The Climate Change Commission and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda Fortify Philippine Disaster Resilience Through 26 Full Scholarships at the Asian Institute of Management

MAKATI CITY, PHILIPPINES – The Asian Institute of Management (AIM), in collaboration with the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda, held a ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Sustainable Leadership Learning for Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction (SLL-CDRR) Scholarship Program on 22 May 2025, Team Energy Bridging Leadership Hall 1, AIM Campus. This marks the second consecutive year of the program. 

This MOA signing marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing partnership between AIM, the CCC, and Senator Legarda. A longtime champion of equality and the environment, Senator Legarda urged the previous year’s scholars to advocate for sustainability, inclusivity, and adaptability in the pursuit of their respective fields. 

AIM President and Dean Dr. Jikyeong Kang, PhD, shared about how she was impressed with Senator Legarda’s commitment to upskilling present and future climate experts. “I can promise you our scholars will get a world-class education in policy issues and climate change, as well as data science, and marrying this all together.”

In his opening remarks, Climate Change Commission Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje stated that, “This program embodies our collective commitment to transform vulnerability into strength. AIM’s world-class programs provide the technical rigor and strategic vision needed for practitioners to address the greatest challenge of our time in climate change.”

Senator Legarda originally envisioned a scholarship program for the Executive Master in Disaster Risk and Crisis Management (EMDRCM) program to craft leaders that are well-suited to lead adapt through challenging environmental issues. For 2024, 18 scholars from the EMDRCM program were selected to be part of the inaugural cohort. These pioneering scholars are expected to complete their studies by December 2025, ready to lead transformative efforts in their communities and beyond.

After seeing the success of the initial cohort, Senator Legarda pledged to expand the SLL-CDRR to include the Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program, recognizing the critical need to foster informed decision-making to address climate challenges. This is reflected in the MOA for 2025, which will offer qualified applicants 21 slots for EMDRCM and 5 slots for MSDS, respectively. 

In her keynote address, Senator Legarda emphasized the importance of climate change work. “We gather not just to launch a scholarship program but to ignite a movement and forge a community of leaders who will turn climate vulnerability into strength.”

The inclusion of MSDS, in addition to EMDRCM, to the scholarship program reflects Senator Legarda’s mission to empower leaders with advanced analytical skills to drive informed decision-making, which is key to advancing the Philippines’ progress in disaster risk reduction and national development.

Take the next step—explore the Executive Master in Disaster Risk and Crisis Management and the Master of Science in Data Science programs today.