Why do I care?
This question echoed among participants in a climate change forum held at the Senate of the Philippines, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City recently.
Themed Summit of Conscience for the Climate, the event gathered participants from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), Climate Change Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Ateneo de Manila, state colleges and universities, and non-government organizations (NGOs).
Leaders and representatives across sectors, including churches of various religious organizations, also attended the event. Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, gave an inspirational message.
The event aimed to spur global conscience, rooted on personal commitments, to bring about real and lasting solution to climate change.
To raise consciousness and change Filipinos’ perspectives on the issue of climate change, being the greatest human challenge of the era, the summit launched the “Why do I care?” campaign.
The question drew the sharing of personal insights and stories from selected speakers from the NGOs, academe, media, arts and culture, religious organizations, and political leaders.
Governor Dennis Habawel of Ifugao Province and Marlon Martin of the Save the Terraces Movement, received the Ifugao Knowledge, a Citation for Resilience award from Dr. Jerry Velasquez of the United Nations during the event. This was followed by the Hudhud chants, which are traditional rice planting songs of the Ifugaos.
The event also included a showing of the video The Road to Paris starts from Manila as a prelude to the signing of a Call to Conscience for the Climate and winded up with the viewing of the photo exhibit, 60 Solutions against Climate Change.