Our Story

Parabukas was founded in 2015 by young environmental lawyers, Cecilia Therese “NINER” Guiao and Alaya “AYA” de Leon.

We envisioned a world filled with empowered and informed communities working together towards sustainable development for the good of all people, preventing and addressing the worst impacts of the climate and environmental crises while supporting the most vulnerable.

Our mission is to bridge the gap between and among decision-makers and vulnerable communities, facilitating a rights-based approach to climate, environment, and development through our legal and policy expertise.

Legal and policy frameworks play a central role in making the world we envision a reality. Whether they are in place, whether they work, how well, and for whom, and whether they are understood and respond to real needs, are critical questions to ask. We work in widely diverse contexts and at multiple levels, harnessing not only technical knowledge but also creative and collaborative approaches. We offer distinct developing-country perspectives in the extensive field of international environmental law.

Our People

Niner Guiao

Operations Director

Niner specializes in climate change and environmental law and policy, and has been working in the sector since 2009. She has a background in international relations and tri-sector collaboration, and has a keen interest in exploring cross-sectoral partnerships in environmental concerns, as well as linkages among climate change, sustainable development, human rights, cultural heritage, and space.

Niner teaches law at the University of the Philippines and the University of Makati, and currently serves as a Senior Legal Associate at the Institute of International Legal Studies of the University of the Philippines Law Center, heading its International Environmental Law Research Program.

Nicole Torres

Programs Director

Nicole has been working in the field of environmental governance, sustainable development and community rights since 2007.

Her present expertise includes issues and policies around the UN Convention on Biodiversity, Indigenous Peoples and local community rights and land tenure, and solid waste management.

She has a background in anthropology, and is also interested in research on human-animal interactions, local ecological knowledge and biocultural diversity.

Patricia Nicdao

SENIOR Policy Specialist

Pat has been a staunch environmentalist from an early age. She has been an active member of youth coalitions and organizations fighting for the future generation’s right to a liveable and healthy ecology. She has also worked as a policy and advocacy specialist for several national and international organizations, working on the issues of solid waste management, agroecology, biodiversity conservation, and climate justice.

She is currently taking her Master’s in Social Psychology at the University of the Philippines.

Isabella Mendoza

SENIOR Policy Specialist

Sella has been working in the field of climate change and environmental governance since 2016. Her previous work with various non-government organizations has focused on local capacity development and planning.

She has a background in community development and a master’s degree in environmental management, and she is passionate about finding the nexus of both through advocating for more participatory approaches to climate and environmental governance and environmental education.

Angelika Pizarro

SENIOR Policy Specialist

Ika has pursued a career in public policy research, starting as a research assistant at the Ateneo Policy Center in 2019, contributing in the Center’s work related to human rights and national security policies. She later joined the Philippine Space Agency to handle international space cooperation efforts and engagements in space-related fora, including the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. She contributed to the Agency’s work related to her interests in the long-term sustainability of outer space activities and outer space security. She hopes to further her work in space law and policy and study its intersection with climate and environmental policies.

Keith Sigfred Ancheta

JUNIOR POLICY SPECIALIST

Keith has been involved in climate and environmental advocacy since high school. By volunteering in different climate organizations, he has led projects on creative communication, capacity development, policy engagement, and youth empowerment. He has also written pieces about topics related to climate change and young people, and conducted research on One Health. His interests revolve around climate policy-making, climate finance, and meaningful youth engagement.

He earned his Bachelor of Secondary Education (Biological Science) from Saint Louis University and Master of Science (Microbiology) from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Helen Alkuino

Finance Officer

Helen is an Accountant with experience in accounting and bookkeeping for special projects with both local and foreign donors. She is concurrently the Finance Officer of Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific (ANSA-EAP) Foundation, Inc., and served as Accounting Officer of the Ateneo de Manila School of Government from 2006 to 2018.

Helen graduated from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Accountancy.

Stephanie Hilario

lEGAL SPECIALIST

Steph is a lifelong nature enthusiast, and enjoys bird watching and diving. After finishing her law degree, she worked for a law firm and handled matters involving waste management, energy, litigation, and labor. She also worked as a Policy Development Officer for the Department of Finance’s Climate Finance Policy Group. During her time in the public sector, she worked on policy for delivering climate finance to local government units and carbon pricing instruments, advised the Philippine board member to the Green Climate Fund, and participated in the UNFCCC process as a negotiator under the climate finance work stream.

Denise Lao

Technical Associate

Denise has been a dedicated advocate for climate change and the rights of women and indigenous people since her youth, actively engaging with youth organizations and climate justice campaigns. Her career, with a foundation in research, specializes in women's empowerment, agrarian reform, and studies of inequality. Denise intends to further her expertise in the legal system and policy development to support her advocacy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Philosophy from the Ateneo de Manila University.