MANILA, Philippines (July 25, 2026) — The State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) is elevating its environmental and social risk assessment standards by embedding real-time geohazard mapping and scientific data directly into its credit evaluation and investment decisions.
The Catalyst: To enhance climate resilience and safeguard its vast development portfolio, esteemed ADFIAP member Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has signed a strategic agreement with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), an agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Under the agreement, DBP will integrate PHIVOLCS’ science-based hazard information platform, GeoRiskPH, into the bank’s core risk management framework, policies, and lending operations.
DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Michael de Jesus emphasized that accessing the GeoRiskPH platform will enable evidence-based credit evaluations and data-driven business decisions across all bank funding pipelines.
“We view this partnership with PHIVOLCS as a tangible demonstration of how government agencies can strengthen collaboration and leverage shared expertise to advance a safer, more resilient, and more sustainable Philippines,” stated DBP President and CEO Michael de Jesus.
The Tangible Impact Scaling Strategic Investments: As a leading Philippine financial institution with a balance sheet of PHP 1.041 trillion, DBP plays a critical role in providing credit support to vital economic sectors. By deploying GeoRiskPH’s centralized, real-time geohazard mapping and vulnerability assessments, DBP will optimize its credit deployment across four key development pillars:
- Infrastructure and Logistics: Ensuring major transportation, port, and energy projects are built to verified climate-resilient engineering standards informed by accurate geohazard data.
- Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs): Protecting small business investments by assessing geographic risks and localized disaster exposure before credit deployment.
- Environmental and Green Projects: Screening renewable energy and climate-adaptation lending against precise geological and environmental risk models.
- Social Services and Community Development: Directing capital toward healthcare, housing, and educational infrastructure designed to withstand natural disasters.
The ADFIAP Perspective: Data-Driven Risk Orchestration as a Standard for Climate Resilience
As Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) across the Asia-Pacific region navigate growing climate hazards and physical risks to funded infrastructure, DBP’s integration of scientific geohazard mapping offers an essential operational blueprint for the broader ADFIAP network.
The partnership demonstrates a fundamental truth in modern development banking: effective climate lending and infrastructure resilience cannot rely solely on post-disaster recovery—they require preemptive, evidence-based credit risk frameworks. By using state-backed scientific platforms like GeoRiskPH to conduct precise vulnerability assessments before loan approval, DBP shows how DFIs can bridge the gap between scientific research and financial risk management. This proactive approach provides a clear model for ADFIAP members seeking to protect balance sheets, optimize climate finance, and ensure long-term national asset resilience.