By Lane Afable, News Editor
As extreme heat reaches dangerous levels across the country, the Quezon City Government is stepping up—hosting the first-ever Urban Heat and Drought Summit in the Philippines to drive urgent, inclusive climate action.
With heat indices in Quezon City soaring to 46°C in 2024 and 2025, the threat is no longer theoretical. It is already disrupting classrooms, straining public health systems, and putting the most vulnerable—children, senior citizens, outdoor workers, and low-income communities—at serious risk.
The summit marks a decisive move to confront this growing crisis head-on.
Bringing together leaders from CityNet member cities, national and local governments, technical experts, civil society, and the private sector, the summit serves as a platform to align strategies, scale up solutions, and accelerate action where it is needed most.
At its core, the gathering focuses on three urgent priorities:
• Understanding the risks of extreme heat and drought in rapidly urbanizing environments;
• Advancing climate-responsive and inclusive cooling solutions;
• Turning knowledge into action through evidence-based policies and programs
“Extreme heat is no longer a future threat—it is a present danger with real social, economic, and environmental consequences,” said Mayor Joy Belmonte.
“In Quezon City, we are seeing its impact most sharply among our most vulnerable.
“That is why we are acting now—working with partners across sectors to ensure that our solutions are not only effective, but inclusive and sustainable.”
More than a forum for discussion, the summit is designed to deliver results—documenting best practices, sharing city-level innovations, and building a roadmap for coordinated, citywide action.
As climate challenges intensify, Quezon City is positioning itself at the forefront of urban resilience—transforming urgency into action, and collaboration into concrete solutions that protect every QCitizen.
