MANILA, Philippines — Now is the time for everyone to speak up against climate emergency and take urgent steps to prevent an environmental catastrophe.
Hundreds of members from multi-sectoral groups stressed this message as they gathered at the Quezon City Memorial Circle Friday, kicking off a day of worldwide protests calling for action against climate change.
“We have on us is a climate crisis. And we should act now. It’s not something that we should postpone,” Gia Ibay, Worldwide Fund for Nature-Philippines climate and energy program head, said.
Ibay added: “It’s important that we all come together for one voice, one new deal for nature and planet so all of us will be able to live sustainably in a world where all will be able to rely to each other and rely on nature for generations to come.”
Fr. Pete Montallano, head of the Stop Kaliwa Dam network, urged Filipinos to take the issue of climate emergency seriously.
“The Filipino people should wake up. Mamamatay na tayong lahat. Hindi na pwedeng kikimi kimi tayo dahil takot tayo. I’m calling all Filipinos na tumayo na tayo at ipagtanggol ang kalikasan.”
(The Filipino people should wake up. We are all dying. Not speaking up because we’re afraid should no longer be done. I’m calling all Filipinos to stand up and defend the environment.)
The demonstration was part of a worldwide movement ahead of United Nations summit on climate change in New York. World leaders will gather in United States’ financial capital to present their plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old environmentalist in Sweden, inspired the global climate strike.
Students from different schools all over the Philippines took part in the coordinated strike, calling on governments and big businesses to pay attention to climate change.
The global rallies will culminate in New York where over one million students are expected to skip schools for the event.
Experts say that global warning caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gases from fossil fuels has led to droughts, melting of glaciers, rising sea levels and floods.
Environmental organization Greenpeace Philippines said the Philippines is among the nations experiencing the worst impacts of climate change.