SparkRegen: The Regenerative Philippines - Reimagining Development for a Living Future
About The Event
Regeneration is now on the ASEAN agenda. Is anyone asking what Filipinos actually need?
As ASEAN Chair in 2026, the Philippines is leading the ASEAN Implementation Plan for Regenerative and Resilient Agriculture Systems as a key Priority Economic Deliverable. But what does regeneration actually mean on the ground?
For many Filipinos, the priorities are immediate: securing livelihoods, affordable housing, food, and safety. At the same time, regeneration asks us to look beyond simply reducing harm towards restoring the systems that sustain us.
In the Philippine context, that means reckoning with inequality, uneven development, climate vulnerability, and the everyday realities that shape people’s lives.
Join Aya Fernandez, Tristan Leome Nestor Montemor, and Krishna Ariola for a conversation on what regeneration could mean for the Philippines through three different lenses:
Economy and Development
Climate Justice & Energy Transition
Ecological Restoration & Stewardship
Together, we’ll explore what a regenerative future could look like in the Philippines, and what it might take to build it without leaving people, communities, or the landscapes they depend on behind.
We’ll explore:
What regeneration could mean in a country where economic and social needs remain urgent
How livelihoods, enterprise, and development can contribute to more regenerative systems
What a just energy transition could look like for Filipino communities
How climate action can respond to the people and places most vulnerable to climate change
What ecological restoration looks like beyond simply planting trees
How conservation and restoration can work alongside communities and the livelihoods that depend on ecosystems
What existing Philippine practices, knowledge, and initiatives could inform a more regenerative future
What it would take for regenerative approaches to work within the Philippines’ existing economic and social realities
Whether you're in development, climate, conservation, entrepreneurship, policy, culture, or simply want to understand what regeneration could mean here, join us for the conversation.
🍽 Salo-salo at Kuwentuhan
Join us from 12:00–1:00 PM for lunch and informal mingling before the programme.
About The Speakers
Aya Fernandez - Founder & CEO, EcoUling by Project Lily Inc.
Aya Fernandez is a social entrepreneur and the founder of EcoUling by Project Lily, a social enterprise that turns coconut waste into charcoal briquettes while creating livelihood opportunities in local communities. What began as a community livelihood initiative has grown into work connecting waste reduction, local enterprise, and inclusive employment, including opportunities for persons with disabilities. Her work offers a perspective on how circular livelihoods and enterprise can become part of a more regenerative economy.
Tristan Leome Nestor Montemor - Conservation Biologist and Discovery Trail Manager, Masungi Georeserve
Tristan Leome Nestor Montemor is a conservation biologist and Discovery Trail Manager at Masungi Georeserve, where he works at the intersection of conservation, ecological restoration, and public engagement. His perspective brings the conversation to the landscapes themselves: what it takes to restore degraded ecosystems, protect biodiversity, and build meaningful relationships between people and the places they depend on.
Krishna Ariola - Power for People Coalition; Co-Founder, Youth for Climate Hope
Krishna Ariola is a climate activist from Negros Occidental and co-founder of Youth for Climate Hope. Her work centres on climate justice, youth organising, and advocating for communities affected by the climate crisis. She has represented Filipino youth climate advocates at international forums, including COP27 and COP28, and has been involved in grassroots campaigns and policy advocacy for stronger climate action in the Philippines.
Khyl Ramos (Moderator) - Community development practitioner and climate justice activist.
Khyl Ramos is a community development practitioner working on grassroots
organising, labour rights, and climate justice campaigns across the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific.
About YRegen
This conversation is part of YRegen, an initiative connecting young people with practitioners across ASEAN to explore what regeneration means in different contexts and what it could look like in practice.
The dialogue will also feed into regional conversations at the Regen Asia Summit 2027 in Singapore, bringing Philippine perspectives into a wider discussion on what regeneration could mean for ASEAN.
In partnership with National University of Singapore College and the University of the Philippines
Proudly supported by Singapore Global Network
Supported by Singapore Global Network (SGN), a division under Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). Join SGN to become a member of our global network of professionals and friends with Singapore at its heart. Learn more at www.singaporeglobalnetwork.gov.sg.