Cebu Pacific is taking its commitment to connecting people and places beyond the airport with the launch of Cebu Pacific Foundation Inc. (CPFI).

Created as the airline marks its 30th anniversary, the new foundation will focus on strengthening communities, protecting natural ecosystems, supporting livelihoods, and promoting sustainable tourism through nature-based solutions.

Its first major initiative will take place in Capiz, where coastal communities will be at the center of a large-scale mangrove rehabilitation and livelihood program.

Here are five things to know about Cebu Pacific Foundation and its first major project.

1. Cebu Pacific now has a foundation focused on community resilience

Cebu Pacific Foundation Inc. aims to help communities prepare for and respond to environmental and climate-related risks.

The foundation plans to work with local organizations, private companies, civil society groups, development institutions, and government agencies.

Its work will focus on four key areas.

• Reducing disaster and climate risks
• Protecting and restoring ecosystems
• Strengthening local livelihoods
• Creating opportunities for sustainable local economies

For travelers, this adds another dimension to the growing role of sustainable tourism in the Philippines. Protecting destinations also means supporting the communities that depend on them.

2. Capiz will host the foundation’s first major project

The foundation’s first major initiative is the Resilience & Inclusive Support for Empowerment of Capiz Coastal Communities Project, also known as the RISE Capiz Coast Project.

The project will begin in Barangay Culajao in Roxas City before expanding to other areas of Roxas City and the municipalities of Ivisan and Panay.

The project puts coastal communities at the center of its approach, recognizing that environmental protection and local livelihoods are closely connected.

3. The project aims to restore 100 hectares of degraded coastal areas

One of the biggest targets of RISE Capiz Coast is mangrove rehabilitation.

The initial goal is to restore 100 hectares of degraded coastal areas, with a longer-term target of reaching 500 hectares by 2030.

Mangroves play an important role in coastal communities. They provide habitat for marine life, help protect shorelines, and support people whose livelihoods depend on coastal resources.

For destinations such as Capiz, protecting these ecosystems can also support the long-term future of nature-based tourism.

4. The initiative will support livelihoods alongside environmental restoration

RISE Capiz Coast is designed to go beyond planting and restoring mangroves.

The project will provide capacity-building programs covering areas such as livelihoods, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation (DRR-CCA), as well as other programs based on the needs of coastal residents.

This approach matters for sustainable tourism because a destination cannot rely on environmental conservation alone.

Local residents also need opportunities to earn, develop skills, and participate in tourism and other sustainable economic activities.

For the Katunggan sa Culajao Salbaron Association Inc. (KACUSA), the initiative offers an opportunity to rebuild ecosystems and livelihoods affected by Typhoon Yolanda.

KACUSA President Christopher Dasal said the community hopes the partnership will help restore its mangrove forests, revive tourism, improve its economic situation, and create new opportunities for families.

5. Cebu Pacific is working with conservation and climate partners

RISE Capiz Coast will be implemented with Futures, Inc., a Japan-based climate finance-linked project developer, and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), an international conservation organization.

The partnership brings together local community leadership, environmental conservation, and climate-focused expertise.

This model can give sustainable tourism projects a stronger foundation by combining local knowledge with technical and financial support.

Cebu Pacific Foundation opens opportunities for partnerships

Cebu Pacific Foundation is also inviting organizations and individuals to collaborate on environmental and economic initiatives.

Potential partners can contribute through shared expertise, resources, local leadership, and impact-focused investments.

For communities across the Philippines, the foundation’s launch could signal more opportunities for projects that connect conservation, disaster resilience, livelihoods, and sustainable tourism.

With Capiz serving as its first major project area, the RISE Capiz Coast Project sets the direction for what Cebu Pacific Foundation hopes to achieve in the years ahead.

For partnership inquiries, participation in Foundation initiatives, or investment in impact opportunities, please contact Voltaire P. Alferez, CPFI Executive Director, at contact@cebupacificfoundation.org.