Airbus and ASSIST partner to launch the Resilient Communities Program in Manila

Manila, Philippines - May 04, 2026 - Airbus and the Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) have officially launched the Resilient Communities Program, a strategic initiative designed to strengthen disaster preparedness and long-term sustainability in Barangay 649, Baseco. The program introduces a community-owned model for climate adaptation, specifically designed to address the needs of underrepresented and vulnerable groups in Manila’s coastal areas that are disproportionately affected by natural disasters and are vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

The partnership focuses on delivering scalable solutions across four key pillars: food security through a community garden, energy resilience through solar lighting community hubs, water security via rainwater harvesting systems, and disaster risk reduction through a Master of Disaster (MOD) capacity building game.

The program launch, held at the Amadome Covered Court, marks the culmination of a rigorous needs assessment and planning phase involving local residents. By engaging stakeholders from the Local Government Unit (LGU), the Barangay Inter-Agency Network (BIAN), and local schools, the project ensures that the solutions are not only delivered to the community but are designed and managed by them.

"Airbus is committed to driving meaningful change in the locations where we live and work," said Juha-Pekka Hoikka, Airbus Country Representative in the Philippines. "The Resilient Communities Program is built on the principle of lasting positive change. By focusing on the unique needs of Baseco and fostering community ownership of these sustainability tools, we are helping to build a foundation for a stronger, more self-reliant future."

The launch event featured the first MOD game community session, where 90 participants, including youth leaders and school representatives, engaged in interactive disaster preparedness training. Airbus volunteers were also engaged to train the community members through the MOD game. The day concluded with the formal handover of MOD board games, ensuring the program’s disaster-readiness curriculum is integrated into local schools and community organizations.

Marielle Mariano, Project Management Office Lead at ASSIST, emphasized the project's impact logic: "This is more than a one-time donation; it is a capacity-building framework. From urban gardening to renewable energy, we are focusing on measurable outcomes that allow the community to lead their own recovery and development long after the initial implementation."

The Resilient Communities Program will continue through December 2028, with regular monitoring and impact assessments to ensure the initiatives remain sustainable and scalable for other vulnerable urban communities.

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About ASSIST
ASSIST is a self-sustaining pan-Asian non-profit organization that seeks to achieve sustainable transformation to ensure improvement of social equity amongst all. Its goal is to empower target groups and make them resilient to social, economic and environmental challenges. It believes more good can be achieved through collaboration, open communication and capacity building, anchored to the philosophy "Partners for Progress". It has carried out over 500 projects funded by organizations across Southeast Asia, South Asia, China and Africa.