for the PH</a></div><p>In July, the International Court of Justice released an advisory opinion stating that countries are “obligated to address climate change” and failing to do so opens the door for affected nations to demand reparations. This development reinforces what climate-vulnerable nations like the Philippines have long been advocating, that inaction by major emitters has real human costs. </p><p>For millions of Filipinos living in flood-prone and coastal communities, climate change is no longer an abstract scientific concept. It’s an everyday struggle.</p><p>As negotiators head to COP30, the hope is that their decisions translate into real relief for those who have already lost so much, and give a fighting chance for future generations to inherit a safer planet.</p><div> </div><div><strong>WHAT IS COP 30?</strong></div><p>The 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) is an annual climate summit organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This year’s conference will be held in Belem, Brazil.</p><p>Here, nations are expected to review progress and submit new national climate action plans. Also expected is the operationalization of the Funds for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) that aims to support climate-vulnerable countries like the Philippines.</p><p>Outcomes of COP30 not only aim to improve policies on just transitions and disaster resilience funding, but also the pace of global action for the coming years.</p><div><em>This story was produced as part of the COP30 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews&#x27; Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.</em></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>WATCH</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y19WEesgy2k?&amp;t=191s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>COP30, happening a decade after the historic Paris Agreement, will serve as a checkpoint for nations to assess how far (or how little) they’ve gone in keeping their promise to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.</p>

COP30, happening a decade after the historic Paris Agreement, will serve as a checkpoint for nations to assess how far (or how little) they’ve gone in keeping their promise to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Why Filipinos should care about climate negotiations at COP30

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Why Filipinos should care about climate negotiations at COP30

Raphael Bosano,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 04, 2025 02:16 PM PHT

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Updated November 06, 2025 07:46 PM PHT

Read More:

Climate Change

Conference of Parties

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