<\/p>\n
Environmental groups, scientists, and community advocates called for stronger government motion on climate change, biodiversity protection, and environmental governance ahead of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.\u2019s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), while expressing hope that greater public participation will help address the country\u2019s ecological challenges.<\/p>\n
On the \u201cPlundered, Not Poor: State of the Philippine Environment 2026\u201d forum held on Friday on the University of the Philippines Diliman, the speakers highlighted concerns over environmental degradation, extractive projects, and the protection of environmental defenders, while emphasizing the role of residents and communities in advancing sustainable development.<\/p>\n
Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC) executive director Mattie Balagat said environmental groups remain critical of the administration\u2019s performance on environmental issues.<\/p>\n
\u201c4 years into the Marcos Jr. administration, the decision of the environmental movement is definitive: it’s a failure. We see no real climate motion\u2014only the worsening commercialization of our patrimony, the masking of corporate destruction as \u2018green solutions,\u2019 and the violent silencing of our defenders,\u201d Mr. Balagat said.<\/p>\n
Living Laudato Si\u2019 Philippines executive director and national convener of Aksyon Klima Pilipinas Rodne R. Galicha said stronger implementation of environmental policies and science-based decision-making are needed to enhance climate resilience.<\/p>\n
\u201cCorruption in environmental governance has many faces. It isn’t only bribery or stolen public funds. It also happens when political influence overrides science, when environmental laws are selectively enforced, when public resources finance projects that weaken climate resilience, and when communities bear the environmental costs while a couple of enjoy the advantages,\u201d Mr. Galicha said.<\/p>\n
Speakers also raised concerns in regards to the effects of large-scale projects on biodiversity and native communities. Representatives from mining-affected and Indigenous communities called for greater protection of natural resources and ancestral lands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do hope and pray that if you happen to imagine that our forest is value protecting, if you happen to imagine our rivers need to remain clean, that farmers and fisherfolk deserve a future, and that our kids need to inherit a rustic wealthy in life, not only on a matter of resources, stand with us on this fight,\u201d said Zesirie G. Enggo of the Kasibu Inter-Tribal Response towards Ecological Development (KIRED).<\/p>\n
KATRIBU secretary general Funa-ay Claver said the shift to renewable energy must also uphold Indigenous Peoples\u2019 rights.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe transition to renewable energy isn’t \u2018just\u2019 if it follows the identical model of land grabbing, rights violations, and company plunder as seen in extractive projects. A really just transition is rooted in justice and respect for Indigenous Peoples\u2019 rights to ancestral land and self-determination,\u201d Ms. Claver said.<\/p>\n
The proposed Waste-to-Energy project in Smokey Mountain also drew criticism from environmental advocates, who called for greater investment in zero-waste initiatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe federal government must strictly implement RA 9003 and RA 8749 moderately than funding toxic and destructive incinerating false solutions. We demand immediate investment in community-based and humane Zero Waste systems that uplift our marginalized families as an alternative of displacing them. True environmental justice empowers communities to administer resources safely, moderately than burning our future to ashes,\u201d said Shey Levita of Plastic Free Pilipinas under the EcoWaste Coalition.<\/p>\n
The forum likewise highlighted the situation of land and environmental defenders. Emmanuel Acosta, convenor of the Defend Negros Network, called for accountability in cases involving human rights violations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe federal government\u2019s attempts to cover up the killings and other human rights violations against land and environmental defenders expose its deep complicity in silencing dissent. As Marcos Jr. prepares to tout gains in agriculture and counterinsurgency efforts in his upcoming SONA, the general public must do not forget that the food on our tables has too often been produced at the price of farmers\u2019 blood, spilled within the pursuit of justice,\u201d Mr. Acosta said.<\/p>\n
Closing the event, IBON Foundation executive director Jose Enrique \u201cSonny\u201d A. Africa stressed that development should profit each people and the environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cUpper middle-income status from growth that plunders our land, waters, and mountains to complement a couple of while making communities poorer isn\u2019t progress. Our hope for more democratic politics, sustainability, and real development lies within the people, not with the trapos and capitalists who cause the issue to start with,\u201d Mr. Africa said.<\/p>\n
Despite the concerns raised, participants expressed optimism that stronger public engagement, accountability, and cooperation amongst communities, scientists, and advocates will help advance environmental protection and sustainable development within the country. \u2014 Kaizzer Angela Marie V. Manuba<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Participants of the State of the Philippine Environment forum through the “Chikahan Para sa Kalikasan” discussion moderated by journalist Inday Espina-Varona.\u2014CHARLES PEREZ\/CCNCI Environmental groups, scientists, and community advocates called for stronger government motion on climate change, biodiversity protection, and environmental governance ahead of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.\u2019s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":365606,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[3964,1127,938,32632,8075,7835,12462,5491,16375],"class_list":["post-365605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-action","tag-ahead","tag-climate","tag-conservation","tag-environmental","tag-groups","tag-sona","tag-stronger","tag-urge"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t