Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment

19/05/2026

Carried by Community: Bayanihan Powers the Journey to REPower Matabas! 🔆

After months of planning, partnerships, and collective effort, another milestone has been reached for REPower Matabas as the solar energy system materials officially arrived on Matabas Island! From the shores of Vito Port in Sagay City to the island community, residents came together in a powerful display of bayanihan—lifting, carrying, unloading, and transporting the materials with shared determination and hope for a brighter future 💪🏽🏝️

This moment was made possible through the support and generosity of many individuals and organizations who believed in the vision of bringing clean and reliable energy to an off-grid island community.

Truly grateful to Board Member Arthur Christopher Marañon, Mayor Bebo Cueva, Kagawad Roed, Gov. Joenel Torres and Tau Gamma Phi, Engr. FC Ayeng, Engr. Christine Lama, Engr. Niele Shem G. Bañas and the entire VCY Solar and SAL Solar Team, GoodWe and ZNShine, the resident-partners of Matabas Island, and the Matabas Active Women Association (MaAWA)! ☀️ Special thanks as well to the Honnold Foundation for its strong support in helping make REPower Matabas possible! 🤝⚡

Every solar panel carried across the island represents opportunity, resilience, and hope. Soon, these systems will help power education, livelihoods, water access, and community spaces in Matabas. This is what people-centered renewable energy looks like: communities leading the way toward a just and sustainable future. 🌱💡

16/05/2026

Want to raise awareness and help build movements for environmental justice and sustainable development?

Be part of NICE and join our Pre-Membership Orientation on May 23, Saturday, at 1:00 PM at the Climate and Environmental Justice Youth Hub.

Sign up through this link:
https://bit.ly/NICEMembershipForm
https://bit.ly/NICEMembershipForm

Slots are limited due to venue capacity, and participants who complete their registration first will receive a confirmation email. Those who do not receive a confirmation email and are not accommodated in this batch will still be contacted and prioritized for the next orientation schedule.

Join NICE today and become one of the advocates working toward a more sustainable future.

13/05/2026

Tau Gamma Phi Supports REPower Matabas in Advancing Community-Led Initiatives

SAGAY CITY – Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment Inc. (NICE) formally enters into a partnership with Tau Gamma Phi through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) held at the NICE Climate and Environmental Justice Youth Hub on May 5, 2026. The agreement aims to strengthen volunteerism and community participation in Matabas Island, Sagay City.

The ceremonial signing gathered representatives from NICE and Tau Gamma Phi Negros Occidental Supreme Provincial Council Governor-General Joenel Torres and members, highlighting a collective effort to support sustainable and people-centered initiatives in the island community.

The collaboration seeks to encourage stronger grassroots involvement in activities connected to REPower Matabas, particularly in community organizing, local support initiatives, and volunteer-led efforts that will contribute to the implementation of clean energy and resilience project in Matabas Island.

REPower Matabas is a community-based solarization and resilience initiative supported by the Honnold Foundation. The project focuses on improving energy access, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable development solutions for off-grid and underserved communities in the Island of Matabas.

09/05/2026

In 3 days, Renewable Energy Week Expo 2026 brought together local governments, national agencies, industry leaders, academic institutions, innovators, advocates, and communities — all working toward one shared goal: a cleaner, more sustainable, and energy-secure Negros Occidental.

From renewable energy technologies and clean mobility to community-driven solutions and future-ready industries, the week became a space for collaboration, innovation, and action.

In our 3rd year, we launched 3 movements: the Be REady Roadshow, the Negros Occidental Energy Innovation Sprint, and RECreate Negros!

This is only the beginning of a stronger renewable energy movement for the province. ⚡🌱

𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕!

09/05/2026

Statement of Caritas President and NICE Wisdom Council Chair Bishop gerardoalminaza: Solidarity and Support for Young Environmental Advocates

We express our solidarity with the young environmental advocates who continue to courageously raise their voices for the protection of our common home.

At a time when the climate crisis, plastic pollution, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss threaten the future of humanity—especially the poor and vulnerable—young people who peacefully call for urgent ecological action should not be treated as criminals. They should be heard as partners in safeguarding life and the future.

As Pope Francis reminds us in Laudato Si’, “young people demand change.” Their concern for the Earth is not a disturbance to society but a moral awakening that challenges all of us to act with responsibility and courage.

We therefore call for respect for human dignity, freedom of expression, and the right to peaceful environmental advocacy. Protecting creation is not a crime. Caring for our planet is a shared moral responsibility.

We commend our youth environmental defenders for their passion, courage, and hope. In a world often marked by indifference and short-term interests, they remind us that another future is still possible—a future rooted in justice, sustainability, solidarity, and care for creation.

May we not silence the voices of the young. Instead, may we listen to them, walk with them, and work together for genuine ecological conversion and climate justice.

As a Church and as a people, we reaffirm our commitment to stand with those who defend life, protect creation, and seek a more humane and sustainable future for all.

“The cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor are one.”

09/05/2026

Youth climate advocates from Negros join the call for the immediate release of four young environmental activists held by the police for calling on ASEAN leaders to act on the plastic pollution and climate crisis.

We condemn their arrest and we declare: Protecting the Planet is not a crime.

We give our highest salute to our courageous fellow youth environmental advocates! ✊ We are inspired by your courage and passion for a better planet.

We join the broader environmental movement calling for their immediate release.

07/05/2026

Day 1 of Renewable Energy Week Expo 2026 ⚡

The Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE) is a co-organizer of the Renewable Energy Week Expo 2026 in advancing a future where every Negrense has access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy! 💡

As Negros Occidental opens its flagship platform for renewable energy and energy security, the Expo highlights why communities deserve clean energy solutions that support livelihoods, strengthen resilience, and create better opportunities for all 🤝☀️

Visit the different booths and exhibits featuring renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency solutions, clean energy financing, and community-centered initiatives that support a more secure and sustainable future for Negros Occidental until May 9,2026 🔋🌍

Explore learning sessions and conversations that put people and communities at the center of the energy transition! 🗣️⚡

📍 SMX Convention Center, Bacolod City

03/05/2026

See you at the 3rd RE Week!

No gatekeeping. No barriers. Just energy, innovation, and real conversations. ⚡️

Renewable Energy Week Expo 2026 is open to everyone—whether you’re from an LGU, private sector, student, or just curious about the future of energy in Negros.

📍 SMX Convention Center, Bacolod City. May 7-9, 2026.
🎟️ FREE admission

Show up. Learn. Be part of the shift.

22/04/2026

Earth Day is not just a celebration; it is a moment to reflect on the realities our planet is facing and the role we play in shaping its future. 🌀🌳

From the energy behind our digital habits to the waste we generate and the systems we support, our everyday choices are more connected to environmental and climate issues than we think. These impacts may seem small on their own, but collectively, they shape the world we live in. 🍃

This Earth Day 🌏, may we not only celebrate but also question, reflect, and act. Because caring for the Earth is not a one-day commitment, but a responsibility we carry every day. ✊🏼🫧🔆



Sources:

International Energy Agency. (2024). Energy and AI: Global electricity demand from data centres. IEA. https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai

United Nations Environment Programme. (2023). Turning off the tap: How the world can end plastic pollution. https://www.unep.org/resources/report/turning-off-tap-end-plastic-pollution

Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2017). A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future. https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/a-new-textiles-economy

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2023). Climate change 2023: Synthesis report. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/

Griffin, P. A. (2017). The carbon majors database: CDP carbon majors report 2017. Carbon Disclosure Project.https://cdn.cdp.net/cdp-production/cms/reports/documents/000/002/327/original/Carbon-Majors-Report-2017.pdf

Read more: https://negrosanonice.org/

20/04/2026

This year’s Earth Day, we’re putting the spotlight where it truly belongs… on kids! 🌍💚

On our young climate heroes who are speaking up, taking action, and showing us that it’s never too early to care for our planet.

After months of learning, creating, and leading in their own communities, we’re bringing everyone together for the Children for Climate Culminating Activity. A celebration of their impactful journey✨

Expect an afternoon filled with meaningful moments as we honor the children, climate mentors, and partners who made this initiative come to life. 🌱

Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or are just joining now, this space is for you. Let’s celebrate Earth Day the way it should be, grounded in hope and the power of the next generation.

See you on April 22 at Northblock Activity Center, SM City Bacolod at 4:00 pm onwards! 💛

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Children for Climate (C4C) is Implemented by Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and Environment (NICE), supported by Positive Youth Development Network (PYDN) and UNICEF Philippines through the Kabataang Resilient Program (KRP), in partnership with Department of Social Services and Development - Bacolod (DSSD Bacolod).

17/04/2026

The Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE), together with its partners, convened a Multidisciplinary Academic Briefing on Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Systems and Sustainable Waste Management Strategies in Bacolod City 📚♻️

Held as part of ongoing discussions on the City’s proposed integration of WTE technologies under the Bacolod Integrated Recycling and Technology Hub (BIRTH), the session brought together representatives from academic institutions, alongside faculty, researchers, and students, to strengthen 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 and critical engagement on the issue 🤝

Environmental experts Dr. Jorge Emmanuel and Froilan Grate led the discussions, providing comprehensive insights into WTE systems, particularly thermal technologies, including their environmental, health, economic, and policy implications, while also presenting sustainable and community-based waste management alternatives 🌱

The briefing underscored the vital role of the academe in shaping public discourse, advancing independent research, and contributing to 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲-𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 🧠

Through initiatives like this, the conversation on waste management in Bacolod continues to expand, grounded in research, collaboration, and a shared commitment to sustainable solutions 🌏