Cimatu: Despite COVID-19, climate change remains a top priority
Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said addressing climate change remains a top priority for the government even if it is currently preoccupied on controlling the spread of COVID-19.
Cimatu, who chairs the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCAM-DRR), said climate change is a bigger crisis than COVID-19 as it potentially poses existential risks for future generations.
“The climate emergency remains as urgent as ever. It is like the COVID-19 emergency, just in slow motion and much graver,” Cimatu said during his presentation of the 2020 Pre-State of the Nation Address Report of the Cabinet Cluster on CCAM-DRR dubbed as “Pagkalinga Tungo sa Katatagan” on July 22.
Changes in climate have a multiplier effect, leading to other problems, from ecosystem stability to food production and human conflict. Ecosystem and biodiversity loss are threatening the planet’s ability to provide goods and services.
Deforestation disrupts weather patterns and the water cycle, contributes to climate change, and destroys the habitats of important species. Chemicals and waste are polluting the air, soil and water, killing millions each year.
As a strategy, Cimatu said the government will use the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to accelerate climate action by formulating “responses to the worst public health crisis of this generation through a climate lens.”
“The government—through the Cabinet Cluster on CCAM-DRR—will prioritize actions and investments that will reduce long-term health impacts and increase our resilience and adaptive capacity to both the coronavirus pandemic and climate change,” Cimatu said.
The Cabinet cluster, he said, will continue to respond to extreme weather events and disasters; increase adaptive capacities of vulnerable communities; ensure adequate supply of clean air, water and natural resources; and increase resilience of critical infrastructure.
Cimatu said major environmental protection programs like solid waste management, reforestation and biodiversity conservation, must be consistent with the overall response to COVID-19, future pandemics and climate crisis.
“High volumes of hazardous waste and the dramatic spread of zoonotic diseases account to the growing challenges that the government has to face to help alleviate problems in this deadly pandemic,” he added.
Created under Executive Order 24, Series of 2017, the Cabinet Cluster on CCAM-DRR is mandated to focus on the protection and conservation of the environment and natural resources, and serves as a venue for discussing inter-related concerns on climate change and disaster risk management.
The cluster also takes the lead in the effective integration of policies and programs on climate risk management, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. #
SAMA-SAMA SA K5: Kilos sa Klima at Kalamidad Tungo sa Kaligtasan at Kaunlaran Kicks Off
Last November 16, 2019, the DENR Climate Change Service kicked off the week-long celebration of the National Climate Change Consciousness Week with the Sama-sama sa K5: Kilos sa Klima at Kalamidad tungo sa Kaligtasan at Kaunlaran in five barangays of Caloocan City (Barangay 160, 161, 162, 163, and 164) which the Tullahan River traverses. Simultaneous estero/creek clean up started at about 7:00 A.M.
This was followed by the Art Challenge Contest by participating public school students with the theme, “Save Tullahan River from Plastic Wastes.” This was handled by the Rethink Plastic, Inc., UP Eco-Tour, in cooperation with the DENR.
Rethink Plastic, Inc., GCash , and Green Antz, in cooperation with the DENR Climate Change Service also started the “May Pay sa Sachet” program with the aforecited five barangays of Caloocan City. Deemed as a temporary solution to the plastic waste problem, “May Pay sa Sachet” Program is also an eco-friendly livelihood program for the barangays. For every kilo of clean plastic wastes, cut into smaller portions and put on empty used plastic bottles, every kilo of the ecobrick from plastic bottles is paid Php 7.00 to the resident. The ecobrick is surrendered to the barangay. Ecobricks may be made into chairs, fences, washing areas, and similar structures.
Talipapa High School, which won the aforecited Art Challenge Contest, will be given a washing area as donation to the school after two months, and after processed by Green Antz in their plant in Bulacan.
Likewise included in the Sama-sama sa K5 activities were discussions on Climate Change, Environmental Management, “Bagyo” and “Lindol” with the Barangay Kagawads, health workers, street sweepers, residents, and children.
DENR SUPPORTS 2019 NATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE CONSCIOUSNESS WEEK
Atty. Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, DENR Undersecretary for Climate Change, and DENR Climate Change Service Director Elenida Basug led the DENR’s support activities to the 2019 National Climate Change Consciousness Week during the DENR Flag Raising Ceremony last November 18, 2019.
The celebration started with the handover of the Storybook "Ang Paglalakbay nina Niño at Niña" to Chair and CEO of National Youth Commission (NYC), Mr. Ryan Enriquez, Director Margarita Ballesteros of Department of Education (DepEd), and Ms. Sharmaine Lizada, director-general of Greenducation Philippines. The story book on climate change, meant for children 7 to 10 years old, is a joint project of the DENR’s Climate Change Service and the Environmental Management Bureau.
Meanwhile, the winners of the Climate Change Needs Behavior Change Comic Strip-Making Contest were also awarded in the ceremony. This was followed by the ribbon-cutting of the exhibit of the winning and selected entries to the same contest led by the DENR Undersecretary Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, with other officials of the DENR namely: Undersecretary Jonas Leones, Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna, Assistant Secretary Corazon Davis, Assistant Secretary Nonita Caguioa, Head Executive Assistant Gavin Edjawan, Director Nilo Tamoria, and DepEd Director Margarita Ballesteros. This contest focused on the so-called 30 behavioral solutions to climate change, which a global civil society organization, Rare, reported may be able to mitigate 19.9 to 36.8 percent of global emissions from 2020-2050. This analysis is built in Drawdown’s work in the evaluation of the role of individual behavior and its potential to reduce emissions.
The contest was open to college students of Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog, and Central Luzon. Winners in this contest were the following: Zyrus Manuel (UP Diliman), first prize; Bryan Sison (Integrated Innovation and Hospitality Colleges, Inc), second prize; Chantal Manalili (University of Assumption), third prize, and consolation prize holders as follows: Cherobelle Manipis (DLSU - Dasmarinas); Keen Brucal (DLSU - Dasmarinas); Kenneth Febrero (UP Los Baños); Angeli Marcon (UP Los Baños); Aildjan Collado (DLSU Dasmariñas); Fatima Ferrer (DLSU - Dasmariñas); and, Alizza Anatan (UP Diliman).
Prizes were at Php 10,000, Php 7,000, Php 5,000 for first to third placers, respectively, and Php 3,000 for the consolation prizes.
The National Climate Change Consciousness Week is observed from November 19 to 25 by virtue of Proclamation No. 1667 signed on November 18, 2008. DENR-organized activities to the week-long celebration can be accessed here.
1.5 Degrees Celsius Workshop
DENR Climate Change Service Director Elenida Basug (center) together with the speakers from Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation, Inc., UPLB, United Nations Development Programme and representatives from the different bureaus, offices and attached agencies of the DENR actively participated in the 2nd workshop for the Study on the Implications of IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 C incorporating climate resiliency to the Priority Programs of the Department held on 04 September 2019, 9 AM- 4:30 PM, FMB Conference Room, DENR Main Building, Visayas Ave., Diliman, Quezon City.
DENR Climate Change Service Director Elenida Basug (center) delivers her opening statement emphasizing the significance of integrating climate resiliency to all priority programs of the DENR, in response to the IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 C.
Dr. RodelLasco, Executive Director of Oscar M. Lopez Center discusses the overall strategies and explains the implication of global warming to existing projects looking into the global scale for DENR’s programs to be climate resilient through responsive indicators per area of concern.
Climate change, peace & security highlighted in last pre-SONA
18 July 2019 | PNA
LANANG, DAVAO CITY – The third and final installment of the forum, leading to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA), marks the stark changes made by the administration, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said.
Andanar moderated the Mindanao leg of Tatak ng Pagbabago 2019: Pre-SONA Forum held at the SMX Convention Center on July 17 here.
With the theme: Patuloy na Katatagan, the forum highlights the accomplishments on Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation, and Disaster Risk Reduction Cluster (CCAMDRRC), as well as the Security, Justice, and Peace Cluster (SJPC).
Andanar said the government has introduced and welcomed change—leading to an increase in the number of lives improved since Duterte came into office in 2016.
“Patuloy ang pagbabago, patuloy ang pangako na magandang buhay para sa bawat Pilipino (change continues, the promise of a good life for every Filipino continues),” Andanar said.