From Climate Change to Community Action: Training Barangay Health Workers on Climate and Health in the Philippines

Climate change and health at the community level

Climate change has been reported as a global crisis that intensified impacts of natural hazards and variable weather fluctuations, challenging countries in adapting to climate uncertainties while sustaining progress (2,9). In Southeast Asia, climate change trends tend to be on the two extremities of cold and hot seasons, wherein maritime countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines experience greater variations in surface temperature and total precipitation (15, 20). These conditions increase risks as unpredictable weather disrupts ecosystems and leads to more disasters, disease outbreaks, and long-term changes that strain the country’s economy and productivity (12, 16).  

In the case of the Philippines, mitigating climate change remains a challenge due to its archipelagic nature and tropical location, which heighten exposure to climate variability. This exposure, along with monsoonal weather and complex terrain, leads to strong seasonal changes and increased climate-related risks that are worsened by environmental degradation (1, 4, 8, 15). This repeated cycle makes the Philippines as one of the most disaster prone countries worldwide, experiencing frequent flooding, landslides, and droughts that often results in loss of life and damage to properties over the years (13, 17). These recurring events greatly affect the health and well-being of the population nationwide, forcing communities to rely on limited or unsafe sources, which leads to sanitation problems and risk of illnesses after the disaster (15). Common health issues include leptospirosis after typhoons and floods, cholera from contaminated water, and malnutrition due to food insecurity during extreme weather (7, 10, 14, 15). Moreover, the cases of dengue and malaria are linked with climatic factors such as temperature, humidity, and rainfall, which create ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes (7, 9, 11, 16). These impacts are most immediately experienced at the community level, where frontline health workers are often the first to respond to climate-related health risks.

Why Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) matter

To address this concern in communities, the Primary Health Care (PHC) strategy was adopted nationwide to provide essential healthcare services [14]. Specifically, Community Health Workers (CHWs), locally referred to as Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) in the Philippines, are volunteer health personnel serving within their assigned barangays (smallest government unit). They play an important role in providing health-related support, including health education, disease surveillance, vaccination services, community organization, and emergency responder (5). They directly engage with residents in delivering these health services, bridging the gap between communities and the formal health system (6). As a critical component in health service delivery, BHWs must maintain the technical skills and knowledge needed to sustain the trust and camaraderie they have built within the community (12). As trusted members of their communities, BHWs bring critical local knowledge on lived climate impacts, making them key partners, not just implementers, in climate and health research and action. With increasing influence of climate change in the healthcare sector, understanding the link between the two is essential for BHWs to effectively fulfill their roles. Strengthening the capacity of BHWs will better equip them to inform communities and eventually improve health responses.

A community-engaged training approach

On March 14, 2025, the UP National Institutes of Health - Institute of Child Health and Human Development, funded by the German agency for international cooperation — Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, conducted a pilot training on climate change and health for 50 Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) from Barangays Punta Baja, Iraan, Candawaga, and Bunog in Rizal, Palawan.

The training module was designed as a supplementary addition to the existing module for BHWs in Palawan, integrating climate change concepts into familiar health topics. The sessions combined short lectures on the concepts of climate change, its causes and effects, its impact on human health, and strategies to adapt and mitigate its negative effects, along with related exercises to enhance participants’ learning, and empower them to communicate these topics effectively.

Throughout the training, climate change was gradually reframed—from a global phenomenon to a local health issue with immediate relevance. BHWs connected sudden weather changes to health risks they encounter in their daily work, strengthening their confidence to communicate these issues within their communities.

Key lessons from this pilot include:

• Start with lived experience: Grounding discussions in what participants already observe fosters engagement and relevance.
• Use participatory methods: Dialogue, group work, and reflection help transform technical concepts into actionable knowledge.
• Build on existing systems: Integrating climate content into established BHW training platforms enhances feasibility and sustainability.

Participants also emphasized the importance of translating materials into local languages to improve understanding and uptake.

References:

1. Asian Development Bank. (2009). The Economics of Climate Change in Southeast Asia: A Regional Review. https://www.adb.org/publications/economics-climate-change-southeast-asia-regional-review 
2. Ayers, J., Huq, S., Wright, H., Faisal, A. M., & Hussain, S. T. (2014). Mainstreaming climate change adaptation into development in Bangladesh. Climate and Development, 6(4), 293–305. https://doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2014.977761 
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