Women's Month Spotlight: Community Design Studio in Iloilo

In celebration of Women’s Month, we reflect on the Sustainable Transport and Nature-Positive Mobility Design Studio, an initiative of TRANSCEND Project in Iloilo, highlighting the contributions of women and marginalized groups in shaping more climate-conscious commuting solutions.

Organized by UN-Habitat, GIZ, and the Iloilo Provincial Government , the design studio was launched on 12 December, bringing together groups representing women, youth, the elderly, persons with disabilities (PWDs), among others. It sparked discussions ranging from real-life commuting stories to community-driven transport interventions, all while integrating nature-based solutions (NbS). After the launch, the design studio was then transformed into a collaborative space open to the public in the provincial capitol.

The output of the design studio was presented by Ms. Valme Lujan of PPDO Iloilo Provincial Planning and Development Office in the pre-event on Connected Communities, Collective Commitment at the Better Air Quality Conference #BAQ2026 in Bangkok this month. These insights will also inform the development of activities under the TRANSCEND Project, aligning with its goal to mainstream gender equity️, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI), as well as ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in the transport sector.

TRANSCEND Project is a joint initiative between the Republic of the Philippines and the Federal Republic of Germany through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and implemented by a consortium led by GIZ, designed to raise ambition and align with both international and national climate and biodiversity agendas through local implementation. GIZ leads the Transport and Governance Outputs, while UN-Habitat leads the Urban EbA Output.