MANILA, 15 February 2021 — Indigenous weaving advocates will gather virtually to promote appreciation of traditional and ecosystem-based livelihoods and share information on ways to enhance the resilience of rural livelihoods to the pandemic and climate crisis on the 35th episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways,” with the topic “Protect Indigenous Weaving!” This is the first of the four-part episode which focuses on supporting resilient livelihoods.   The episode, hosted by three-term former Senator, now Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 18 February 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/iamlorenlegarda.   Joining the online conversation are Virginia Doligas, general manager of Easter Weaving Room Inc.; Anya Lim, co-founder of ANTHILL Fabric Gallery; and Atty. Emerson Cuyo, director of Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPO) to discuss how to preserve and protect our local weaving patterns against counterfeit and giving indigenous peoples (IPs) a voice through intellectual property rights.   In previous episodes, the online series tackled the role of the traditional weaving and crafts industry in providing environmentally-sustainable and viable livelihood options to communities, while preserving cultural heritage and local craftspersonship.   For this episode, Legarda and esteemed guests will call on the families, local governments and the general public to support and protect the country’s traditional and indigenous weaving industry.   Legarda filed House Resolution No. 1549 urging the Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the issue of counterfeit garments appropriating weave patterns from the Cordillera coming into the local markets from abroad to further strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights and cultural heritage of our IPs and communities.   Legarda also filed House Bill 7811 or “An Act Safeguarding the Traditional Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples”, which aims to create a comprehensive cultural archive that will organize an inventory of all cultural properties of the different ethnolinguistic groups of the Philippines. The said Bill also mandates the payment of royalties for the use of the cultural property of the IPs.   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 Mother Earth Foundation.

Photo from pexels.com. MANILA, 13 February 2021 — Sixty one bills in the House of Representatives seeking to phase-out or regulate single-use plastics were tackled in a technical working group chaired by Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Benitez under the House of Representatives Committee on Ecology last Thursday, February 11. According to Rep. Benitez, "This legislation is a critical, concrete step towards a circular economy. There are products that we can immediately ban. But for products that are not easily replaceable, we must give manufacturers time to produce alternatives and diversify." He emphasized the need to consult all stakeholders from the sectors that will be affected, in view of the wide range of products to be covered by the bills such as plastic straws for drinks, plastic coffee stirrers, plastic bags of thickness below 50 microns, plastic cups and cutlery, containers of polystyrene, balloons and candy sticks, buntings, and confetti. Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, as co-author, also expressed strong support for the immediate passage of the legislative measure regulating and prohibiting single-use plastics. “We have seen with our own eyes and we have known for some time that single-use plastics have a negative impact on the environment. This is even more problematic in our flood-prone areas, where plastic wastes clog our sewerage systems. The issue isn’t just that plastic bags take forever to disintegrate, it is the massive number of plastics Filipinos use and quickly throw away. These plastics are choking the life out of our oceans and forests and polluting our communities,” Legarda said. Legarda, a three-term Senator and representative of the Lone District of Antique, said that the complete eradication of single-use plastics, a term commonly referring to disposable plastic items that are thrown after one-time use, must be supported as an environmentally-conscious solution to the plastic crisis. Among the principal authors of various House bills that seek to regulate the use of plastics are House Speaker Lord Allan Jay Velasco, Deputy Speakers  Legarda and Rufus Rodriguez, Representatives Bernadette Herrera-Dy, Bienvenido Abante Jr., Lorenz Defensor, Ria Christian Fariñas, Rudys Caesar Fariñas Farinas I, Kristine Alexie Tutor, Manuel Cabochan III,  Lawrence Fortun, Geraldine Roman, Robert Ace Barbers, Rozzano Rufino Biazon, Greg Gasataya, Luis Raymond Villafuerte Jr., Estrellita Suansing, Horacio Suansing Jr., Jumel Anthony Espino,  Precious Castelo, Joy Myra Tambunting, Angelo Marcos Barba, Jose Teves Jr., Florencio Noel, Rodrigo Abellanosa, Eric Yap, Paolo Z. Duterte, Josefina Tallado, Ramon Guico III, Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado, Alberto Pacquiao, Francisco Jose Matugas II, John Marvin Nieto, Aleta Suarez, Anna Marie Villaraza-Suarez, Frederick Siao, and Mark Go. As the principal author of Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law of 2000, Legarda suggested that instead of "disposable" plastics, ready alternatives can be in the form of reusable ecobags, bamboo or wood utensils, or glass-based containers in homes. She added that companies must change their economic mindset, wasteful production processes and packaging methods, from the use of seemingly cost-effective plastics into investing in reusable and recyclable products which are more sustainable in the long run. The Climate Change Commission (CCC), led by its Chairperson-designate Department of Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, supports the nationwide ban on single-use plastics as a vital component of a low-carbon economy and to advance sustainability, promote biodiversity, ensure food security, and curb pollution. The climate body stressed that the passage of a legislative measure on this subject matter will further push policymakers to proactively review the implementation of existing environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act (Republic Act or RA No. 8749), Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003), Clean Water Act (RA 9275), and the Climate Change Act (9729) to ensure a more holistic, sustainable, and inclusive recovery of our communities and the environment.

The People’s Survival Fund Monitoring and Evaluation System (PSF MES) is one of the initiatives of the Climate Change Commission to ensure transparency and accountability on available climate financing. Photo from the presentation of CCC Asec. Romell Antonio Cuenca. MANILA, 11 February 2021 — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) joined the other stakeholders in highlighting the key findings on local climate adaptation finance tracking and sharing of perspectives and recommendations on how to improve the tracking initiative in the Philippines in a recent roundtable discussion organized by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC). The virtual roundtable discussion was held in line with the launch of the “Climate Finance Adaptation Study Report: Philippines” of the ICSC which  was the result of the climate adaptation finance tracking research conducted to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of multilateral and bilateral donors’ reporting of climate finance. Participants include representatives from the government, civil society organizations, and development partners. Resource persons include Hon. Edgar M. Chatto, Chairperson of the Committee on Climate Change of the House of Representatives; Asec. Paola Sherina Alvarez of the Department of Finance; Mr. Angelo Kairos Dela Cruz, Deputy Executive Director of ICSC; and Asec. Romell Antonio O. Cuenca, Deputy Executive Director of CCC. Asec. Cuenca said that the results of the study are very important and highly relevant in implementing existing or new policies and strategies on climate finance. While the study indicated that climate finance donors tend to report higher amounts spent on adaptation activities than what is in fact the case on the ground, the concerns should be more of whether the support was sufficient to sustain initiatives to reduce vulnerabilities to climate change, and whether the desired outcomes were achieved given the over-reported figures versus the actual objectives attained, according to Asec. Cuenca “Climate finance governance requires accountability and transparency, among others. While the country is rich in natural resources, we are in the midst of a climate crisis made more complicated by a pandemic. Therefore, every peso lost or wasted may translate into lives lost in case of a disaster we are not prepared for, or great damage, for instance, in agriculture from an unforeseen hazard,” said Asec. Cuenca. In terms of accountability and transparency in climate finance, the CCC pursues the following strategies: PSF Monitoring and Evaluation System (MES) – The ongoing development of the PSF MES provides public access to information on the utilization of the Fund, and up-to-date progress of PSF projects implemented on the ground; National Integrated Climate Change Database and Information Exchange System (NICCDIES) – This is an integrated climate information portal for consolidation and monitoring of data and information on climate change and climate actions from various public and private sources to enable decision-makers to utilize these data for policymaking, development planning, and investment decision-making; National Climate Change Expenditure Tagging (CCET) – In coordination with the Commission on Audit and Department of Budget and Management, the CCC formulates audit guidelines to ensure transparency and accountability on the use of tagged budget; and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) – As the country finalizes its first NDC, the CCC recognizes the need to further strengthen the climate finance governance as the development assistance would accelerate based on the conditional submission. Asec. Cuenca said that the country should ensure to accommodate not only foreign-assisted projects, but also to implement these in accordance with the set outcomes. “Climate finance is crucial but very limited. Given our limitations on financial resources, especially now that we are likewise dealing with the impacts brought about by the pandemic, we need to make sure that we are using the limited resources we have on hand to bring about positive impacts with its consequential ripple effects, and that we are targeting the most vulnerable parts of the population in a sustainable way,” Asec. Cuenca concluded.

MANILA, 9 February 2021 — Practitioners and advocates of sustainability will gather virtually to promote sustainability in agriculture, food, and lifestyle, and to show love for the common home this Valentines’ on the 34th episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” with the topic, “In Love with Sustainability.”   The episode, hosted by three-term former Senator and House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 11 February 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/iamlorenlegarda.   Joining the online conversation are advocates including Chit Juan, Founder of ECHOfarms and ECHOstore; Chef Jam Melchor, Head of Slow Food Youth Network Philippines; and Anna Manalastas, certified and registered yoga teacher, to share their practices and promote sustainable living.   In previous episodes, the online series tackled various sustainability practices that promote environmental stewardship, putting a spotlight on the link between climate change and environmental issues and the consumerist culture.   For this episode, Legarda and guests will call on the millennials, families, and the general public to nurture a loving relationship not only with loved ones, but also with nature.   The celebration of Valentines’ is also an occasion to show love for the Earth and put hearts to fight climate change by making sustainable choices on food, clothing, and mobility, among many others.   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 Mother Earth Foundation.

MAYNILA, Ika-9 ng Pebrero 2021—Virtual na magtitipon-tipon ang ilang mga eksperto sa pagsusulong at pagsasabuhay ng sustainable living upang maipakita ang kanilang sari-sariling paraan ng pagmamahal sa mga usaping pang-agrikultura, pagkain at pamumuhay ngayong Valentines’ day, ika-34 na episode ng "Stories for the Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways" na may temang "Sustenableng Pagmamahal ang Makabagong Pag-Ibig, ngayong Panahon ng Pandemya". Sa pangunguna ni dating Senadora at ngayo’y  Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, mapapanood ang kabanatang ito ngayong Huwebes ika-11 ng Pebrero 2021, 10:00 AM sa Facebook Live  Kasama sa nasabing online na talakayan ang mga eksperto na sina Chit Juan, Founder ng ECHOfarms at ECHOstore; Chef Jam Melchor, Head ng Slow Food Youth Network Philippines; at si Anna Manalastas na isang certified yoga teacher. Matatandaang sa nakaraang mga episode, pinag-usapan ang iba’t ibang sustenableng mga kasanayang nakapagtataguyod ng pangangalagang pang-kapaligiran, na nagbibigay-diin sa ugnayan ng climate change at environmental issues kasama na rito ang consumerist culture. Samantala, para naman sa episode na ito, hihikayatin ni Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda at ng kaniyang mga panauhin ang lahat lalung-lalo na ang mga millennial Pinoys upang pangalagaan at itaguyod ang isang mapagmahal na ugnayan ‘di lamang sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay, kundi pati na rin sa kalikasan. Sapagkat ang pagdiriwang natin ng Valentines’ day ay isa ring okasyon para magpakita tayo ng pagmamahal sa kalikasan at pag-ibig sa kinagisnan at nag-iisa nating mundo at ituon ang ating mga pusong puno ng paninindigang labanan ang climate change sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaroon natin ng sustenableng pagpili at pagpapasya tulad na lamang sa pagkain at pananamit, at maging sa pagkilos sa gitna ng maraming iba pang mga bagay. Bilang isang online na talakayan upang maisulong ang kalusugan, kamalayang pang-kapaligiran, climate-adaptive, ang "Stories for a Better Normal" ay naglalayong baguhin ang kaisipan ng mga tao, mga pamilya, at mga pamayanan sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakita ng mga pamamaraan  kung saan maaaring magkaroon tayo at maisasabuhay natin ang isang ‘better normal’ sa loob ng ating mga pamayanan. Na-organisa ang online na talakayang ito mula sa pagtutulungan ng tanggapan ni Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda at ng Climate Change Commission (CCC) na binigyang-suporta naman ng Institute for Climate at Sustainable Cities, The Climate Reality Project-Philippines at ng Mother Earth Foundation.

Illustrative aspirational direction of the Philippine Nationally Determined Contribution shows that the country’s business-as-usual emissions trajectory shall shift downward and peak by 2030 toward net-zero by 2050. Photo from the presentation of CCC Secretary Emmanuel M. de Guzman during the House Committee on Climate Change meeting. MANILA, 5 February 2021 — The Philippines is pushing for high ambition in reducing carbon emissions as part of its goal to adapt to the impacts of the climate crisis and keep global warming to the 1.5 degrees Celsius survival threshold. Secretary of Finance Carlos G. Dominguez III, Chairperson-designate of the Climate Change Commission (CCC), had earlier called for "bolder collective action" against the climate crisis from the Philippines’ as a country highly vulnerable to climate and disaster risks, during a recent multistakeholder consultation on the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), a greenhouse gas emission reduction commitment from all countries party to the Paris Agreement. “The NDC is the central element of the Paris Agreement. Forged among 196 countries in 2015, this accord is the last great hope to turn back the scourge of global warming," said Dominguez. "We have higher stakes in this global effort than many other nations. I want us to be a world leader in making a difference in this battle against the climate crisis. Committing to reduce our carbon footprint is a matter of survival for our future generations,” he added. In a presentation during the House Committee on Climate Change meeting yesterday chaired by Bohol 1st District Representative Edgar Chatto for House Resolution No. 1494, CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Emmanuel De Guzman presented the enhanced NDC draft. “A consensus among lead government agencies and key stakeholders on the NDC ambition has emerged from the continuing consultations: 75 percent greenhouse gas reduction and avoidance by 2030. This NDC ambition is higher than our Intended Nationally Determined Contribution or INDC of 2015. It has been advanced by the lead sectoral agencies of government, Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Transportation (DOTr), and the Department of Energy (DOE), as well as the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for the process of economic modeling,” said De Guzman.  The House Resolution, authored by Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, urged the CCC to submit the Philippines' NDC with the highest possible climate ambition to reflect the government’s strong commitment to contribute to global efforts to advance climate justice. According to the CCC, majority of the commitments are conditional or contingent on the support provided by the developed countries pursuant to the Paris Agreement such as finance, technology transfer, and capacity building, in the context of climate justice. Unlike the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution submitted in 2015, the Philippine NDC includes 2.71% unconditional emissions reductions through climate actions to be implemented mainly through domestic resources and subject to verification by the international community. “This high ambition of minus 75% means that our business-as-usual emissions trajectory shall shift downward and aspire to peak by 2030 toward net-zero by 2050, consistent with the 1.5 degrees goal and the advice of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC for global emissions to decline deeply and drastically by 45% this decade,” De Guzman added. Along with the lead sectoral agencies, the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Foreign Affairs, Office of Civil Defense, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development welcomed the enhanced and more ambitious commitment under the NDC. Aside from the national government, the CCC also gathered support from civil society organizations that have provided support throughout the NDC process. Red Constantino, Executive Director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, emphasized that the Philippines must demand accountability from historically responsible countries to the climate crisis through our NDC. “Climate justice is our foreign policy, as our Department of Foreign Affairs has said. We must demand climate finance compliance from rich countries. Tayo po dapat ang naniningil, hindi sila,” he said. Khevin Yu of Greenpeace Philippines expressed support to the updated draft and that more unconditional targets from other sectors be reflected in the NDC. “We need more unconditional targets and this needs to be reflected in the policy and measures of the government agencies. We thank the leadership of the Climate Change Commission and the Department of Finance in this process and urge them to include the inputs of civil society, youth, women, farmers, fisherfolks, workers, LGBTQ, PWD and other sectors for a strong NDC submission aligned with the Paris’ 1.5 degrees global target,” he emphasized. Dr. Mydah Kabingue, Chairperson of the College of Arts and Sciences of the Cebu Technological University, conveyed the need to incorporate scientific research, findings, and developments from the academic community. “Our initiatives and ambition as members of the academe must also be communicated in our NDC. By doing this, we are also giving support to the faculty members and students who are already doing their share on climate action. In light of the growing challenges and threats because of this global climate crisis, we need to constantly innovate, research, develop the right tools and technologies, and rally behind science to achieve our goals for our society, people, and the world,” she stressed. Keith Sigfred Ancheta of The Climate Reality Project Philippines expressed support to the updated NDC and sought the continuous inclusion of the youth in the NDC process. “We, the youth, are also ready to work alongside the government to help achieve the targets and implement the policies and measures in our NDC. And we also hope to be continuously included in policy and decision-making alongside other marginalized sectors such as the farmers, fisherfolk, IPs, and others to ensure an inclusive consultative process. We are hoping for the continued involvement of youth in the NDC process. The UNFCCC recognizes the vital role of the youth from policymaking to implementation of adaptation and mitigation plans and projects. After all, it is our future at stake,” he said. Over the next two weeks, the CCC shall continue to engage the sectoral stakeholders for the final draft of the NDC and its submission to Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, and to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, before transmittal to the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat. “Your Honors, 75 percent remains a horizon, and it is up to all of us to build a path to that horizon. The task at hand is to stretch the bounds of what is workable, mindful of the avenues for compromise toward a purposeful consensus for the sake of our nation’s and our planet’s future,” De Guzman concluded.

February 3, 2021 PRESS RELEASE REF: PAOLA ALVAREZ Assistant Secretary Email: [email protected]     Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has called for "bolder collective action" in realizing the Philippines’ global commitment to reduce its carbon footprint, starting with the ambitious goal of banning single-use plastics, as it is among the countries most vulnerable to the adverse impact of the climate crisis.   Dominguez, who is the chairperson-designate of the Climate Change Commission (CCC), said the Philippines should “aim high” and strive to be a world leader in making a difference in the battle against the climate crisis by crafting a set of science-based, well-studied Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as part of its long-term commitment under the 2015 Paris Agreement.   “In a word, we have higher stakes in this global effort than many other nations. I want us to be a world leader in making a difference in this battle against the climate crisis3 I want us to pave the way in this area through our ambition,” said Dominguez at Wednesday's opening of the second multi-stakeholder consultative meeting on the Philippines’ NDC.   “This is precisely the reason why we need to take a bolder collective action in crafting our first NDC. It is better to be late and to have ambitious and well-thought out contributions, rather than poorly constructed ones submitted on time, without a general consensus behind it,” he added.   NDCs embody the efforts by signatories to the Paris Agreement to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.    In 2017, the Philippines ratified the Paris Agreement, which outlines a global framework on climate change mitigation, adaptation and finance.   The second multi-stakeholder meeting on the NDC was led and organized by the CCC.   Dominguez noted that this second meeting, held Feb. 3, aims to correct the lack of effort in the past to craft the country’s NDC and build the broadest consensus among stakeholders behind it.   Over 300 participants attended the virtual meeting held via Zoom.   The participants included representatives from the government, business sector, academe, civil society, non-profit organizations, workers’ associations and unions, youth groups, local government units (LGUs), industry associations and the Philippines’ development partners.   During the meeting, Dominguez reiterated the support of the CCC and the Department of Finance (DOF) to the enactment of a law banning the use of single-use plastics, which he described as “a crucial component of effective solid waste management and climate crisis action.”   “Once passed, every Filipino, by not consuming plastics, is contributing to help save our environment,” he said.   Disposable, single-use plastics, apart from polluting oceans and waterways, also leave a large carbon footprint, from the time their raw materials are refined to make the finished products and until after they are disposed of.   Citing a study showing the Philippines as the world’s third biggest plastics polluter in the oceans, Dominguez said “a strong mandate to reduce single-use plastics appears to be an obvious element in our NDC."   He said the results of this study done by the Ocean Conservancy Charity and the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment on the Philippines’ plastics use “is an embarrassment.”   “This is irresponsible. We need to move to curb single-use plastic products for our own sake and to conserve the sustainability of our oceans,” Dominguez said.   Dominguez pointed out that there is no merit in the argument that the country should contribute less to the global effort of reducing greenhouse gas emissions because of  its small carbon footprint.   “We are a nation of over a hundred million people with a median age of 25. As our economy resumes its rapid expansion, our carbon footprint will grow with it. Committing to reduce our carbon footprint is a matter of survival for our future generations,” Dominguez said.   He said the NDC, which will represent the national program for reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, requires both political will and public support, as well as lifestyle changes, tighter regulations and economic costs for everyone.    “On the matter of defining our first NDC, ambitiousness is a virtue. Let us aim high, make our nation proud, and accept our responsibilities for saving the planet,” Dominguez said.   “Without political will and public support, the program will likely be met with resistance. I, therefore, call on everyone to set our differences aside and cooperate on this effort,” Dominguez said.   He called on the participants to the second multi-stakeholder meeting to have the foresight and courage to redefine the country’s development along the lines of sustainability.   “There will be pain in making the adjustments. But it is the life of the planet that is at stake here,” Dominguez said.   Dominguez also underscored the need for the NDC to be crafted with science as its guide, as “the climate crisis is much too important to be distracted by geopolitics.”   “All the elements of our contribution must be feasible and should lead to a better economy for our people,” he said.   “I trust that the participants in this meeting will work the hardest and imagine creatively," he added. "The outcome of this consultation will be our nation’s manifesto to the world, a statement that a determined, clear-sighted, and committed people can do much to roll back the deterioration of the only planet we have."     -oOo-

 

MANILA, 1 February 2021 — Model communities and organizations implementing proper waste segregation practices toward ecological solid waste management and sustainability will be featured in the 33rd episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” with the topic, “Basura Ko, Responsibilidad Ko.” The episode, hosted by three-term former Senator, House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 4 February 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/conglorenlegarda. Joining the online conversation are representatives from the various sectors including Yza Nazal-Habunal, City Environment and Transportation Coordinator and Acting City Agriculturist of Navotas City; Anna Maria Gonzales, Sustainability and Planning Manager of Ayala Land Inc.; and Almira Muro of the E-waste Project of the University of the Philippines-Diliman to share their practices and promote proper segregation of waste at home, in establishments, and in the community. In previous episodes, the online series tackled different topics promoting ecological solid waste management and eco-friendly programs, reduction in the use of plastics, circular economy and minimizing wastes, and sustainable consumption and production as part of the country’s post-pandemic recovery. For this episode, Legarda and esteemed guests will call on Filipino households, businesses, and local government units to properly implement RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act in their respective communities in support of the government’s thrust of building a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive society during and beyond the 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 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 Mother Earth Foundation.

 

We welcome the announcement by US President Joe Biden that the US is rejoining the Paris Agreement on climate change. This is a welcome development that comes on the heels of President Rodrigo Duterte’s repeated call on all nations to act on the climate crisis with urgency as one united community under the Paris Agreement. Now, more than ever, we need to ensure the mobilization of finance flows towards the adaptation needs of our most vulnerable communities. We need such action to be faster and on a greater scale. And we need it to bring about effective solutions on the ground across the globe. More efforts should also be focused on ensuring the mobilization of the USD 100-billion annual funding target enshrined in the Paris Agreement for the adaptation and mitigation needs of developing countries. To ensure climate justice, developed countries must deliver on their commitments under the Paris Agreement, including support to developing economies leading to low-carbon and sustainable development. The COVID-19 pandemic is a stark reminder that health, economic stability, and nature are intertwined. It has shown to us the domino effect that is triggered when one element in this interconnected system is overturned. The resolute and urgent response to the pandemic demonstrated the remarkable capacity of human society to put the emergency brake on the “business-as-usual” mindset. It showed that we can act as one and radically change our ways and our systems to fight the scourge of a deadly virus for the greater good of all. The same unity, resolve, and sense of urgency should be applied in combating the climate emergency and pursuing low-carbon and sustainable development. See original post here: STATEMENT OF FINANCE SEC. CARLOS DOMINGUEZ III - Department of Finance (dof.gov.ph)  

Photo from the PowerPoint presentation of Deputy Speaker Legarda during the Second Regular Session of the 18th Congress. MANILA, 26 January 2021 — Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda strongly urged her fellow lawmakers in the Congress to protect and revive ecosystems in the country by pushing for laws to ban single-use plastics and manage segregation of waste, and aligning government programs to support nature-based solutions to address the climate crisis. In a privilege speech before the House plenary, Legarda lamented the worsening effects of climate change and economic shocks from the pandemic which set back the country in achieving goals on sustainable and resilient development. “Our planet has been sick for more than a century and a half, which started when we began to burn fossil fuels that released harmful greenhouse gas emissions. This altered our climate and brought about extreme weather events, increasing temperatures, and rising seas. But this planet we call home is not beyond saving,” Legarda stressed. In observance of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, Legarda, a United Nations global climate champion, urged for rapid action from her fellow lawmakers to combat planetary threats and take this decade as an opportunity to deflect the catastrophic effects of climate change. “This decade is our last chance. I want this august chamber to express its full support to this global movement and join the global call for all nations and citizens across the world to protect and revive ecosystems for the sake of our environment, our Earth, and our future,” Legarda added. Legarda lauded the move of US President Joe Biden to rejoin the Paris Agreement, which according to Legarda, will certainly boost the pace and progress on global climate action and give more depth to ongoing climate discussions, such as the Global Commission on Adaptation’s Climate Adaptation Summit that conveys the need to accelerate and scale up climate efforts at the global and local levels. On plastic pollution, the three-term senator and now Deputy Speaker highlighted the importance of proper waste segregation and research on alternatives to prevent more single-use plastics from causing threats to public health, the environment, and marine life and biodiversity. Plastic products also worsen global warming and climate change due to the amount of fossil fuels used in the production and transportation. Legarda earlier filed a bill that would regulate the importation, sale and use of single-use plastics, in addition to several bills pending in both chambers that ban and mandate an extended producer’s responsibility. “We used and discarded about 164 million pieces of sachets in 2019. All the more that we should ensure that we have the mechanisms in place for the proper segregation and disposal of waste. All the more that we need to research and find alternatives to these single-use plastics that harm our environment and health,” Legarda stressed. Following the massive devastation from three successive typhoons (Quinta, Rolly, and Ulysses), Legarda renewed the call for more support for nature-based solutions, interventions, and policies to protect the ecosystems and resources back to their pristine state, including the Sierra Madre mountains, which act as a natural buffer from the rains and winds of these typhoons. With the successive battering and the environmental degradation, these ecosystems lost the ability to protect and safeguard the communities who depended on it, according to Legarda. “We still find ourselves at a juncture where global carbon emissions continue to rise, which spells greater danger for a country like ours that strives to do its best to address our risks as a highly climate vulnerable country,” said Legarda In response to this, Legarda will file a resolution urging all departments to assess every expenditure based on how much it will help restore ecosystems. “I am calling on all agencies of government, if you have not aligned your budgets towards ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions to the climate emergency, you are failing in your obligation.  If your structure and mandate is preventing you from complying with what is needed to face a climate emergency, let us work to change it,“ Legarda noted. She also urged her fellow lawmakers and local government units to perform the oversight and scale up climate financing by leveraging domestic budget to effectively implement and deliver the national climate change agenda, and pave the way for a broad, strong financing strategy. “In a crisis, do not throw your money away on hauling and tipping fees, or on the infrastructure that will be next to useless in 2030 if we fail in our task.  Social development that lessens our vulnerability to the coming threats, infrastructure that serves the people and not vehicles, and urban planning that creates green open spaces will make us withstand not just pandemics, but also climate-induced severe weather events.” Legarda added. Legarda also challenged the public, particularly the homemakers and millennials, to start climate action in their homes by reducing waste and practicing sustainability. “You can look at any land, backyard, waterway, or sidewalk and work on that.  Create soil from your own biodegradable wastes, take your protective and restorative claim on one square meter, then make it two, and continue hectare upon hectare until we have restored a thriving and living planet,” Legarda suggested. She also called on software developers to collaborate to launch an app that targets to identify and restore the health of ecosystems, similar to the UN Portal. “After ten years, I hope I will no longer have to plead with anybody and will only have to congratulate ourselves for a job well done.  We have to hand over a planet that lives and thrives under our loving care,” Legarda said. Echoing and sharing the advocacies of Legarda, Rep. Edgar M. Chatto, Chair of the House Committee on Climate Change and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Elago expressed their support and commitment in addressing and responding to the challenges of plastic pollution and climate crisis. “The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 may have been around for two decades already, yet, we still contribute to the seemingly insurmountable problem of managing solid waste. Our climate crisis too, continues to worsen. I hope that following the House of Representatives’ declaration of climate and environmental emergency, we will be able to cascade down environmental laws from the national government to the local government units, and be able to better manage our municipal solid wastes starting from the grassroots. Then perhaps, soon, we can truly celebrate Zero Waste Month every month of January. For the remainder of its month, in celebration of Zero Waste Month, I hope everyone will be reminded of the need to be mindful of the waste they create,” said Chatto. “We must commit to raise our voices to inspire active and meaningful participation from all sectors of society. We must dedicate raising our voices, to add to the voices of the marginalized and vulnerable peoples, and leave no one behind. For all these reasons, I dare say, challenge accepted. It is imperative to persist through these challenges, through raising our voices amid the pandemic and climate crisis. I strongly believe that we can build back better.  We must put people and planet first,” said Elago.

MANILA, 26 January 2021 — Labor officials and career experts will gather virtually to discuss job opportunities, including green skills training programs, in public and private sectors in times of pandemic on the 32nd episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” with the topic, “Jobs Fair: May Trabaho Ka!.”   The episode, hosted by Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 28 January 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/conglorenlegarda.   Joining the online conversation are Secretary Silvestre H. Bello of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); David Bungallon, Executive Director of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) National Institute for Technical Education and Skills Development (NITESD); Michael Edione Gayona of the TESDA Green Technology Center; and Maria Lourdes Ann “LA” Cruz, Global Human Resources Leader, to discuss job opportunities, share tips for jobseekers, and promote skills training courses that cater to the needs of a green economy.   In previous episodes, the online series tackled food gardening and saving seeds, permaculture, good nutrition and diet, planting native trees, practical sustainability, narrating risk to resilience stories through books, tree pest and disease management, reviving indigenous textiles and crafts, transforming waste into wages, championing sustainable urban mobility, food waste reduction and management, transforming food supply chain, responsible gardening, uniting against single-use plastic, and green innovations and technologies.   For this episode, Legarda and esteemed guests will share information on job opportunities, green skills, and key job competencies during this pandemic.   Due to lockdowns and stringent measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, about 4.5 million Filipinos lost their sources of income and the unemployment rate jumped to 10.4 percent in 2020. As the economy opens gradually, the government is hopeful that the labor market will recover more resiliently.   According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 24 million new jobs would be created globally by 2030 if countries shift to a greener economy. Transitioning to a green economy spurs new innovative activities that create more jobs than traditional sectors.  In the long run, green jobs are not only beneficial on employment, but also on the economy and the environment. Green jobs help protect ecosystems and biodiversity; reduce energy, materials and water consumption; and minimize or avoid the generation of waste, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.   This episode will encourage the jobseekers and the Filipino youth to build careers especially in environmental sustainability and climate action.

Comparison of global warming trend from six different datasets. Photo from Berkeley Earth. MANILA, 23 January 2021 — Only greater and ambitious climate commitments from nations across the globe could halt the increasing trend of greenhouse gas emissions as 2020 was officially dubbed as one of the three warmest years on record, according to the consolidated datasets from various international climate monitoring centers. Despite the reduced economic activity across the globe due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the prevalence of the La Niña phenomenon expected to last until April of this year, climate change continues to accelerate with remarkable speed. The warmest six years have all been since 2015, with 2016, 2019 and 2020 as the top three, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The WMO uses different datasets that combine meteorological and marine observations to produce a complete analysis of the atmosphere. All of these projections show that the average global temperature has continued to accelerate this past year. Scientists from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) also revealed that globally, 2020 was tied with the previous warmest year 2016. Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere continue to rise at a rate of approximately 2.3 particles per million (ppm) a year in 2020, reaching a maximum of 413 ppm during May 2020. The Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) preliminary analysis also ranked 2020 as the warmest year. The annual anomaly of the global average surface temperature in 2020, including the average of the near-surface air temperature over land and sea surface temperature, was +0.47°C above the 1981-2010 average or +0.83°C above the 20th century average. On a longer time scale, global average surface temperatures have risen at a rate of about 0.75°C per century. Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Merged Land Ocean Global Surface Temperature Analysis (NOAAGlobalTemp) names 2020 as the second-hottest year on record for the planet, as the average land and ocean surface temperature across the globe in 2020 was 0.98 of a degree Celsius above average — just 0.02 of a degree Celsius cooler than the 2016 record. Unlike NASA, NOAA uses a different baseline period (1901-2000) and methodology. The Met Office HadCRUT5 global temperature series shows that the average for 2020 as a whole was 1.28±0.08°C above pre-industrial levels, taken as the average over the period 1850-1900. This also concludes 2020 nominally the second warmest year in the dataset’s record. Lastly, the Berkeley Earth also concluded that 2020 was the second warmest year on Earth since 1850. The estimate of the global mean temperature in 2020 was slightly colder than 2016, but warmer than every other year that has been directly measured. The difference between 2020 and 2016 was also by 0.022 °C. The slight disagreement in the ranking reflects both the uncertainty in these estimations and the differences in how various research programs look at the Earth. Each uses a somewhat different selection of source data and different methods of interpolation and correcting for measurement errors. The small differences among these datasets are all within the margin of error for calculating the average global temperature, according to WMO. The temperature figures will be incorporated into the final WMO report on the State of the Climate in 2020 that will be issued in March 2021. It will also include information on all leading climate indicators and selected climate impacts, and updates on the provisional report issued in December 2020. The Paris Agreement seeks to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels while pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.  At 1.2 °C above the pre-industrial levels, the global average temperature in 2020 is already approaching the lower limit of temperature increase the Paris Agreement seeks to avert. There is at least a one in five chance of the average global temperature temporarily exceeding 1.5 °C by 2024, according to WMO. The Met Office annual global temperature forecast for 2021 suggests that this year will once again enter the series of the Earth’s hottest years, despite being influenced by the temporary cooling of La Niña, the effects of which are typically strongest in the second year of the event. Given these projections, the CCC warned that the Philippines would be severely impacted given our status as a developing and vulnerable country. These projections might mean more frequent and intense extreme weather disturbances like tropical cyclones which will impact our poorest communities. It can be remembered that in the last quarter of last year, the Philippines recorded almost ₱15 billion worth of damages in the agriculture sector due to three successive typhoons - Typhoons Quinta, Super Typhoon Rolly, and Typhoon Ulysses – which hit the island of Luzon in a span of a couple of weeks, affecting hundreds of thousands of farmers and fisherfolks. On infrastructure, almost ₱13 billion worth of damages were recorded by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for Typhoon Ulysses alone. The impacts of climate change are felt across all sectors globally. The CCC emphasized the need to strengthen public-private partnerships in promoting climate-resilient investments, and in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and mitigation.

MANILA, 20 January 2021 — The Climate Change Commission invites all to join the online international Climate Adaptation Summit (CAS 2021) this 25th and 26th of January which aims to accelerate, innovate, and scale-up the world’s efforts in adapting to the inevitable effects of climate change. The online summit, to be attended by global leaders who have committed to address the climate crisis, will help calibrate the accelerated action initiated by the Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA) and leverage further support for the global movement for adaptation. This will serve as a platform for governments, development partners, the scientific community, international organizations, youth groups, representatives of civil society, and financing institutions to deliver resources and inspire change to help societies build back better and act as a vanguard contribution to the transitions required for a climate-resilient world, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference will also reflect on the progress in tackling extreme weather- and climate-related hazards, demonstrate how successful approaches can be scaled up, and present a roadmap leading to COP26. Further, participating heads of states will launch a comprehensive Adaptation Action Agenda with clear commitments to deliver concrete new endeavors and partnerships. A range of anchor and side events with CAS 2021 Action Themes shall also be held from around the world during the summit. House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda will be a panelist for the anchor event on Locally-Led Adaptation. Moreover, the summit will have a significant focus on securing new investments to ensure that millions of smallholder farmers can adapt to the stresses brought by climate change on food production. The GCA has called for major new funding for agricultural research, expanded access to farmer advisory services, as well as expanded access to risk management and financial services. The GCA was launched in 2018 with the mandate to encourage the development of measures to manage the effects of climate change through technology, planning and investment. The Philippines is represented by Deputy Speaker Legarda as a commissioner. Know more about the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021 by visiting their website at https://www.cas2021.com/.

Kaingin site in Palawan. Kaingin means cutting and burning of trees and plant growth in an area for cultivation purposes. Photo from http://www.philchm.ph/deforestation/. MANILA, 19 January 2021 — “Ecosystems are the basis of all business, all livelihood, even health, wellness, and happiness. We ignore it to our peril and after having despoiled it, we need to restore it before we can go back to maintenance mode.  Every peso spent is either for destruction or restoration,” said House Deputy Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda. Legarda made the statement in support of the goals of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global call for the protection and revival of ecosystems around the world to enhance people’s livelihoods, counteract climate change, and stop biodiversity collapse. The UN Decade ends by 2030, which is the deadline of the Sustainable Development Goals and the year our scientists have declared as the closing of the window of opportunity to deflect the catastrophic effects of climate change. “For the past three decades, I have sounded the alarm that nature is in retreat, that we are in an existential crisis due to our increasingly warming planet, and that we need to radically change the way we measure progress and happiness. This decade is our last chance. Nature is finding it hard to catch up with our economic ambitions and societal behaviors,” Legarda said. “Why must we flatten limestone mountains and cement over our rich soil and verdant forests? Why must we take selfies with coffee drinks that use at least three single-use plastic products, as if it’s the cutest thing to do and which we will just eventually throw away, anyway? Why do we choose to burn fossil fuels already buried deep on the ground and not harness the potential of the limitless and renewable energy above ground?” Legarda added. Legarda said that she will be filing a resolution urging all departments to assess every expenditure based on how much it will help restore ecosystems. She also called on all agencies of government to align their budgets towards ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions to the climate emergency. Legarda also urged her fellow lawmakers to take the necessary measures of inquiry, oversight, and amendments in order for the government to address these threats with the authority and budgets needed. She also encouraged local government units to support social development that can withstand not just pandemics, but also climate-induced severe weather events. She also appealed to all homemakers of all genders and ages to lead climate action at home, as well as to millennials to venture into sustainable businesses and initiatives to help restore a living planet. “I hope after these ten years, I will no longer have to plead with anybody and will only have to congratulate ourselves for a job well done.  We have to hand over a planet that lives and thrives under our loving care,” Legarda concluded.

MANILA, 19 January 2021 — Young Filipino inventors, researchers, and entrepreneurs will gather virtually to demonstrate innovative technologies in renewable energy, ecological solid waste management, and climate change adaptation and mitigation on the 31st episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways” with the topic, “Young Innovators for a Sustainable Future.” The episode, hosted by House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 21 January 2021, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/conglorenlegarda. Joining the online conversation are young innovators including Jovie Gil Montajes,  Founder of Light of Hope PH and Climate Reality Leader; Engr. Reijiel Gonzalez, Founder of Waste Cleantech and WAYSTE App, and Climate Reality Leader; Marie Sapuay,  Developer of Trash Panda; Glenn Ongpin, Co-founder and CEO of Cloop; and Wilvie Añora, Co-founder and Strategy head of AtoAni Biopack to discuss and promote their climate-friendly innovations. In previous episodes, the online series tackled food gardening and saving seeds, permaculture, good nutrition and diet, planting native trees, practical sustainability, narrating risk to resilience stories through books, tree pest and disease management, reviving indigenous textiles and crafts, transforming waste into wages, championing sustainable urban mobility, food waste reduction and management, transforming food supply chain, and responsible gardening. For this episode, Legarda and esteemed guests will discuss the essential role of innovation, and green and sustainable technologies to address specific environmental and climate change-related issues. This episode will recognize the young Filipino innovators behind climate-friendly technologies and sustainable entrepreneurial ventures in the areas of renewable energy, and ecological solid waste management, among other climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. 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 Mother Earth Foundation.

The Climate Change Commission imposed a plastic ban in its office operations through Office Order No. 2020-010 entitled Office Waste Management System dated 24 January 2020. Disposable plastics, such as plastic straws, stirrers, utensils, food wrappers, grocery bags, instant food packaging, lids, drinking bottles and caps are prohibited within the CCC-CCO premises during the conduct of official meetings, conferences, and other activities.   MANILA, 15 January 2021 — During the 72nd Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) Inaugural Meeting 2021 and Induction of 2021 MAP Board of Governors, Finance Secretary and Chairperson-designate of the Climate Change Commission Carlos G. Dominguez said that the CCC will be pushing for a nationwide ban on single-use plastics.   “While we are pursuing more sustainable practices during this pandemic, why not push ourselves even further by addressing our perennial problem on plastic pollution? Plastic waste clogs our waterways resulting in massive flooding. It kills marine life and threatens biodiversity, as well as causes global warming from the burning of fossil fuels to produce and transport these plastics. This will create more problems in the future, entailing more public costs and resources from us, if we don’t address this problem now,” Dominguez explained.   For the CCC, single-use plastics such as sachets, thin shopping bags, and plastic "labo" bags, are a waste, public health, and climate change problem.   The report “Plastic Exposed: How Waste Assessments and Brand Audits (WABA) are Helping Philippines Cities Fight Plastic Pollution” by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) found that Filipinos use around 59.7 billion pieces of sachets yearly. The report also stated that Filipinos use 20.6 billion pieces of shopping bags and 16.5 pieces of "labo" bags a year, approximately eight million tons of which end up in the ocean, impacting ecosystems and killing millions of sea birds, sea mammals, and fish.   The climate body views plastic pollution as a serious climate-related concern, with the production and distribution of single-use plastics linked to fossil fuel extraction and transport, and contributing to the world’s increasing greenhouse gas levels. The improper and inadequate disposal and management of single-use plastics also pollutes the environment and disrupts ecosystems, resulting in significant biodiversity loss.   The World Economic Forum (WEF) has highlighted the need for governments to ensure that waste management systems are well supported to deal with current and future plastic waste, especially with the significant increase in plastic pollution from home deliveries and medical waste due to the COVID-19 pandemic.   Chairperson Dominguez also noted that many local government units have already issued ordinances to regulate or ban single-use plastics, and government agencies have adopted national policies to support this, such as the National Solid Waste Management Commission Resolution No. 1363 directing the ban on unnecessary single-use plastics in national and local government agencies and units, and the CCC Resolution on Adopting a Circular Economy.   The DOF and CCC fully support legislative measures for a phase out of single-use plastics and for extended producer’s responsibility that will cover large-scale collection, sorting, and recycling or reusing of plastics. In the Senate, proponents include Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change Chair Cynthia Villar; and Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Manny Pacquiao, Lito Lapid, Risa Hontiveros, and Francis Pangilinan; while in the House of Representatives, Speaker Lord Allan Jay Velasco, Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, and Committee on Ecology Chair Glona Labadlabad, have each filed their versions on banning single-use plastics and extended producer’s responsibility along with many other representatives, so that there are at least 38 bills pending.   Dominguez urged top corporations, many of which are producers and retailers of plastic-based products, to take the lead in the private sector for the anti-single use plastics initiative and not wait for incentives from the government.   “Corporations have the means and the responsibility to design a system where their products do not pollute our lands and seas and aggravate our problems on public health and climate change. They should not wait for any incentives from the government if it’s for the greater good and welfare of all Filipinos,” Dominguez concluded.

A 6-hectare open dumpsite in Brgy. Sahud-Ulan, Tanza, Cavite was closed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for violating RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. Photo from the Facebook Page of DENR.   MANILA, 15 January 2021 — Too much plastics now gravely spoiling the environment, and Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda is calling for a strict regulation of plastic production and a strict implementation of the government’s single-use of plastics policy. “There must be a more stringent regulation on the use of plastic bags to curb pollution and mitigate the harmful effects of marine litter,” she said in a press statement. Legarda said there is now an urgent need to address the effects of plastic production and wastes which have significantly contributed to pollution, especially carbon emissions, and in destruction of marine life.  At present, there are 38 House bills and resolutions and seven Senate bills which are all seeking to regulate the use of plastics.  Among these is the proposed Single-Use Plastics Regulation and Management Act of 2019 under House Bill No. 635 which Legarda has already filed to strictly regulate the production, importation, sale, and use of plastic bags. It seeks to phase out single-use plastics and encourages the use of native reusable bags made of organic or recycled materials, and reusable containers made of glass or non-toxic and non-hazardous materials. “We have relied so much on the oceans for our existence – for food, for livelihood, for energy, and for recreation,” she said. “However, our throwaway culture and rapid population growth along with unsustainable marine practices such as overfishing, waste dumping, oil spills, among others, have seriously damaged marine habitats and life in the sea over the years,” she added. Legarda said single-use plastics continue to be a waste management problem in the country. Despite the negative effects of plastics, the majority of Filipinos are still dependent on the "sachet economy," a form of single-use plastic. The affordability, convenience, and strong market presence of sachets makes them easy choices for low-income households. In 2019, 164 million pieces of sachets were used and discarded in the Philippines. The average national per capita sachet consumption is 1.64 per day, but this increases to 6 in highly urbanized areas. “But this should be addressed, managed and improved”, she said. “The Earth will not just heal on its own without any effort on our part to stop marine pollution. It is our primary responsibility to protect and preserve our environment. Let us push for the use of numerous alternatives to non-biodegradable plastic bags like our baskets, bayong, eco-bags, paper bags, cloth bags or katsa, bags made of recycled tetrapacks, and many others,” Legarda said. “We just have to be innovative and resourceful in finding substitute packaging materials or containers. While there is time, let us prevent our oceans from choking on plastics we humans only use once,” she added. She said plastic products have exceedingly long lifetimes, such as ordinary beverages plastic bottles, of up to 450 years. Other forms of plastic disintegrate under the action of weather, sun and waves into tiny particles called microplastics which are eaten by fish, and that makes it very dangerous to humans, she said. Approximately eight million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean, destroying marine ecosystems and negatively affecting the marine food chain. Plastics are also a climate-related concern as its production, refining, and manufacture is a source of greenhouse gas emissions as it uses fossil fuel in extraction and transport. Greenhouse gas emissions from the plastic lifecycle threaten the ability of the global community to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C. By 2050, the greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could reach over 56 gigatons, which is 10-13% of the entire remaining carbon budget. “The worsening issue of pollution further aggravated by natural hazards should serve as our wake-up call. The proposed bill also provides an ambitious yet comprehensive approach to solving our problem on single-use plastics, which involves actions from national and local governments, industries, business enterprises and consumers for the manufacturing, selling, use, recycling, and disposal of all single-use plastics in our country,” Legarda said. As of 2015, the solid waste diversion rate in Metro Manila is at 48 percent while outside Metro Manila the rate is at 46 percent. Legarda said the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law (RA 9003), of which she is the principal author, requires that at least 25 percent of all solid wastes from waste-disposal facilities are diverted or recovered through reuse, recycling, composting, and other resource-recovery activities. “Implementation of the law is key as we all try to strive for a zero-waste, plastic-free lifestyle. I hope for the support from the government and all sectors on this urgent policy,” she said.