Gov’t urged to prioritize protection of Filipinos vs climate change

MANILA, Philippines — Community campaign Depensa! called on the government Thursday to prioritize the protection of Filipinos against climate change.

Nueva Ecija, a place highly vulnerable to typhoons, became Depensa!’s second destination after its Surigao stint to promote support for the protection of the poor sector from climate change impacts.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Erin Tañada who filed a bill that sought to establish a People’s Survival Fund (PSF), joined forces with over 200 students, local government officials, and farmer and women-leaders from various advocacy groups during the event started by international non-profit organization Oxfam and the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (iCSC).

Tañada shared that the PSF seeks to support action plans of local government units and communities in defending marginalized people from the effects of climate change.

Oxfam’s climate campaigner Marie Nuñez said that the impacts of climate change to the country would intensify through time, and poor families vulnerable were most vulnerable to the effects.

Climate coordinator for iCSC Ignacio Sayajon III lent his support in protecting the poor sector’s source of income.

Using Nueva Ecija as an example, Oxfam stated that production of crops like rice were threatened by possible typhoons.

Shubert Ciencia of Rice Watch Action Network (R1) said that what Nueva Ecija could do is to “shift to crops that are more resilient to climate change and create small water impounding systems (SWIPs)” to counter possible drought.

Rebecca Miranda of Women Leaders Coalition in Nueva Ecija said that women not only faced vector and water-borne diseases brought about by typhoons, but also carried the “main burden of taking care of their families, their traditional gender role even as they continue to earn a living.” –Karen Boncocan, INQUIRER.net