ARIANNA ISABELLE PANGANIBAN
PHILIPPINES, 17
She/Her
Project: Baha Brigada
Growing up in the Philippines, the most at-risk country for natural disasters, Arianna experienced the devastating impact of climate change firsthand. In 2024, an unprecedented four typhoons caused severe flooding in her region. Arianna founded Baha Brigada to alleviate the flooding crisis and improve disaster response in developing nations through policy, innovative flood research, and intergenerational collaboration. After the 2024 floods, Arianna spearheaded a proposal to empower local decision-making during disasters, which would reduce disruption in unaffected areas, and better protect high-risk communities. The proposal gained support from local leaders and is now awaiting mayoral approval. Baha Brigada also completed a digital flood risk map that leverages Geographic Information Systems and data on elevation, river distance, and population to provide precise disaster prediction. Arianna plans to adapt the map around the world, continuing to advance how vulnerable regions predict and react to climate-induced disasters.
Check out Arianna’s work here: LinkedIn