Human Rights Online Philippines

Quezon City, Philippines—Groups marched to Mendiola despite the scorching sun to urge the Marcos administration to declare a national climate emergency in response to the worsening impacts of El Niño and climate change in the country.

The rally was led by the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ).  Organizations in the contingent included the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED), Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Sanlakas, Oriang, SPARK, and members of the agricultural sector.

Erwin Puhawan, Luzon Coordinator of PMCJ, called out the national government for its inaction despite losses reported across the country. “Nearly 100 municipalities have declared a state of calamity because of the El Niño, but the Marcos administration has not yet acknowledged this emergency on a national level. We need that declaration to be the basis of our disaster response.”

“We don’t need to wait to lose more crops and for more people to starve before we act,” he added.

Groups in areas suffering from the effects of El Niño and climate change also held demonstrations today. Zambales Lingap sa Kalikasan (ZALIKA) led the fluvial action in Zambales, where water quality and crop yields are greatly compromised by mining, on top of extreme weather events. Losses have affected the farmers and fisherfolk in the area, as it has in other parts of the country.

In Atimonan, Quezon, youth from the Kabataan para sa Kalikasan ng Atimonan (KAPAKANAN) distributed pamphlets and organized a rally raising awareness on climate change and the threat of fossil fuels. The youth have taken it upon themselves to protest the construction of a liquefied natural gas power plant in their municipality, as it will adversely affect the health of the community around the power plant while exacerbating climate change.

In the Bicol region, the provincial government units of Albay and Camarines Norte are also mobilizing towards 100% renewable energy. These efforts began as Albay declared climate emergency on the provincial level, while Camarines Norte declared it on the municipal (Labo) and barangay level (Cabusay).

“We are already in a climate emergency. This declaration is overdue even before we were struck by this El Niño,” said Ian Rivera, national coordinator of PMCJ. “Our national government needs to devise a comprehensive national disaster response, alongside a transition plan to 100% renewable energy. As a country vulnerable to climate change, we cannot afford to make it worse.”

The groups expect an official declaration from the Marcos administration as El Niño and its impacts continue to intensify this month.

FOR INQUIRIES

Raymond Ruedas (mediacommunications@climatejustice.ph) 09274382015