19 March 2026, Geneva, Switzerland – Hosted by the University of the Philippines, CIFAL Philippines is part of the CIFAL Global Network, a network of UNITAR-affiliated training centres dedicated to advancing sustainable development through capacity-building. In 2025, the centre closed the year with a record of meaningful engagement, reaching 1,460 beneficiaries through 20 capacity-building activities, professional courses, collaborative research, and youth empowerment programmes. Guided by the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, the centre once again demonstrated that the pursuit of sustainability is not a destination but a continuous, institution-wide commitment.

In 2025, the professional courses on Global Migration and Water Governance produced 42 certified graduates, while the UP-Sustainability Caravan engaged all eight UP constituent universities in embedding the SDGs into their core institutional functions. Youth-focused programmes and international partnerships further extended the Centre's reach, reinforcing its role as a key driver of SDG-aligned learning in the Philippines and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

"Sustainability has no deadline," wrote CIFAL Director Prof. Michelle R. Palumbarit, in her annual message. "The real task lies in embedding sustainability with us in our ways of living, our shared humanity, and in our responsibility as stewards of the Earth."

The year's outcomes tell a clear story of growth. Of the 1,460 beneficiaries reached, 52% were female and 41% male, with 7% choosing not to disclose. An overwhelming 91% came from academia, reflecting the Centre's deep integration with the higher education ecosystem, while government agencies (3%), NGOs (3%), and the private sector (2%) rounded out the participant profile. The Centre delivered 15 learning activities, professional courses and trainings with certification alongside 5 public awareness events including webinars, conferences, workshops, and campaigns.

One of the flagship initiatives of 2025 was the UP-Sustainability Caravan, a system-wide training programme that brought together faculty, staff, and institutional leaders from all eight UP constituent universities. The Caravan culminated in the UP Strategic Conference on Sustainable Development in November 2025 and served as a platform to gather insights that will shape the UP-System’s roadmap toward sustainable development.

The tour began at UP Manila, conducted via Zoom with the theme "Transforming the Future through Synergetic Sustainability." Around 60 participants engaged in workshops that surfaced the urgent need for stronger coordination, sustainability focal points across campuses, and tangible community impact beyond global rankings. At UP Diliman, held on 11 September 2025, discussions centred on embedding the SDGs across the university's core functions, with participants identifying key challenges: resource constraints, documentation gaps, and fragmented initiatives.

UP Baguio's session on 17 September 2025, hosted at Balay Internasyonal Function Hall, focused on integrating the SDGs into indigenous knowledge, research, and community extension. Experts from Saint Louis University and Ifugao State University emphasized interdisciplinary approaches and the importance of localizing the SDGs. Meanwhile, the UP Los Baños and UP Open University stop highlighted UPLB's benchmark role in sustainable agriculture and UPOU's digital learning innovations, stressing the need for clear sustainability metrics and stronger evaluation mechanisms.

Later legs of the Caravan visited UP Cebu where discussions centred on sustainability governance and long-term continuity beyond leadership changes. For instance, UP Tacloban, which advocated for universities to become "living laboratories" with evidence-based reporting, UP Visayas with its focus on marine science and community resilience, and UP Mindanao, where the pivotal role of higher education in localizing the SDGs for Southern Philippines was underscored.

Now in its seventh run, the Professional Course on Global Migration (PCGM) continued to serve as a dynamic platform for regional and global cooperation among migration practitioners. Through interactive learning methodologies, case studies, and collaboration with both local and international experts, the course empowered participants to improve the formulation and implementation of migration policies.

The Professional Course on Water Governance, running from August to November 2025, drew on expertise from institutions including Futurewater Asia, Philippine Business for Social Progress, and the UP Marine Science Institute. Participants gained practical tools to link water management with gender equality, human rights, and the SDGs. Commencement Exercises for both programmes, titled LAYAG, were held on 28 November 2025 at the Dalisay J. Aldaba Hall, recognising 42 graduates committed to advancing sustainable development through evidence-based governance and multi-sectoral collaboration.

CIFAL Philippines delivered its signature SDGs for Higher Education (SDGs4HE) orientation to several partner institutions. Isabela State University hosted the programme on 11-12 February 2025, gathering university leaders to explore how HEIs can integrate the 17 SDGs into teaching, research, and community extension. Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Dasmariñas received the virtual SDGs4HE orientation on 29 March 2025, while Mariano Marcos State University welcomed a three-day in-person orientation from 16-18 July 2025, gathering over 120 faculty members, administrators, staff, and students.

On the business front, the SDGs for Transformational Business (SDGs4Biz) programme reached Coolaire Consolidated Inc. on 28-30 April 2025 via Zoom. The two-day workshop deepened the private sector's engagement with sustainability themes including ESG integration, climate-related risks, and impact measurement.

The Centre's programmes for young people were among the year's most energetic highlights. In partnership with Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab, CIFAL Philippines hosted "Leaders for Global Goals" on 17 May 2025, building a sense of ownership among youth over their sustainability efforts. The OIL-Hiraya orientation on 16 June 2025 introduced SDG frameworks to delegates from across Southeast Asia attending the regional Youth Programme. And in August, a two-day orientation at Central Luzon State University equipped youth from Nueva Ecija with SDG competencies and sustainable development skills.

The Youth-in-Action (YIC): Environmental Action of Youth as Champions of Sustainability forum and competition, held in partnership with the UP Asian Center at the GT Toyota Asian Center Auditorium, showcased remarkable student organisations from across Metro Manila in a celebration of leadership, innovation, and community service. In commemoration of World Youth Skills Day, the Centre also hosted a webinar on prioritising Youth Engagement in the Water and Sanitation Sector on 23 July 2025, highlighting SDG 6 and SDG 17.

The Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue, held in Manila from 10-11 November 2025, brought CIFAL Philippines onto the international stage. The Centre hosted a VIP luncheon following the keynote address by UN Philippines Resident Coordinator Arnaud Peral, drawing guests from the academe, government institutions, diplomatic missions, and research organisations.

The 8th Annual Board of Representatives Meeting, convened on 7 March 2025 at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus, set out three strategic priorities for 2025: increasing learning activities, expanding technical and capacity-building work on the SDGs, and growing research outputs. A high-level delegation from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) also visited on 8 May 2025 to explore collaboration on migration research, diaspora engagement, and the enhancement of the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar for Filipino migrants.

As the deadline for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development draws nearer, CIFAL Philippines is progressively building up. New initiatives including the Professional Course on Digital Governance and Cybersecurity, TUKAD: the Journal for Sustainability of the UP System, and Susie for Sustainability, a book series raising SDG awareness among children are in the pipeline, signalling that the Centre's ambitions extend well beyond any single milestone year.

Director Palumbarit captured this spirit in her closing message: "We move towards it with renewed vigor, ready to push further, innovate boldly, and sustain our commitment." For CIFAL Philippines, sustainability is not a programme with an end date. It is a way of being, and the Centre is committed to practising it for decades to come.

UNITAR, through the CIFAL Global Network, commends CIFAL Philippines for its outstanding achievements in 2025 and its continued commitment to advancing sustainable development at the local and national levels. The Centre’s strong performance reflects not only its dedication to delivering high-quality, impactful capacity-building initiatives, but also its alignment with UNITAR’s strategic priorities and the evolving needs of the communities it serves. UNITAR and the CIFAL Global Network remain fully committed to supporting CIFAL Philippines in further strengthening its programmes, expanding its partnerships, and continuing to empower stakeholders to translate global agendas into tangible, local action.