Belmonte vows to strengthen sustainability initiatives

MANILA, Philippines — Following her inclusion in the inaugural list of Forbes Sustainability Leaders, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte yesterday vowed to continue implementing programs to protect the environment.

“We are extremely honored to be part of this inaugural list. This further solidifies our commitment to combating climate change and its negative impact on the environment and our QCitizens,” Belmonte said.

The recognition underscored the city’s efforts to combat climate change and its effects on people and the environment, according to the mayor.

“It will also inspire our local government to continue discovering and implementing vital solutions that contribute to a healthier planet for current and future generations. We have to act fast and decisively on this problem,’ she said.

Belmonte was the only Filipino in the business magazine’s list of 50 people who are leading global efforts to combat the climate crisis.

The inaugural Forbes Sustainability Leaders recognizes “superstar entrepreneurs, scientists, funders, policymakers and activists who are leading the charge to combat the climate crisis with real, tangible impact.”

It included leaders coming from various industries and disciplines who demonstrate “exceptional ambition, innovation and recent, tangible impact that are both scalable and sustainable.”

Forbes lauded Belmonte’s leadership in pushing for the declaration of climate emergency in 2019. The publication said this allowed the city to allocate more budget for climate initiatives.

Among the programs that the mayor implemented included the expansion of the city’s bike path network, the rollout of the free bus service and installation of solar panels in public buildings.

The city under Belmonte also banned plastic bags and single-use utensils, introduced the “trash-to-cashback” program and established refilling stations for liquid detergent and other common household products.

Green awards

In a related development, the Quezon City government is extending the deadline for the submission of entries for the QC Green Awards to Sept. 30.

The QC Green Awards recognizes and incentivizes barangays, Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), youth-based organizations and businesses that implement outstanding programs and initiatives on disaster risk reduction and climate action.

The city will expand the awards this year to include hospitals and public and private schools.

Winning barangays, businesses, hospitals and schools will receive P300,000, while SK and youth-based organizations will receive P100,000 to support their ongoing and upcoming climate action and disaster risk reduction projects.