MANILA, 21 September 2021 — Bamboo advocates will gather virtually to share knowledge on and promote bamboo propagation and utilization to attain sustainable livelihoods on the 63rd episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways,” with the topic, “Bamboo is Life!”
 
The online conversation, conceptualized and hosted by a three-term former Senator, now Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 23 September 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/iamlorenlegarda. Two lucky viewers can win tablets by tuning in throughout the program.
 
Joining the online conversation are Atty. Dulce Punzalan, World Bamboo Ambassador and Climate Reality Leader; Dr. Cora Claudio, Convenor-Chair of the Climate Action & Sustainability Alliance; and Rica Villanueva Gadi, CEO of Bamboo Bootcamp.
 
Bamboo farming is a nature-based solution that can help in poverty alleviation, environmental protection, and climate change mitigation.
 
According to the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, the local and global bamboo industry is aligned with 11 of 17 the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, sustainable cities and communities, and climate action.
 
Propagating bamboos can further create green jobs and resilient enterprises, as well as provide sustainable livelihoods to millions of people in rural areas. Investing in bamboo will transform our people's lives at the grassroots and will pave the way for a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for our country.
 
The upcoming episode, which will be held in celebration of World Bamboo Day on September 18, will feature good practices and promote greater support for the bamboo industry in the Philippines.
 
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 Department of Education, Philippine Information Agency, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, The Climate Reality Project-Philippines and Mother Earth Foundation.