Loren urges candidates to bare climate action plans

MANILA, Philippines — Plans for climate change adaptation and mitigation must be laid out, according to UniTeam senatorial candidate Loren Legarda, as she urged all candidates to make it part of their campaign thrusts this election.

As she led the country’s observance of 52nd Earth Day last Friday, the three-term senator and environmental champion cited the need for candidates in both national and local elections to come up with their plans on how to protect and preserve the environment.

“I urge all my fellow candidates, from the national level to the cities and municipalities, to present their environmental agenda to the voters. We can start by focusing on three things: Managing risks instead of managing disasters, protecting our ecosystems and improving rural livelihoods,” Legarda said.

“Our people need to know how we as public servants plan to invest in our planet in order to address the climate emergency we are in. I know that regardless of our parties and colors, we all agree that we need to save our planet – and I hope we all campaign just as hard for our climate and lead much-needed discussions on climate change,” she said.

Legarda emphasized the important role played by elected officials in addressing the climate crisis, especially on the level of the local government.

“Our people are looking for the climate agenda not just of national candidates, but of local ones. After all, local governments are frontliners in planning and implementing programs for climate resilience. LGUs see firsthand the impacts of the climate crisis, and they are often the first responders when the worst of the consequences come,” she said.

At the Earth Day celebration, Legarda led the “Pagyabong 2022: Enrichment Tree Planting Activity” of Philippine native tree species, organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau, the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity and the Climate Change Commission at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City.

This year’s theme of Earth Day, “Invest in Our Planet,” calls on everyone to act boldly, innovate broadly and implement equitably in order to preserve and protect our health, our families and our livelihoods.