Senator Juan Edgardo Angara has called on the Filipino youth to be “environment warriors” who can protect and save the planet from plunderers.
“Our youth should lead in taking concrete actions to save the environment, which is now on the verge of massive destruction because of unscrupulous people who wantonly, and with impunity, destroy and pollute our environment for their interests,” said Angara.
He said the youth can use the social media to propagate environment protection even as he urged other sectors to conduct continuous clean up drive to rid communities of pollutant waste materials.
“Why not make use of the social media since our young generation is very much into it? He said the youth should post information about protecting the environment and climate change.”
The elders who do not know how to use the social media, Angara said, can help clean the environment and can start not using pollutants.
“We should empower our people, especially the youth, with the knowledge on climate change,” he said.
“And they should use this knowledge in convincing the government, policymakers, legislators and nongovernment organizations to come up with measures that will address climate change and save and protect mother nature,” he further said
In 2015, Angara filed a resolution reaffirming the support of the Senate to the objectives and goals of Earth Hour and Earth Day, as well as encourages the Filipino people to observe and participate in the worldwide Earth Hour activity.
The senator has agreed with the network’s goal “to build a global citizenry fluent in the concepts of climate change and be aware of its unprecedented threat to our planet” and “to empower everyone with the knowledge to inspire action in defense of environmental protection.”
In the 16th Congress, as acting chairman of the Senate labor committee, Angara sponsored and championed in the Senate plenary the Green Jobs Act, which eventually enacted into law as Republic Act 10771, which granted incentives to companies generating “green jobs” or jobs.
Through the support of the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Leagues of Municipalities, Cities, and Provinces, the Metro Manila Development Authority, and other government partners, Earth Hour in the Philippines has always been a success with each year witnesses a growing multi-sectoral support system, proving that more and more Filipinos believe in the message of Earth Hour.
“Our support for Earth Hour and Earth Day should not waver. I call on the public to show once again to the world our solid support to the campaign against climate change. More importantly, we must go beyond one hour in showing our commitment to the planet by taking accountability for our ecological footprint and engaging in dialogue and resource exchange to provide real solutions to our environmental challenges,” Angara said.
He also said the public’s participation in the yearly pro-earth event is one way of showing that the Filipinos firmly stand with the rest of the world regarding issues facing the planet and climate change.
The Philippines has been participating in the annual Earth Hour since 2009, and has earned the title of “Earth Hour Hero Country” from 2009 to 2013 for topping participation records with over 15 million Filipinos joining the event.
“Earth Hour is more than just how much energy is saved when we switch off our lights for one hour. It is about inspiring people to unite and against the destruction of the environment and climate change,” Angara said.
Earth Hour is an annual global environmental event aimed at encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the last Saturday of March, as a symbol of their commitment to the planet.
He said this year’s Earth Hour switch-off event was held on March 25 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., with the celebration focusing on the youth’s role as future climate leaders.
The celebration comes in as President Duterte signed the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change.
The Liberal Party senator said the historic climate pact would cap greenhouse gas emissions, pursue the global development of renewable energy, and aid climate vulnerable countries to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.
So far, 133 countries of the 197 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change have ratified the Paris accord.