MANILA, 24 OCTOBER 2020 — House Deputy Speaker and Antique Congresswoman Loren Legarda welcomed the leadership of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) in keeping the momentum for adaptation and building resilience despite the pandemic and expressed that COVID-19 recovery packages must be climate adaptive and pegged on achieving the 1.5 degrees Celsius climate goal enshrined in the Paris Agreement, during the GCA’s 2nd Board Meeting held virtually on October 23. The GCA acts as a solutions broker, bringing together governments, the private sector, civil society, intergovernmental bodies, and knowledge institutions that can address the obstacles slowing down adaptation action. Legarda sits as Member of the GCA Board, which is chaired by former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with co-chair Mr. Feike Sijbesma, Honorary Chairman of Royal DSM. “I would like to commend the anticipatory stance of the GCA on responding to one of the most pressing challenges of our time—recovering and rebuilding lives and economies post pandemic. The action tracks set by the GCA complement the priorities we see across countries, especially for developing nations and particularly for poor and vulnerable communities, who are hardest hit by the pandemic and the resulting economic shocks,” Legarda said, as she addressed the meeting chaired by Mr. Ban and moderated by Prof. Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the GCA. “Our interventions in the GCA should also continue urging world leaders and governments to ensure that economic stimulus packages must be climate-adaptive and transformative towards a world of 1.5 degrees Celsius, as enshrined in the Paris Agreement. COVID-19 recovery must be climate adaptation,” Legarda added. Deputy Speaker Legarda during the Launch of the Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA) last October 16, 2018 in The Hague, Netherlands. Legarda said that the GCA’s focus on Africa, as the most vulnerable continent, is an obvious priority to bolster food security and rural well-being, water for growth and resilience, and adaptation support to its fast-developing urban centers. She added that the “the template for Africa can be the template for the Philippines as well,” expressing that the GCA could support and extend to other parts of the developing world as well, especially those that are recognized to have climate risks and other socioeconomic vulnerabilities, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. Legarda also emphasized the value of convergence, climate science, and finance in mainstreaming adaptation into country programs, adding that a South-South Center in the Philippines will be established through the efforts of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) and the Climate Change Commission (CCC). “Convergence of the public, private sectors and the academe and a whole of nation approach is much needed. I think everything that we must do must be based on science and research. As parliamentarians, we also have to ensure that the whole national budget is a budget geared towards adaptation. The GCA can work towards the influencing or mainstreaming of adaptation in country processes in the aspects of water security, sanitation, education, infrastructure, and other focus areas of the GCA,” Legarda expressed. Aside from Legarda, other GCA Board members and advisers in attendance included: Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank; Mr. Dag-Inge Ulstein, Minister of International Development of Norway; Mr. Peter Eriksson, Minister for International Development Cooperation of Sweden; Mr. Abul Kalam Abdul Momen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh; Mr. Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy for the United Nations CVF Presidency; Mr. Huang Runqui, Minister of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China; Mr. José Antonio Meade, Secretary of Finance and Public Credit of Mexico; Mr. Roald Lapperre, Vice Minister for the Environment, Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management; Mr. Vijay Rangarajan, Director-General of the Americas and Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom; Mr. Rémy Rioux, CEO of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD); President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon (represented by Gabon’s Forests, Oceans, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lee White); Miami, Florida Mayor and President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2020, Mr. Francis Suarez; Mr. Rodger Voorhies of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Mr. Tao Zhang, Deputy Managing Director at the People's Bank of China (PBOC) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Director for China; Mr. Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank Managing Director of Operations; Ms. Bernice Van Bronkhorst, Global Director of the Climate Change, Sustainable Development Practice Group of World Bank; Mr. Jamal Saghir, Director of the Sustainable Development Department for the Africa Region at the World Bank; Mr. Brooks Preston, Managing Director of the Macquarie Group; and Ms. Mathilda Buijtendijk, GCA Director of Operations.
MANILA, 23 October 2020 — Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) parliamentarian leaders are united in calling for more ambitious commitments ahead of the December 31 Midnight Deadline for nations to submit their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). CVF parliamentarians led by House Deputy Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda; Speaker of the People’s Majlis of Maldives, H.E. Mohamed Nasheed; and President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Chair of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) of Bangladesh, Saber Chowdhury, convened yesterday in a meeting chaired by the CVF Presidency of Bangladesh Special Envoy, Abul Kalam Azad. Also in attendance were Designated National Focal Points of the CVF Presidency of Bangladesh, Additional Secretary MoEFCC Shamim Razi, Director-General Nazrul Islam of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Chair of the CVF Expert Advisory Group Dr. Saleemul Huq. The meeting aimed to define efforts to accelerate formation of a supportive financing and regulatory environment to deliver a “Climate Prosperity” agenda from the CVF, and for policy de-risking for climate action. The launch of a South-South CVF parliamentary collaboration program which aims to enable parliamentarians from across the 48 CVF member-states to share valuable experiences and good practices on laws and policies in support of ambitious and urgent climate action to safeguard communities and progress towards the CVF’s “maximal resilience”, 100% renewable energy, and other goals, was also discussed. The CVF also endeavors to secure greater commitments to action by bringing CVF parliamentarians worldwide together with the IPU, to open the possibility of having a beneficial collaboration with parliaments from non-CVF countries. Deputy Speaker Legarda, the CVF Ambassador for Parliaments, lauded the initiative of Hon. Chowdhury for taking on the “ambition” task with CVF in 2020, and stressed the importance of the upcoming CVF-IPU collaboration in advancing the voices of the vulnerable nations and in pushing for the submission of enhanced NDCs before the year ends. The Philippines early on communicated that it will submit its updated NDC alongside the country’s adaptation priorities. The process is facilitated by the Climate Change Commission, with active support from other government agencies and civil society. Legarda also supported the creation of Climate Prosperity Plans to mobilize finance across a range of sources for CVF/V20 infrastructure and economic programs, to promote both robust socioeconomic progress and emissions reduction while building greater climate and disaster resilience. She also emphasized that the CVF member-countries should share their respective enacted “best” laws which could also be adopted in other jurisdictions to increase ambition, promote tools and knowledge for adaptation, and increase the flow of international finance for climate action. The Climate Vulnerable Forum is an international partnership of 48 developing nations most threatened by the global climate emergency. The current president of the CVF is Bangladesh, which took over from the Marshall Islands this year and will hold the presidency until 2022. The CVF countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Kiribati, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Senegal, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, and Yemen.
In support of an eco-friendly and sustainable urban mobility in their city, Pasig City launched an interest-free bike loan program for their employees in the city government. Photos from the Pasig Transport Facebook Page. MANILA, 23 October 2020 — Mayors of bike-friendly cities and sustainable mobility advocates presented their best practices, programs, and strategies for green and inclusive urban mobility solutions during the 23rd episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Pathways,” with the topic “Championing Sustainable Urban Mobility.” The online conversation hosted by Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda featured local chief executives of Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora; with Mr. Chito Bauzon, Assistant Vice President of SM Supermalls. Mr. Red Constantino, Executive Director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, co-anchored the show. In celebration of World Cities Day on the 31st of October, the episode featured Metro Manila cities’ strategies in providing the great majority of the population access to active mobility and non-motorized modes of transportation that are not only safe and functional, but are also efficient and environmentally-sustainable. “Mobility is something that our working people really need. Ultimately, what is good for our working households is good for the climate. The approach is if we pay attention to development, then the climate benefits as well,” said Red Constantino. Mayor Sotto shared that Pasig City is developing a system of sustainable mobility by establishing permanent protected and pop-up bike lanes and widening of sidewalks. He also mentioned that they have a bike loan program for frontliners and city employees as their way to address mobility challenges amidst the pandemic. As individuals, Mayor Sotto also stressed the importance of demanding more from the government to ensure a better normal. “We can engage our government, let’s demand for better public transportation. Let’s demand to lessen the allocation of the road networks for private vehicles, and make it a more equitable system for everyone. Let’s demand these things and engage the government, the groups, and show that together, we can make this new normal a better normal for everyone,” said Sotto. Mayor Zamora highlighted that championing the environment is one of the key points in the 10-point agenda of ‘Makabagong San Juan’. He also discussed San Juan city’s policies and programs, such as Bicycle Ordinance 2020, separate lanes for bicycles and motorcycles, police bike patrols, solar pit stops for bike repair, the bike-sharing program for employees, public transportation modernization, and the goal of building a solar-powered city. “There was a time before when people didn’t really care too much about the environment, pero ngayon, nagbago na rin naman ang perspective ng ating mga mamamayan, at lahat naman po ay nag-aalaga sa ating kalikasan. Marami kaming ordinansa which we have passed and we are implementing with regard to the maintenance of cleanliness in our city,” said Zamora. Mr. Bauzon shared SM Supermalls’ advocacy of creating bike-friendly communities to support the bike-riding public and to contribute to the creation of sustainable cities and in the reduction of pollution. “Paniniwala po namin, it has to be a holistic approach, hindi lang natatapos ‘yan that we provided bike lanes and facilities, kundi, ano [pa] ‘yung pwede naming maitulong to encourage the public or the people to have a behavioral change, a mindset that supports the need for creating bike-friendly communities,” said Bauzon. Legarda reiterated that the advocacy of making cities bike-friendly should be expanded, with the help of LGUs implementing programs from the ground, in addition to the strict implementation of ecological solid waste management. “We must expand the convergence of eco-friendly practices, not just planting native trees but also the implementation of ecological solid waste management because bike lanes and the environment around bikers is so important,” Legarda concluded. As an online discussion to promote health, environmental consciousness, and climate-adaptive practices, Stories for a Better Normal aims to change the mindset of individuals, families, and communities by demonstrating ways in which a ‘better normal’ can be realized within our communities. This online discussion is organized in partnership between the Office of Deputy Speaker Legarda and the Climate Change Commission, with support from the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, The Climate Reality Project-Philippines, and the Mother Earth Foundation.
MAYNILA, Ika-23 ng Oktubre taong 2020 – Naglahad ang dalawa sa mga Alkalde ng Metro Manila ng kanilang programa tungkol sa magaan na paglalakbay ng tao sa kanilang nasasakupan. Ang magandang proyektong ito ay nakaangkla sa tinatawag na “urban mobility solutions” na ibinahagi sa Episode 23 ng “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Pathways," na may temang "Championing Sustainable Urban Mobility." Ang online talakayan na pinangunahan ni Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda bilang host at Red Constantino, Executive Director ng Institute for Climate at Sustainable Cities, bilang co-host, ay dinaluhan nina Mayor Vico Sotto ng Pasig City at Mayor Francis Zamora ng San Juan City. Mula sa pribadong sektor, nandoon din si Chito Bauzon, Assistant Vice President ng SM Supermalls. Sa pagdiriwang ng World Cities Day sa ika-31 ng Oktubre, ibinahagi ng episode na ito ang magagandang pamamaraan at diskarteng ginagawa ng mga lungsod para makapagbigay sa tao ng daan sa aktibong paggalaw at paggamit ng sasakyang hindi de-motor pero ligtas, gumagana nang maayos at nakabubuti sa kapaligiran. “Ang mobility o kalayaan sa paglakbay-kilos ay isang bagay na talagang kailangan ng mga tao, hindi lang para para sa mga siyudad. Kung ano ang maganda para sa mamamayan ay makabubuti rin para sa ating klima. Kung pagtutuunang-pansin natin ang pag-unlad, makikinabang din ang pagbuti ng klima," ayon kay Red Constantino. Sa Pasig City, ibinahagi ni Mayor Sotto ang pagsasagawa ng isang sistemang makatutulong sa “sustainable mobility” sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatayo ng “pemanent protected and pop-up bike lanes” at pagpapaluwag ng mga bangketa. Binanggit niya na mayroon din silang bike loan program para sa frontliners at mga empleyado ng lungsod. Ang mga pagsisikap na ito ay paraan para matugunan ang mga problema sa pagkilos at paggalaw ng tao. Binigyang-diin ni Mayor Sotto na mahalaga ang paghingi ng tulong sa gobyerno para masiguro ang tinatawag na “better normal”. "Maaari tayong makipag ugnay-tulungan kasama ang pamahalaan, humiling at pilitin nating magkaroon tayo ng mas mahusay na pampublikong transportasyon. Hingin nating mabawasan ang alokasyon ng road networks para sa mga pribadong sasakyan at gawin itong isang mas pantay na sistema para sa lahat. Hingin natin ang lahat ng mga bagay na ito para mahikayat ang gobyerno, mga grupo, at maipakita natin na kung tayo ay sama-sama, magagawa nating better normal ang new normal para sa lahat," diin ni Mayor Vico Sotto. Sa Juan City naman, sinabi ni Mayor Francis Zamora na ang pagtatanggol niya sa kalikasan ay isa sa mga “key points” ng kanyang 10-point agenda para sa pagsusulong ng isang 'Makabagong San Juan'. Tinalakay ng Alkalde ang mga patakaran at mga programa ng lungsod tulad ng Bicycle Ordinance 2020, hiwalay na daan para sa bisikleta at motorsiklo, police bike patrols, solar pit stops para sa pagkumpuni ng mga bisikleta, bike-sharing para sa mga empleyado ng lungsod, modernisasyon ng pampublikong sasakyan, at ang layuning makapagpatayo ng isang solar-powered na siyudad. "Mayroong mga pagkakataon noon na walang pakialam ang mga tao sa gobyerno, sa kapaligiran, pero ngayon, nagbago na ang perspective ng ating mga mamamayan, at lahat naman po ay nag-aalaga sa ating kalikasan. Marami kaming naipasang ordinansa na siya ring ipinatutupad sa pagpapanatili ng kalinisan sa ating lungsod," dagdag ni Mayor Francis Zamora Maganda rin ang ang ibinahagi ni Chito Bauzon, Assistant Vice President ng SM Supermalls. Inisa-isa nito ang mga layunin at adhikain ng SM Supermalls na magkaroon ng bike-friendly communities para suportahan ang mga mahihilig magbisikleta, makapag-ambag sa pagkakaroon ng sustenableng mga lungsod at makatulong sa pagbabawas ng polusyon. "Paniniwala po namin, kailangan ng malawak na pagtingin, hindi lang natatapos ‘yan sa paglalaan namin ng bike lanes at mga pasilidad, kundi, ano [pa] 'yung puwede naming maitulong para mahikayat ang publiko o mga tao na magkaroon ng pagbabago ng ugali, magkaroon ng kaisipan na sumusuporta sa pangangailangan na makagawa tayo ng bike-friendly communities,” sabi ni Chito Bauzon. Ayon naman kay Deputy Speaker Legarda, ang adhikaing gawing bike-friendly ang mga lungsod ay kinakailangan pang palawakin sa tulong ng mga LGUs na nagpapatupad ng mga programa, kasama ang mahigpit na pagpapatupad ng ecological solid waste management. "Kailangan nating palawakin ang pagsasama-sama ng mga ginagawa tungkol sa ikagaganda ng kalikasan, hindi lang pagtatanim ng puno kundi pati na rin ang pagpapatupad ng ecological solid waste management, dahil ang bike lanes at ang paligid na iniikutan ng bikers ay importante," pagtatapos ni Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda. Bilang isang online discussion na nagtataguyod sa kalusugan, kamalayan sa kapaligiran, at gawaing angkop sa klima, ang “Stories for a Better Normal” ay naglalayong baguhin ang kaisipan ng mamamayan, mga pamilya at mga komunidad sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakita ng mga pamamaraan kung paano magkakaroon at maipatutupad ang isang 'better normal' sa loob ng ating mga pamayanan. Ang online discussion na ito ay inorganisa mula sa pakikipagtulungan ng Tanggapan ni Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda at ng Climate Change Commission (CCC) na sinusuportahan ng Institute for Climate at Sustainable Cities, The Climate Reality Project-Philippines, at ng Mother Earth Foundation.
