MANILA, 30 August 2021 — In commemoration of National Heroes’ Day, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) honors not only our historical heroes, but also modern-day frontliners who are tirelessly serving in the midst of the health and climate crises.   The country observes National Heroes' Day today to remember known and unknown heroes of the revolution who laid the foundation for the country's independence following centuries of colonization.   This day also commemorates the Cry of Pugad Lawin, a revolt that sparked the 1896 Philippine Revolution against the Spanish empire, along with the long fight of Filipinos for freedom.   Our courageous and selfless Filipino heroes fought for peace, justice, and the country's independence more than a century ago. However, in today's world, Filipinos face a new battle: continuing essential work and public service under tremendous risk due to the threat of the COVID-19 virus, and those who are tenaciously fighting for climate justice.   For the CCC, the doctors, nurses, health workers, police and members of the armed forces, teachers, the utility staff, attendants in groceries and retail, food and cargo delivery drivers, fisherfolk and farmers, market vendors, journalists, security personnel, overseas workers, dedicated government workers at the national and local levels, especially those who sacrificed their lives to save others — must be honored and commended.   The CCC also lauds the people pursuing climate negotiations, in grassroots campaigns, and serving with community-based organizations, and every Filipino who champions climate justice.

MANILA, 28 August 2021 — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) successfully convened the 10th National Panel of Technical Experts (NPTE) Forum last Tuesday, 24 August 2021 through Zoom and aired on Facebook Live.   With the theme, “Climate Action Onwards - Next Steps for Philippines' Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation,” this year’s NPTE Forum discussed the needed work ahead and capacity and knowledge to proceed with the work in climate action.   Department of Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, Chairperson-designate of the CCC and Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda welcomed the participants and viewers and set the tone on the urgent need to take part in climate action.   “The nation relies on workable ideas on how we can reduce the climate risks locally and globally. I urge everyone to reimagine our world, and be creative, ambitious, and innovative in their plans of action. This is a battle we cannot afford to lose," said Sec. Dominguez.   “The work ahead is undeniably difficult, but I take comfort in knowing that the environmental movement is fast-growing here and around the world. We have more tools, we have unlimited platforms we could rely on, wider and deeper than we did decades ago when we started doing this work. We could harness all these to address a problem that is being felt more and more acutely by more and more of our people, who are more and more willing to act with urgency and resolve,” said Deputy Speaker Legarda.   The NPTE, led by current Chair Dr. Carlos Primo C. David, and members Ms. Lourdes V. Tibig, Dr. Fernando P. Siringan, Dr. Rosa T. Perez, Dr. Felino P. Lansigan, and Dr. Leoncio A. Amadore, delivered the main presentations.   “On sea-level rise, increasing sea surface temperatures, and ocean acidification, I am vetting for the need for local baselines – it should be a must for all coastal municipalities. And if we have local baselines, we need policy frameworks to better address these issues,” recommended by Ms. Tibig as she discussed slow onset climate events and the required response.   “The Philippines ought to treat sea level rise as a clear and present danger. Sadly, we have yet to formulate policies that will direct the development in the coastal zone that takes sea level rise into account,” said Dr. Siringan as he tackled the impacts of sea-level rise in the country.   “We continue our work in El Nino drought prediction and hopefully this will become a useful tool for our country. This now has to be translated into policy and, therefore, action in the future.  This has been done for us to be better prepared in a future that is made less certain because of climate change,” said Dr. David during his presentation on El Niño-linked droughts.   To safeguard projects against maladaptation, Dr. Perez stressed that “[C]limate and disaster risks and socio-economic factors of vulnerabilities have to be considered when developing projects. Evaluation of risk should not only be about climate, but also the other risks present in that area, which include geophysical risks.”   Enumerating the challenges and opportunities in risk transfer mechanism as a climate adaptation strategy, Dr. Lansingan highlighted the importance of research and development (R&D). “We need to support some R&D initiatives. This involves the promotion of a more objective, attractive, and affordable agri-insurance products, particularly in the most vulnerable areas. There is a need to establish institutional support, policy environment, and research and development on Research-Technology Management (RTM). We need the financial support to conduct R&D. This undertaking also involves the collaboration among various stakeholders including PCIC, NGAs, LGUs, NGOs/POs, RDIs, etc., on the Weather Index-Based Crop Insurance (WIBI) formulation and implementation and for roll out in those critical areas,” he said.   On the formulation of the mitigation component of the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions, Dr. Amadore recommended that the country “come up with 2020 GHG inventory, which should be consistent with our past inventories (2000 and 2010) and it really needs careful study. A multi-sectoral working group should be able to do that, and there are various applications of GHG inventory other than the Nationally Determined Contribution,” said Dr. Amadore.   Piloted in 2017, the NPTE Forum series encourage knowledge exchange and cultivate discussion between experts, relevant stakeholders and the public on climate change-related issues, policies, and practices from the international and national levels cascaded down to the local level.   The forum has tackled climate change adaptation and mitigation issues, featuring various adaptation strategies enhancing resilience, relevant sectors, and communities that are vulnerable to climate change, key areas for climate change mitigation, with all of these having a common theme that intends to inform the people of climate change and the needed climate action.   For more information on the previous NPTE Fora, visit the official website of the Climate Change Commission at https://climate.gov.ph/our-story/our-experts/national-panel-of-technical-experts-forum.

MANILA, 27 August 2021 —  The 59th episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” featured the continuing efforts of local government units and national government agencies to promote and advance sustainable urban mobility revolution in the country, especially in Metro Manila.   The online conversation conceptualized and hosted by three-term Senator, now Deputy Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda featured guests including Mayor Joy Belmonte of Quezon City; Robert Anthony Siy III, Transport Head from Pasig City; Brian Geli, Information Officer from San Juan City; Atty. Odilon Luis Pasaraba, Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG); Eldon Joshua Dionisio, Senior Transportation Development Officer from the Department of Transportation (DOTr); Michael Salalima, Head Executive Assistant from the Office of the Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA); and Aldrin Pelicano, Founder of MNL Moves. Red Constantino,  Executive Director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) joined the program as co-host.   “Sinimulan natin ang mobility discussions early last year and it's taking only a few months, a year to produce a revolution that's underway, kasi ang mode natin ay tulong-tulong. Huwag kalimutan ang bayanihan, huwag kalimutang mangarap. Pero ang pangarap ay hindi mangyayari kung hindi natin ito inasikaso, at ‘pag hindi tayo nakialam,” said Constantino.   The local government units of Quezon City, Pasig City, and San Juan City presented their strategies in providing the great majority of the population has access to active mobility and non-motorized mainstream modes of transportation that are not only safe and functional, but also efficient and environmentally-sustainable.   “We have core values for active transport and sustainable mobility program: It must be comprehensive, climate-smart, equitable, convenient, and accessible. Within this program, we have the bicycle lane network or our QC bike lanes; we have improved pathways or GORA lane in order to promote walkability and pedestrianization; we have electric transport; and we have an integrated and planned city bus system which is free for everyone who would like to ride our bus – not just Quezon City residents, but also everyone who does business or is in Quezon City during the time when they need to ride our transport system,” said Mayor Belmonte.   “The Pasig Transport Office develops and operates transportation solutions that aim to improve the mobility and promote sustainable forms of transportation throughout the city. It delivers the sustainable transportation agenda of the City of Pasig for walking, cycling, and mass public transport,” said Siy.   “Last year, we started with zero bike lanes. But on June 3, 2020, World Bike Day, we committed to provide safe and very practical bike lanes not just to San Juaneños, but to everyone who crosses our city. From 0 to 5 during our mobility awards, to now 8.8 kilometers of bike lanes. San Juan City is very small, we’re just about 5.94 square kilometers wide, so medyo maikli at maliit lang ang aming bike lanes. However, we are committed to provide a healthier and more sustainable mobility for everyone in Metro Manila, especially San Juaneños,” said Geli.   Pelicano shared the results of the volunteer pedestrian and bicycle count, also known as Metro Manila Counts.   “Now, more than ever, the MMDA, with the help of LGUs, need to make counting a permanent part of their programming. When they count, when they get the number of people cycling, they can easily just create further investment. Ito ang objective ng Metro Manila Counts, to spark conversation to push for policy and infrastructure improvements,” said Pelicano.   Representatives from the national government agencies shared their insights and expressed support on the presented strategies in establishing bicycle masterplans.   “We are happy to report that a total of 457 Local Government Units (LGUs) out of the base line 1059 LGUs or 43% have already designated specific units, offices, or personnel dedicated for the implementation of active transport initiatives in their respective areas of jurisdiction. This is a huge leap in the right direction because it provides the LGUs the necessary institutional capacity to support and promote active transport in the years to come,” said Atty. Pasaraba.   “DOTr will be more than willing to support these movements and initiatives. We would like to recognize that the movement to promote active transportation embedded in our whole transportation system is a whole government and society approach. Very helpful ang initiatives ng LGUs, particularly the establishment of bike lane networks. It really complements the intercity bike lane network built by the DPWH, together with DOTr, through the Bayanihan 2 Law. It provides last-mile connectivity and accessibility sa ating bike commuters to and from their homes,” said Dionisio.   “Sa amin po sa MMDA, and together with the other government agencies - DOTr, DPWH, and DILG, it is a whole government approach and what we are doing right now is we fully support the different initiatives of local government units in terms of having their own bike lane network in the inner roads of their locality,” said Salalima.   Last year, Legarda urged the members of the Metro Manila Council and national government agencies concerned to declare cycling as an essential mode of transportation and to provide dedicated and protected bike lanes to link the cities in Metro Manila.   To further promote sustainable urban mobility in Metro Manila, Legarda urges the guest LGUs and NGAs to plant native trees in the provided green spaces in the cities.   “Part of our advocacy should not just be protected [and] permanent bike lanes, , but [also] the green spaces suitable to the cities, to Metro Manila, and to the Philippines. Huwag magtanim ng mga imported species, ng mga exotic na mahirap i-maintain, dapat ay ‘yung mga punong mabubuhay sa matinding dumi ng hangin at tindi ng ulan," said Legarda.   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.

MAYNILA, ika-25 ng Agosto 2021 — Kikilalanin sa ika-59 na episode ng seryeng “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” ang patuloy na pagsusumikap ng mga local government units (LGUs) at national government agencies upang itaguyod at paunlarin ang sustainable urban mobility sa Metro Manila.   Ang online na talakayan, na hango sa konsepto at pangunguna ng dating three-term Senator, na ngayo’y Deputy Speaker at Antique Representative Loren Legarda, ay ipapalabas sa Huwebes, ika-26 ng Agosto 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live sa facebook.com/CCCPhl at facebook.com/iamlorenlegarda.   Kasama sa online na talakayan ang mga representatives mula sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Pasig City, San Juan City, Marikina City, Quezon City; at mga officials mula sa Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), at Department of Transportation (DOTr) para ibahagi ang kani-kanilang mga active transport plans (sa pagbibisikleta at paglalakad), initiatives, at karanasan.   Kabilang din sa programa ang mga active transport advocates na sina Mr. Red Constantino ng Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) at Mr. Aldrin Pelicano ng MNL Moves.   Sa nakalipas na taon, ang Better Normal Series ay malawak na itinampok ang Sustainable Urban Mobility bilang isang tema. Tinalakay sa unang tatlong episodes ng programa ang pagtataguyod ng pagbibisikleta bilang pangunahing pamamaraan ng pang-araw-araw na pagbiyahe, at hinikayat ang mga LGUs at agencies na maglaan ng connected safe networks para sa mga bikers, lalo na para sa mga frontliners at essential workers na gumagamit ng bisikleta papunta sa kani-kanilang mga trabaho sa gitna ng pandemyang COVID-19.   Bilang isang online na talakayan upang maisulong ang kalusugan, kamalayang pang-kapaligiran, at mga kasanayan sa pakiki-angkop sa klima, naglalayon ang Stories for a Better Normal na baguhin ang kaisipan ng bawat Pilipino, mga pamilya at pamayanan sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakita ng mga paraan kung paano maisasakatuparan ang ‘better normal’ sa loob ng ating mga pamayanan.   Ang online na talakayan na ito ay na-organisa sa pagtutulungan ng tanggapan ni Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, Climate Change Commission, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, at The Climate Reality Project-Philippines, na binigyang-suporta naman ng Department of Education, Philippine Information Agency, Mother Earth Foundation.

MANILA, 24 August 2021 — The 59th episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” will feature the continuing efforts of local government units and national government agencies to promote and advance sustainable urban mobility in Metro Manila.   The online conversation, conceptualized and hosted by three-term former Senator, now Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 26 August 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/iamlorenlegarda.   Joining the online conversation are representatives from the local governments of Pasig City, San Juan City, Marikina City, Quezon City; and officials from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and Department of Transportation (DOTr) to share their respective active transport (biking and walking) plans, initiatives, and experience.   Active transport advocates Mr. Red Constantino of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) and Mr. Aldrin Pelicano of MNL Moves will also join the program.   Over the past year, the Better Normal Series have extensively featured Sustainable Urban Mobility as a theme. The first three episodes of the program tackled the promotion of cycling as the main mode of the daily commute, and encouraged LGUs and agencies to provide a connected safe networks for bikers, especially for front liners and essential workers who have taken up cycling to report to their workplaces amidst this COVID-19 pandemic.   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 by the Office of Deputy Speaker Legarda, Climate Change Commission, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, and The Climate Reality Project-Philippines, with support from the Department of Education, Philippine Information Agency, and Mother Earth Foundation.

MANILA, 20 AUGUST 2021 — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) invites all sectors to join the 10th National Panel of Technical Experts (NPTE) Forum on Tuesday, 24 August 2021 through Zoom online and CCC Facebook Live.   With the theme, “Climate Action Onwards - Next Steps for Philippines' Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation,” this NPTE Forum shall discuss the urgent work on capacity and knowledge building for all facets of climate action.   The forum will feature the following presentations: El Niño droughts: A predictive tool we can use and how climate change complicates things, by Dr. Carlos Primo C. David; Slow onset events and our required response, by Ms. Lourdes V. Tibig; Sea level rise and its impacts on our country, by Dr. Fernando P. Siringan; Safeguarding projects against maladaptation, by Dr. Rosa T. Perez; Challenges and opportunities in risk transfer mechanism as climate adaptation strategy, by Dr. Felino P. Lansigan; and Formulating the mitigation component of the NDC, by Dr. Leoncio A. Amadore. This Forum also aims to stimulate constructive discussions on improving multi-sectoral cooperation for successful implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution which the country submitted this year.   Started in 2017, the NPTE Fora encourages knowledge exchange  among members of the academe, local government units, youth, business and industry, civil society, gender and faith-based groups, and the general public on climate change-related issues, policies, and practices through plenary presentations and open discussions.   The topics relate to various adaptation strategies to build resilience to climate impacts, and areas with potential for carbon emissions reduction.   For more updates on the NPTE forum, visit the Facebook Page of CCC at https://www.facebook.com/cccphl. 

MANILA, 19 August 2021 — In observance of World Humanitarian Day, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) urges world leaders to take meaningful climate action for the world’s most vulnerable populations.   Every year on August 19th, the World Humanitarian Day is observed to advocate for the survival, well-being, and dignity of people affected by humanitarian crises, and to honor and support the humanitarian aid workers who put their lives on the line to help the affected people during times of crisis.   This year's observance comes as the world continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns, and disasters from extreme weather, and in the face of humanitarian emergencies as in Afghanistan and Haiti. Humanitarian workers have carried out many acts of bravery and provided a safe space and basic necessities to vulnerable affected populations.   For 2021, the theme, "#TheHumanRace: A global challenge for climate action in solidarity with the people who need it most," stresses that humanity is racing against the clock of the climate emergency, presenting a global race challenge like no other.   The climate emergency is wreaking havoc across the world at a scale that people on the front lines and in the humanitarian community cannot manage. Droughts, heatwaves, raging wildfires and horrific floods are shattering the lives of millions of people, causing them to lose their homes, livelihoods and sometimes even their lives. The time is already running out for millions of the world’s most vulnerable people – those who have contributed least to the global climate emergency but are hit the hardest.   Following the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report from Working Group I, which presented the unequivocal causation by humans of the “widespread and rapid” changes to Earth’s climate, the CCC urges world leaders to pay attention to the immediate human cost and consequences of the climate emergency for the world’s most vulnerable people, and to ensure that their voices are heard and their needs top the agenda of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) on 31 October to 12 November 2021.   As the consequences of climate change will continue to get worse with inaction, the CCC emphasizes that now is the only time to run together towards the greatest race of our lifetime – to save people and planet.

CCC Commissioner Rachel Anne S. Herrera presented the country’s National Plan of Action on Marine Liter adopted by the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources which includes a policy approach to address problems with single-use plastics. MANILA, 19 AUGUST 2021 — The Climate Change Commission and UN Global Champion for Resilience, House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, called for urgent action towards sustainable consumption and production to protect both marine and human life, in an online forum on seafood safety and sustainable packaging for seafood products on Wednesday, August 18.   As keynote speaker, Deputy Speaker Legarda highlighted the threats faced by the fisheries sector and related industries due to climate change, driven in part by the production, consumption, and disposal of single-use plastics, which the pandemic also worsened.   “Our throwaway, consumptive, wasteful culture is directly threatening marine life, with fish, seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals getting entangled in or even ingesting plastics,” she said.   “The problem is how to solve this—and it’s set to worsen: in 2017, we found that we produced as much plastic in the past 13 years than we did in the previous half-century. At that rate, we will end up with more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050—oceans so acidic that farmed fish yield could be reduced by, believe it or not, 90%,” Legarda warned.   “As a nation of many islands, our economy and our culture have depended on fisheries for decades, if not centuries. Our lives are indelibly linked to the ocean, inextricably linked to its resources. We must act now, with urgency and resolve, to ensure the ocean’s protection for the fisherfolk, for the sectors that depend on them—and not just for them, but for all Filipinos, now and in the future,” Legarda added.   From the CCC, Commissioner Rachel Herrera presented government initiatives on circular economy and sustainable consumption and production, including the campaign for the passage of a national law to regulate single-use plastic products through the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction; crafting the regional Framework on Circular Economy for the ASEAN Economic Community; legislative efforts to promote circular economy and sustainable consumption initiatives; the Philippine Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production (PAP4SCP); the National Ecolabeling Program–Green Choice Philippines; the National Plan of Action for the Prevention, Reduction, and Management of Marine Litter (NPOA-ML); and efforts to drive investments in sustainability and circularity through the country’s Strategic Investment Priority Plan.   “We are meeting today with urgent work ahead of us, because there is a report just released last week by the United Nations body of climate scientists, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and this report has been described as ‘code red for humanity,’” said Herrera. “We can no longer stop climate change—and many of these effects or impacts are felt much more severely here in the Philippines. As our climate scientists note, sea levels here at home may be rising four times greater than the global average,” she added.   According to Herrera, while the report’s outlook is grim, “it also gives us hope that we can still avert the worst impacts of climate change if we act now, and immediate steps are needed”—including deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, and shifting towards a circular economy and sustainable consumption and production.   “All of this work becomes even more urgent not just because we are in a climate emergency, but because we are in a pandemic,” Herrera noted.   Hosted by the Institute of Fish Processing Technology of the University of the Philippines Visayas College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, the forum tackled current trends in post-harvest fisheries and food science. College Dean Prof. Encarnacion Emilia Yap remarked that, "There are some potentially carcinogenic substances which are absorbed by microplastics. So, if the microplastic is in one particular organism, the effect of microplastic is actually compounded by the absorption of other chemicals to the microplastics, thereby [doubling the problem of microplastics.]"   "We (CFOS) are totally in support of the Bill. As early as 2018, we've been doing this... Consider us as your warriors in our fight against the plastic pollution,” Dean Yap added.   Other speakers for the webinar included Mary Ann Galenzoga-Basal of NSF International, who discussed food safety especially of seafood products during the pandemic. 

MAYNILA, ika-18 ng Agosto 2021 —Tampok sa ika-58 na episode ng seryeng “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” ang mga special citation winners sa ginanap na “Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan Tungo sa Katatagan: A Climate and Disaster Resiliency Recognition Awards,” ito'y isang initiative ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) para kilalanin ang mga gender-responsive climate programs ng ating mga local government units at mga organisasyon.   Ang online na talakayan, na hango sa konsepto at pangunguna ng dating three-term Senator, na ngayo’y Deputy Speaker at Antique Representative Loren Legarda, ay ipapalabas sa Huwebes, ika-19 ng Agosto 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live sa facebook.com/CCCPhl at facebook.com/iamlorenlegarda.   Kasama bilang mga panauhin sa ikalawang bahagi ng two-part episode ay sina:   1.    Carvel Collins G. Acabal, Children Basic Sector at Kalambuan Youth Organization (KAYO), Zamboanga del Sur (Special Citation: Youth Empowerment)   2.    Adela Jamelo, Panatao ng Plastic Waste Recycling Association, Surigao del Norte (Special Citation: Originality)   3.    Ian Chester M. Solver, Parish Youth Ministry - Basud, Youth of Poblacion Uno-Basud, Camarines Norte (Special Citation: Ecological Solid Waste Management)   4.    Nyla Cordero, Kalayaan Organic Practitioners Association (KOPA), Laguna (Special Citation: Gender Empowerment)   5.    Danielle Ann Ravalo, Graymont Philippines Inc., Las Piñas City (Special Citation: Sustainability Initiatives)   6.    Auria Primaverde Gonzales, Metropolitan Naga Water District, Camarines Sur (Special Citation: Community Participation)     Kinikilala sa “Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan Tungo sa Katatagan” ang mga istorya at mga kwento ng ating mga kababaihan, kalalakihan at mga organisasyon, na nagsisikap na makatugon sa epektong dulot ng climate change sa kani-kanilang mga pamayanan sa pamamagitan ng gender-responsive programs na may kinalaman sa environmental protection at conservation, climate change, at disaster risk reduction.   Bilang isang online na talakayan upang maisulong ang kalusugan at kamalayang pang-kapaligiran, naglalayon ang Stories for a Better Normal na baguhin ang kaisipan ng bawat Pilipino at pamayanan sa mga hamon ng climate change at ng pandemya, tungo sa buhay na maka-kalikasan at sustainable sa ilalim ng ‘better normal’.   Ang online na talakayan na ito ay na-organisa sa pagtutulungan ng tanggapan ni Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda at ng Climate Change Commission, na binigyang-suporta naman ng Department of Education, Philippine Information Agency, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, The Climate Reality Project-Philippines at Mother Earth Foundation.

MANILA, 17 August 2021 — The 58th episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” will feature the special citation winners  for this year’s “Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan Tungo sa Katatagan: A Climate and Disaster Resiliency Recognition Awards,” an initiative of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for gender-responsive climate programs of local government units and organizations.   The online conversation, conceptualized and hosted by three-term former Senator, now Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 19 August 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/iamlorenlegarda.   Joining the last of the two-part episode are:   1.    Carvel Collins G. Acabal, Children Basic Sector and Kalambuan Youth Organization (KAYO), Zamboanga del Sur (Special Citation: Youth Empowerment)   2.    Adela Jamelo, Panatao Plastic Waste Recycling Association, Surigao del Norte (Special Citation: Originality)   3.    Ian Chester M. Solver, Parish Youth Ministry - Basud, Youth of Poblacion Uno-Basud, Camarines Norte (Special Citation: Ecological Solid Waste Management)   4.    Nyla Cordero - Kalayaan Organic Practitioners Association (KOPA), Laguna (Special Citation: Gender Empowerment)   5.    Danielle Ann Ravalo - Graymont Philippines Inc., Las Piñas City (Special Citation: Sustainability Initiatives)   6.    Auria Primaverde Gonzales - Metropolitan Naga Water District, Camarines Sur (Special Citation: Community Participation)   “Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan Tungo sa Katatagan” featured stories and narratives of women and men, and organizations, addressing the impacts of climate change in their communities through gender-responsive programs related to environmental protection and conservation, climate change, and disaster risk reduction.   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.

MANILA, 16 August 2021 — The 57th episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” featured the Department of Education (DepEd) learners and personnel that showcased inspiring stories on advocating climate action. The episode is in time for the celebration of International Youth Day last August 12.   The online conversation, conceptualized and hosted by three-term Senator, now Deputy Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda, featured guests including Director Ronilda Co and Ms. Zherluck Shaen Rodriguez of the DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS); Joshua Villalobos of the Youth for Climate Hope (Division of Bacolod City), Ckyr Leonardo from Valencia National High School (Division of Valencia City), Raaina Hinay of Kids Who Farm (Division of Zamboanga City); and Amabelle Franchesca Boncato, a campus journalist from Congressional Integrated High School (Division of Cavite).   Director Co and Ms. Rodriguez introduced the “Stories of Children, Written by Children,” a booklet developed by DepEd DRRMS that features learners who exemplified outstanding leadership in environmental initiatives related to CCAM-DRR in their schools and communities.   “Children and youth are our present and future. Ang mga kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan. Ngunit hindi lang sila pag-asa ng kinabukasan, kundi sa kasalukuyan din. That’s why we have to engage them in meaningful activities. Ang ginagawa ng DRRMS ay hindi na lamang consultations sa mga kabataan, iniaangat din natin ang participation doon sa level ng co-collaboration sa mga bata. We hope that we are able to support the youth, our learners into leading programs. We are going in that direction,” said Director Co.   “We want to make sure na ang ating mga kabataan ay napapakinggan, kasi hindi lang sila mga bata. This is why in DepEd, we listen, support, empower, and enable them. We make sure that we listen to their voices and support their existing programs, rojects, and activities. We also want to empower our learners and create an enebling system na pwede silang magparticipate sa ating mga programa,” said Rodriguez.   Villalobos introduced the “Youth for Climate Hope”, a coalition of youth organizations and individuals in Negros Occidental that engages the students in climate action, policy lobbying, creative mass action, and a culture and community that cares for the people and the environment. Their advocacies include the petition to amend the plastic bag regulation in Bacolod and campaign against plans on coal-fired power plant projects in the Negros region.   “Hindi naman po ibig sabihin na nag-climate strike tayo ay masasama na tayong mga kabataan, but it is a manifestation na naintindihan natin kung ano ‘yung ibig sabihin ng climate science. Nagra-rally tayo behind sa kung ano ang panawagan ng mga scientists at ng maraming sector na kailangan na natin ng justice at rapid reduction of our greenhouse gases emissions, para hindi natin maabot ang mga threshold na unti-unti na nating naaabot,” said Villalobos.   Leonardo introduced his “One Man, One Tree” program which promotes that each individual must plant at least one tree to regenerate forests severely deforested due to illegal activities.   “Plant a tree today and enjoy reaping the fruits of a greener world in the future. It inspires me to continue doing my advocacy, kasi gusto ko po ‘yung future generation ay maka-experience rin ng greener world at makalanghap ng sariwang hangin,” said Leonardo.   Hinay introduced “Kids Who Farm,” an initiative that aims to empower the youth and children as the next generation of food producers by making farming fun, easy to do, and sustainable. This program trains youth and women on urban container gardening, and established food community gardens in schools and micro-farm projects, and provides fresh and hyperlocal food access to local residents, especially in this time of the pandemic.   “Our vision is to reverse the persistent trend of aging Filipino farmers by building the expertise of the youth in agriculture and creating urban green jobs incubation opportunities to engage them in the business of farming to secure food for the future. Our goal is to inspire future farmers. As young as we are, we can be a source of inspiration to our fellow young people,” said Hinay.   Boncato, one of the student journalists who completed "The Green Beat Initiative,” an online environmental journalism training spearheaded by the DepEd DRRMS, is one of the writers of the said booklet.   “At this age, I am already experiencing the consequences of climate change through consecutive typhoons and extreme droughts. I know that many environmental problems and concerns need so much attention from the media, and they’re the ones who are capable of putting those in the spotlight… I believe that one of the reasons why I am here doing environmental journalism is to amplify the voices of those unheard and to be the voice of our dear Mother Earth,” said Boncato.   Legarda emphasized  the need to further raise awareness on the current climate emergency and to share knowledge on how the children, youth, and the general public can contribute to climate action.   “Ngayong International Youth Day, sa lahat ng kabataan natin, kayo ang pag-asa ng bansa, hindi lamang sa kinabukasan, kundi sa ngayon. Claim the future now. Ang pag-ahon sa pandemya ay paglaban sa climate emergency. Pareho ‘yan, magkasabay ‘yan, hindi tayo dapat bumalik sa dating normal. Kaya I'm glad na kakampi ko kayong lahat and we are all on the same page," said Legarda.   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.

Mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in the Local Climate Change Action Plan. Photo from the presentation of Ms. Sandee G. Recabar, Chief of Implementation oversight Division of the Climate Change Commission. MANILA, 16 August 2021 — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) successfully convened its first-of-three series of webinars on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory for Local Government Units (LGUs) via Zoom Teleconference and CCC Facebook live last August 11-13, 2021. The webinar series, organized in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Local Government Academy (LGA), aims to build the knowledge and information of LGUs on formulating their GHG inventories and climate mitigation measures and strategies as part of their Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP) process. The virtual training gathered more than 600 participants from local planning, environment and natural resource, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction and management offices of various LGUs in Luzon. House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, Bohol 1st District Representative Edgar M. Chatto, CCC Vice Chairperson Emmanuel M. De Guzman, and DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Mario L. Iringan delivered their messages of support during the program. “Many LGUs can be a model of climate resilience, regardless of where they are located, as long as the government and the community join hands and commit to bring change. For the past years, the CCC and DILG have shown their dedication to guide our local leaders by providing them technical assistance in formulating their GHG inventories. We hope to continue to scale-up these efforts to help our vulnerable communities adapt to and help mitigate the changing climate,” said Deputy Speaker Legarda, three-term Senator who authored the Climate Change Act and is a UN Global Champion for Resilience. In his remarks, Rep. Chatto, Chair of the House Committee on Climate Change, urged LGUs that with a climate emergency upon us now, "let us heed this call and be the spark that the planet needs to burn bright and be the guiding light that others may follow." “Human insatiability brought us here, and human compassion, human solidarity in action, will shift our trajectory. There is too much at stake. The climate emergency has become all too personal for every one of us. May we channel all our energies to listen, join forces, and ultimately, act with desperate urgency,” said Vice Chairperson de Guzman. “This webinar aims to strengthen the knowledge and information of LGUs in creating their GHG inventories and mitigation strategies as a section of their local climate change action plans. It is the objective of these webinars for us to have more understanding, and therefore a better appreciation of what we need to contribute in order to make amends to our planet,” said Undersecretary Siringan. The three-day webinar covered essential topics on greenhouse gas inventory. GHG mitigation expert Mr. Leandro Buendia, a member of the CCC's National Panel of Technical Experts, presented the basics of climate science and GHG inventory. Ms. Angela Monica Salud B. Mamuyac from the Local Development Planning Division of the Bureau of Local Government Development of the DILG Central Office discussed the link of climate change mitigation in local development plans; and Mr. Oliver Gonzales, Environment and Natural Resources Officer from Batangas City shared their LGU’s experience on GHG inventory and accounting. The LGU participants are introduced to the GHG inventory by sector: Agriculture, Waste, and Industrial Processes and Product Usage, Transportation, Forestry and Land Use Change, and Energy. They are also trained on the GHG inventory tools and data requirements. The webinar for the Visayas cluster will be held on August 18-20, 2021, and the Mindanao cluster on August 25-27, 2021. This activity seeks to extend the technical assistance of CCC to many more LGUs, aiming to contribute to an increase in the submission of LCCAPs. Interested participants may register here for free: Visayas Cluster: https://bit.ly/GHGIWebinarVisayasReg Mindanao Cluster: https://bit.ly/GHGIWebinarMindanaoRegistration For more information about the webinar on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory for Local Government Units (LGUs), visit the Facebook page of the Climate Change Commission at www.facebook.com/CCCPhl or website at https://climate.gov.ph/newsroom/updates-and-advisories.

MANILA, 12 August 2021 — In observance of “Linggo ng Kabataan” and International Youth Day, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) encourages the Filipino youth to lead in practicing a sustainable lifestyle to help transform our food systems and reduce our carbon footprint.   Republic Act No. 10742 or the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015 mandates the observance of Linggo ng Kabataan in every barangay, municipality, city and province on the week where the 12th of August falls to coincide with the International Youth Day (IYD).   This year’s IYD theme, "Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health," is a call for inclusive support mechanisms for the youth to collectively and individually amplify efforts that restore the planet and protect life, while integrating biodiversity in the transformation of food systems.   With the world’s population expected to increase by 2 billion in the next 30 years, simply producing a larger volume of healthier food will not ensure human and planetary wellbeing. Other crucial challenges must also be addressed, such as the interlinkages embodied by the 2030 Agenda including poverty reduction; social inclusion; health care; biodiversity conservation; and climate change impacts on land and food quality.   Access to abundant, nutritious food has also become a challenge with the COVID-19 pandemic as community quarantines leave many poor communities vulnerable to economic shocks.   The CCC believes that the youth has the power to influence and transform their communities to become more resilient by doing and promoting the following sustainable practices: Growing plants and vegetables in their own homes to achieve self-sufficiency in every household; Avoiding food waste and changing dietary preferences to reduce the carbon footprint or greenhouse gas emissions associated with food consumption and food loss; Promoting purchase and consumption of fresh local foods from farmer markets and home-based food industries, while avoiding single-use plastic products and packaging, as a way of reducing food processing- and transport-related GHG emissions; Implementing SK policies encouraging the youth to plant their own food in every barangay, producing organic fertilizers and other agricultural products as well as greening urban spaces; and Organize and participate in online discussions to raise awareness and set inspiring actions to address the country’s challenges on the food systems.  One best example of innovative efforts to transform our food systems was through the emergence of community pantries across the Philippines. The first known community pantry during this pandemic, located in Maginhawa St., Quezon City, was spearheaded by a spontaneous youth initiative.   With the tagline, “Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan,” the idea for the community pantry was to provide a venue where food is directly accessed by those who are in need, especially during this time of lockdown where many businesses closed and jobs lost.   The Maginhawa model has since sparked a nationwide trend of other community pantries sharing grocery packs, farm produce, and even seedlings. These exemplify human compassion and social solidarity that will continue to bring out the best in the Filipino even in the most difficult times.   The CCC said that sustainable food systems are important in ensuring a healthy environment, human health, and national progress. These initiatives will help in the transformation towards a more livable, healthier, and more sustainable nation.

MANILA, 12 August 2021 — The University of the Philippines Visayas - Institute of Fish Processing Technology (IFPT), College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS) invites the public to join the online forum on seafood safety and the use of sustainable packaging materials for seafood products this 18 August 2021.   The second #WayForwardWednesdays webinar series about current trends on post-harvest fisheries and food science endeavors to highlight the best practices in the production of food products including the use of sustainable packaging materials, and encourage research exploring the potential of different earth-friendly materials as packaging for fishery products.   House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, Representative of the Lone District of Antique, and UN Global Champion for Resilience, will deliver the keynote message on climate action and sustainability. Climate Change Commissioner Rachel Anne Herrera will discuss the government’s initiatives on circular economy and sustainable consumption and production, including the CCC’s campaign to phaseout single-use plastics.   Ms. Mary Ann Galenzoga-Basal from NSF International will also present measures on seafood safety in the time of COVID-19, showcasing best practices for seafood processors.   This four-part lecture series by IFPT-CFOS on the fields of Microbiology, Chemistry, Seafood Processing, and Fish Plant Management aims to keep its network and community abreast of the latest developments, emerging technologies, and new practices with a pandemic at the helm.   For more updates on the webinar, interested participants may visit the Facebook Page of the IFPT-CFOS at https://www.facebook.com/upv.cfos.ifpt. 

MAYNILA, ika-11 Agosto 2021— Magtitipon-tipon ang mga learners mula sa Department of Education (DepEd) upang magturo, magbigay inspirasyon, at maghikayat sa kapwa nila bata na manguna sa usaping climate action sa ika-57 na episode ng seryeng “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways,” na may temang, “Climate Action Stories of Children, Written by Children”.   Ang online na talakayan, na hango sa konsepto ng dating three-term Senator, na ngayo’y Deputy Speaker at Antique Representative Loren Legarda, ay ipapalabas sa Huwebes, ika-12 ng Agosto 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live sa facebook.com/CCCPhl at facebook.com/iamlorenlegarda. Mapapanood din ang nasabing episode sa official Facebook Page ng DepEd sa facebook.com/DepartmentOfEducation.PH.   Kasama sa online na talakayan ang mga kawani at learners mula DepEd kabilang sina Director Ronilda Co at Ms. Zherluck Shaen Rodriguez ng DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS); Ckyr M. Leonardo mula sa Valencia National High School (Division of Valencia City); Joshua Ofiasa Villalobos ng Youth for Climate Hope (Division of Bacolod City); Raaina P. Hinay ng Kids Who Farm (Division of Zamboanga City); at Amabelle Franchesca, isang campus journalist mula sa Congressional Integrated High School (Division of Cavite).   Sa nangyayaring krisis sa climate change, walang kinalaman ang mga bata ngunit pasan rin nila ang mga masasamang epekto nito. Dahil sa climate change, mas madalas ang pagkakaroon ng kalamidad at mas matitinding bagyo at pag-ulan bunga ng pag-init ng mundo. Dala ng mga ito ang health hazards at risks para sa mga bata dahil sila ang mas madaling kapitan ng physical at psychological trauma, nutritional deprivation, infectious agents, at environmental contaminants dahil sa kanilang dynamic developmental physiology at immature defense systems.   Ang paglahok ng mga bata ay maituturing na importanteng aspeto ng climate action. Sa pamamagitan ng mga initiatives ng DepEd, layuning bigyang lakas at hikayatin sila na maging mga changemakers sa pagpapaangat ng kamalayan sa sarili at pamilya, at pagpapatupad ng mga proyekto sa paaralan at komunidad.   Bilang bahagi ng programang climate change adaptation and mitigation (CCAM), kasalukuyang nagde-develop ang DepEd sa tulong ng DRRMS ng isang booklet na pinamagatang “Climate Action Stories of Children, Written by Children” na naglalayong makapagpakita ng mga kwento ng Filipino learners na nagtataguyod ng climate action para makapagbibigay inspirasyon. Ang mga nasabing kwento ay isinulat ng mga student journalists na sumailalim sa pagsasanay na tinawag bilang The Green Beat Initiative: An Online Environmental Journalism Training for Student Campus Journalists and School Paper Advisers na pinangunahan ng DepEd DRRMS at ng Association of Young Environmental Journalists (AYEJ).   Bibigyang-diin sa episode ang mga initiatives ng DepEd sa pagtaguyod ng environmental consciousness at itatampok ang mga learners na nagpakita ng mahusay na pamumuno sa mga environmental initiatives na nauugnay sa CCAM sa kanilang mga paaralan at pamayanan.   Bilang isang online na talakayan upang maisulong ang kalusugan at kamalayang pang-kapaligiran, naglalayon ang Stories for a Better Normal na baguhin ang kaisipan ng bawat Pilipino at pamayanan sa mga hamon ng climate change at ng pandemya, tungo sa buhay na maka-kalikasan at sustainable sa ilalim ng ‘better normal’.   Na-organisa ang online na talakayang ito mula sa pagtutulungan ng tanggapan ni Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda at ng Climate Change Commission na binigyang-suporta naman ng Department of Education, Philippine Information Agency, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, The Climate Reality Project-Philippines at Mother Earth Foundation.

MANILA, 10 August 2021 — Department of Education (DepEd) learners will gather to educate, inspire and encourage their fellow children to take the lead in climate action on the 57th episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways,” with the topic, “Climate Action Stories of Children, Written by Children”   The online conversation, conceptualized and hosted by three-term former Senator, now Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 12 August 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/iamlorenlegarda. The episode will also be streamed through the official Facebook Page of DepEd at facebook.com/DepartmentOfEducation.PH.   Joining the online conversation are DepEd personnel and learners including Director Ronildo Co and Ms. Zherluck Shaen Rodriguez of DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS); Ckyr M. Leonardo from Valencia National High School (Division of Valencia City), Joshua Ofiasa Villalobos of the Youth for Climate Hope (Division of Bacolod City), Raaina P. Hinay of Kids Who Farm (Division of Zamboanga City); and Amabelle Franchesca, a campus journalist from Congressional Integrated High School (Division of Cavite).   Despite being the least responsible for climate change, children bear the brunt of its impacts.  Climate change is increasing the range and incidence of major health hazards and risks for children as they are more susceptible to physical and psychological trauma, nutritional deprivation, infectious agents, and environmental contaminants due to their dynamic developmental physiology and immature defense systems.   However, children are seen to be the active voices of climate action. Their role in raising awareness and implementing initiatives in line with the local context is a must for the effective implementation of adaptation interventions.   DepEd recognizes climate change’s adverse impacts on children as well as their vital role in championing climate action. It is through its initiatives that DepEd intends to empower and encourage them to be changemakers.   As part of its climate change adaptation and mitigation (CCAM) program, the Department through the DRRMS is developing Climate Action Stories of Children, Written by Children Booklet that aims to showcase inspiring stories of the Filipino learners who are advocating for climate action. The stories are written by student journalists who completed The Green Beat Initiative: An Online Environmental Journalism Training for Student Campus Journalists and School Paper Advisers spearheaded by the DepEd DRRMS and the Association of Young Environmental Journalists (AYEJ).   The upcoming episode will highlight the initiatives of DepEd in inculcating environmental consciousness and elevating the level of children’s participation in climate action, and will feature learners who exemplified outstanding leadership in environmental initiatives related to CCAM in their schools and communities.   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.

MANILA, 10 August 2021 — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) cites a new report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) yesterday as a wakeup call for countries to urgently scale up mitigation efforts to keep average global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius and to adapt to more frequent and more severe climate impacts, some of which are irreversible.   The “Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis” report is the contribution of the IPCC’s Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report, which stressed that “it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land” and that “widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred.”   This report is considered the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change, bringing together the latest advances in climate science, and combining multiple lines of evidence from past climate (paleoclimate) observations, process understanding, and global and regional climate simulations. More than a hundred scientists worldwide contributed to the report, among them Dr. Faye Abigail Cruz of the Manila Observatory.   “Many of the changes observed in the climate are unprecedented in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years, and some of the changes already set in motion—such as continued sea level rise—are irreversible over hundreds to thousands of years,” the IPCC report adds.   The report presents updated estimates of the likelihood of exceeding the 1.5°C global warming level in the next decades, concluding that limiting warming to close to 1.5°C, or even 2°C, will be impossible unless greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are reduced immediately, rapidly, and on a massive scale.   Human-caused GHG emissions have been responsible for roughly 1.1°C of warming since 1850-1900 or pre-industrial levels, and global temperatures are predicted to reach or exceed 1.5°C during the next 20 years on average.   The report said that climate change is expected to worsen in all locations over the next few decades. There will be more heat waves, longer warm seasons, and shorter cold seasons for every 1.5°C increase in global warming. Heat extremes will more frequently approach critical tolerance levels for agriculture and health at 2°C of global warming.   However, it is not only a matter of temperature. Climate change is causing a variety of changes in many places, all of which will worsen as temperatures continue to rise. These include the following specific impacts, according to the report:   ·Water cycle intensifies which means more extreme rainfall and flooding, as well as more intense droughts. ·Changes in rainfall pattern where precipitation is projected to increase in the high latitudes, whereas it is expected to decrease in the subtropics. Changes in monsoon precipitation are expected, with regional variations. ·Coastal areas will continue to experience sea-level rise throughout the twenty-first century, resulting to more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low-lying areas as well as coastal erosion. Extreme sea level occurrences that occurred once every one hundred years might occur every year by the end of this century. ·Further warming will amplify permafrost thawing, and the loss of seasonal snow cover, melting of glaciers and ice sheets, and loss of summer Arctic sea ice. ·Human-caused changes to the ocean, such as warming, more frequent marine heatwaves, ocean acidification, and decreased oxygen levels, have been convincingly visible. These changes have an impact on both ocean ecosystems and the people who rely on them, and will continue for the rest of the century. ·Some elements of climate change are already seen in cities, such as heat, floods from heavy precipitation events, and sea level rise in coastal cities.   Just last month, several countries in Europe, North America, Africa, Oceania and Asia, including the Philippines, were devastated by extreme weather such as floods, storms, heatwaves, wildfires and drought, bringing widespread destruction. Some of the affected countries were noted to have never experienced such extreme disturbances in recent history.   While some parts of the world are submerged due to heavy flooding and excessive rains, others have been burning under intense heatwaves and wildfires. Some of the world's wealthy cities are unprepared for extreme weather events. It demonstrates that the impact is no longer limited to developing countries; it is now affecting the developed economies as well.   The CCC said that this should serve as a wakeup call not only for the Philippines, but also for all countries and world leaders to take decisive action on increasing warming temperatures to protect the planet and future generations from such previously unimaginable scenarios.   According to the IPCC report, the substantial and consistent reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions such as methane have the capacity to influence the future direction of climate. While improvements in air quality would be immediate, global temperature stabilization might take 20-30 years.   The CCC said that the world must go considerably further to keep the 1.5 challenge alive. That will require a concerted set of policies including phasing out coal power and commit to not opening or financing any new coal-fired power stations; providing developing countries with better support to deliver clean energy; reforming the global trade in agricultural commodities to help farmers to make a better living while forests are protected; and last but not least, for loss and damage policies to be set in place to support adaptation initiatives, in line with mobilizing long-term finance.   The Sixth Assessment Report or AR6 consists of contributions from each of the three IPCC Working Groups. The succeeding reports are scheduled for release in 2022.   Access their contribution to the Assessment Report through this link: https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/ and watch the replay of the launch through the YouTube channel of the IPCC at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z149vLKn9d8. 

MANILA, 9 August 2021 — In observance of International Indigenous Peoples’ (IPs) Day, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) spotlights the contribution of IPs to the conservation of the environment and advocates for strengthening the protection of their rights and indigenous knowledge, systems, and practices.   Every year on August 9th, the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is observed in order to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population, while acknowledging their significant role in sustaining the diversity of the world’s cultural and biological landscape.   Indigenous peoples account for about 6 percent of the world's population, with a wide range of cultures, customs, languages, knowledge systems, and have a particular bond with their homelands.   Here in the Philippines, it is estimated that our indigenous peoples consist of 10% to 20% of the country's population.   Due to industrialization, armed conflict, extreme poverty, climate change, and other causes, many indigenous peoples have been forcibly displaced from their homes. Those who have settled in urban areas often struggle to retain their cultural identities.   Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed and worsened many existing inequalities, disproportionately affecting communities, including indigenous peoples who were already facing  poverty, illness, discrimination, or financial insecurity.   This is the rationale behind this year’s celebration with the theme “Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract.”   According to the United Nations, a social contract is an unwritten agreement that societies make to cooperate for social and economic benefits.   The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the effects of growing inequalities and sparked a discussion on the urgent need to rethink a new social contract.   This year’s observance calls for creating and rebuilding a new social contract as an expression of cooperation for the common benefit of people and environment. A social contract must create an opportunity to build back a more equal and sustainable world – based on genuine and inclusive participation and partnership that fosters equal opportunities for all and respects the rights, dignity and freedoms of all.    The plans to rebuild better and rethink social contracts for the indigenous peoples disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 pandemic and climate crisis around the world must include listening to their voices, needs, and concerns, obtaining their free, prior, and informed consent, and including indigenous peoples' collective and individual rights.

The local government of Botolan in Zambales bagged the first place in the "Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan Tungo sa Katatagan: A Climate and Disaster Resiliency Recognition Awards" of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. MANILA, 6 August 2021 —  The 56th episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” featured gender-responsive climate programs of local government units (LGUs) that topped this year’s “Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan Tungo sa Katatagan: A Climate and Disaster Resiliency Recognition Awards,” an initiative of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) launched in March of this year in observance of National Women’s Month.   The online conversation conceptualized and hosted by three-term Senator, now Deputy Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda featured guests including DENR Undersecretary Analiza Teh; Ms. Annadine Manzinares, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO) of Botolan, Zambales (First prize winner); Dr. Eduardo M. Bisquera Jr., Assistant City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) of Zamboanga City (Second prize winner); and Mayor Maria Clarita G. Limbaro of Bayabas, Surigao del Sur (Third prize winner). Atty. Ipat Luna served as the co-host for the episode.   “Climate change is an issue that affects all of us, whether you’re in the city or in the province, in lowland areas or in the mountains or in coastal areas. Hindi tayo makapagtatago sa climate change, kaya ito ay kailangan nating harapin nang sabay-sabay. Mahalaga na laging maging handa sa mga epekto ng nagbabagong klima sa pamamagitan ng climate change adaptation and mitigation at disaster risk reduction,” said Atty. Luna.   “Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan Tungo sa Katatagan” features stories and narratives of women and men, and organizations, addressing the impacts of climate change in their communities through gender-responsive programs related to environmental protection and conservation, climate change, and disaster risk reduction.   “Aside from promoting gender empowerment, we are promoting also good stories at gusto natin talagang tumuntong sa hope-based communication para makita nila na kung lahat tayo ay sama-sama, may pag-asa pa po para mas higit pa nating mapaigting ang ating pagkilos para sa kalikasan,” said Usec. Teh.   The local government of Botolan in Zambales won the first prize with their entry, “Women Leadership, Trailblazers of Environmental Sustainability.” It showcased the programs and projects they initiated to achieve environmental sustainability in their municipality which includes programs on Artificial Reef with Coral Transplantation; Mangrove and Reforestation; Sustainable Eco-Tourism; Disaster Preparedness; and Solid Waste Management.   “We have the “Basura Mo, Palit Mo” Program that started in 2017 where 1kg of plastic waste can be exchanged with 1kg of rice. It encourages the household level to segregate their wastes. We also have Botolan Waste Products such as Eco-bricks made from plastic wastes; Fish Amino Acid made of fish entrails/trash from the municipal market; and Eco-soil (soil conditioner) made from rotten fruits and vegetables also from market wastes. [These projects] aim to minimize the wastes being dumped in the sanitary landfill and to create a simple income-generating program out of waste for the MRF operators,” said Manzinares.   The local government of Zamboanga City, the second prize winner, shared that their initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions were also components of their Local Climate Change Action Plan or LCCAP. Their mitigation measures include Waste to value; Establishment of Transfer Station and Material Recovery Facilities; Developing the City Water front and heritage walk development; Construction of climate resilience building; and Conduct of rehabilitation, reforestation and enhancement projects on the city’s watershed and central district mangrove forest areas.   “The forests are the world’s largest carbon sinks along with the ocean, atmosphere and soil. Protecting these vital ecosystems is essential for tackling climate change and keeping our climate stable. In the year 2020, a 30-hectare Watershed Rehabilitation/ Reforestation Project was completed within the Pasonanca Watershed area, the main source of the city’s potable, domestic, industrial and agricultural water. A total of 33,702 seedlings of indigenous tree species were successfully planted,” said Bisquera.   The local government of Bayabas in Surigao del Sur, the third prize winner, introduced the Sagip-Wakatan program, an annual mangrove reforestation, replanting, and coastal cleanup initiative that aims to maintain and improve the mangrove cover density to help protect the community against destructive effects of storm surges, tidal waves, tsunami, and soil erosion.   “I always believe that what we do today defines our future.  Sagip-Wakatan program is not just saving the mangroves, but it will always be part of saving our environment for our children. For the changing climate, the strong community ownership and co-ownership of ecosystem conservation is a resilient foundation of a community,” said Mayor Limbaro.   Legarda lauded the exemplary efforts of the featured LGUs and encouraged more cities and municipalities to do the same and pursue relevant programs on environmental protection and conservation, climate change, and disaster risk reduction in their communities.   “Ipinapakita natin na sa pag-plant ng mangroves, paggawa ng ecobricks from tingi-tingi at single-use plastic, hanggang sa pagbilang ng ating greenhouse gas emissions, hanggang energy efficiency, at sa lahat ng paraan, kung gusto ay kakayanin… Importante ang climate action dahil ‘yan ay nakakapagbigay ng buhay at pangkabuhayan,” said Legarda.   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.

MANILA, 03 August 2021 —  The 56th episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” will feature gender-responsive climate programs of local government units and organizations that topped this year’s “Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan Tungo sa Katatagan: A Climate and Disaster Resiliency Recognition Awards,” an initiative of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).   The episode, conceptualized and hosted by three-term former Senator, now Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 5 August 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/iamlorenlegarda.   Joining the first of the two-part episode are:   Undersecretary Analiza Teh from Department of Environment and Natural Resources Mayor Doris E. Maniquiz of Botolan, Zambales – “Women Leadership, Trailblazers of Environmental Sustainability” (First prize winner) Mr. Eduardo M. Bisquera Jr. from the Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources of Zamboanga City – “Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction (GHG): Zamboanga City Initiatives for Climate Change Mitigation” (Second prize winner) Mayor Maria Clarita G. Limbaro of Bayabas, Surigao del Sur – Sagip-Wakatan Program: Kwentong KLIMA-likasan ng Bayabas, Surigao del Sur (Third prize winner)   “Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan Tungo sa Katatagan” featured stories and narratives of women and men, and organizations, addressing the impacts of climate change in their communities through gender-responsive programs related to environmental protection and conservation, climate change, and disaster risk reduction.   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. 

MAYNILA, ika-03 ng Agosto taong 2021 — Sa ika-55 na episode ng “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Pathways”, ibinida ng mga panauhin ang kanilang housing at architectural structures na nagpapakita ng konseptong regenerative architecture at Earthen shelters na sadyang disaster- at climate-resilient.   Itinampok sa online na talakayan, na hango sa konsepto at pangunguna ng dating three-term Senator, at ngayo’y Deputy Speaker at Antique Representative Loren Legarda kasama bilang co-host si Atty. Ipat Luna ang mga nature advocate at innovator na sina Architect Ronnie Yumang, ASEAN architect at environmental planner; at si Beau Baconguis, Earth builder at permaculturist. Sumali rin sa nasabing talakayan si Rhea Matute, Executive Director ng Department of Trade and Industry - Design Center of the Philippines.   “Ano’ng klaseng bahay ba ang bagay sa Pilipinas? Dapat iakma natin. Dito pumapasok ang disaster risk reduction. Mayroon tayong mga risks na hindi natin maiiwasan dahil na rin sa kalikasan. Maaaring bawasan natin ang ating risk o ang pagkakataon na tayo’y masalanta. ‘Yun ang DRR. Component n’yan, vulnerability. Dahil ang Pilipinas ay madalas tamaan ng bagyo, palakas nang palakas, patindi nang patindi dahil sa pagbabago ng klima, ay vulnerable tayo o madaling matamaan, pati na rin ng drought o ‘yung matinding tagtuyot. Apektado diyan ang pagkain, agrikultura, at fisheries. Proteksyon natin sa lahat ng elementong ‘yan ang ating tahanan,” pagbibigay-diin ni Deputy Speaker Legarda.   Ibinahagi ni Architect Ronnie Yumang, na siyang developer ng MAKA Forest Villas and Residences, kung paano nga ba ang regenerative architecture systems, isang sistema kung saan tuwirang nakikipag-ugnayan ang tao sa kaniyang kapaligiran higit pa sa ordinaryong saving at sustainability.   "Maski na mapuno pa natin ang mundo ng sustainable certified buildings, makatutulong ba itong mapabuti ang kalagayan ng kalusugan ng ating daigdig? Hindi lamang ito ang magiging solusyon, kinakailangan nating sumulong patungo sa isang regenerative solution. Kinakailangan nating simulang maibalik ang kasaganaang dating taglay ng daigdig. Ibig sabihin nito, kinakailangan ay punan natin ‘yung mga nawala instead na nagse-save lamang tayo, na ibalik kung ano ‘yung mga dating abundance na mayroon ang Earth,” pahayag ni Architect Yumang.   “Buong mundo, kumu-konsumo ng 10 billion tons ng semento at 50 billion tons ng buhangin kada taon. Nakakabahalang malaman na ang mga yamang ito ay nauubos at ‘di na natin maibabalik pa sa susunod na  200 milyong taon. Nauubusan na nga tayo ng buhangin sa kasalukuyan. Hindi ito pang-habang panahon, hindi ito unlimited. If we continue to overconsume, mauubos ito at sa pagdating ng panahon ay magmamahal ang presyo nito,” dagdag pa ni Architect Yumang.   Samantala, ipinakita naman ni Beau Baconguis ang mga dome, vault, at cylinder houses na maaaring makatagal at makaligtas sa mga climate hazards at magsilbing emergency shelters. Ipinakilala niya ang SuperAdobe pati na ang earthbag method sa paggawa nito. Ito’y isang building method na gumagamit ng basic elements ng lupa, tubig, hangin, at apoy – lupa, mga sako ng bigas at iba pang mga basic materials sa structures.   “Kinakailangan nating maintindihan ang mga building principles upang hindi natin mai-compromise ang structural integrity lalo’t higit kung ito'y tirahan ng tao. Kinakailangan nating dagdagan ang advocacy para sa Earth Architecture. Mayroong iba't ibang mga uri ng Earth Architecture methods na ginagamit dito sa Pilipinas at kinakailangan nating magkaroon ng mga network para lahat tayo ay maaaring magkaroon ng pag-uusap na magkasama,” giit ni Baconguis.   Bilang isang online na talakayan upang maisulong ang kalusugan at kamalayang pang-kapaligiran, naglalayon ang Stories for a Better Normal na baguhin ang kaisipan ng bawat Pilipino at pamayanan sa mga hamon ng climate change at ng pandemya, tungo sa buhay na maka-kalikasan at sustainable sa ilalim ng ‘better normal’.   Na-organisa ang online na talakayang ito mula sa pagtutulungan ng tanggapan ni Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda at ng Climate Change Commission na binigyang-suporta naman ng Department of Education, Philippine Information Agency, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, The Climate Reality Project-Philippines at Mother Earth Foundation.