Legarda: Protection of the Environment is a Gut Issue

MANILA, April 22, 2013-Senator Loren Legarda, a leading environmental advocate, today stressed that the protection of the environment is a gut issue.

“Environmental protection is a gut issue because environmental issues matter to our own survival. Despite increasing awareness about environmental protection and climate change over the past few years, the damage of irresponsible development models and large-scale environmental destruction has not yet been reversed,” she said.

"Hindi ito isyu na para lamang sa mga akademiko. Malapit ito sa bituka, at may epekto sa huli ng ating mga mangingisda, ani ng magsasaka, kabuhayan ng mga katutubo at kaligtasan ng mamamayan," she added.

The Senator noted that everybody is challenged anew to work together and act in ensuring that the environment is protected.

“We can do a lot for our environment. Geohazard mapping should be institutionalized and followed down to the grassroots. Funding should be provided in the GAA and in the budgets of LGUs for relocation or for housing, most especially for communities that are in danger. Climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction should become part of the DepEd curriculum and there should be mandatory training for LGUs and for frontline agencies,” the Senator added.

The Senator also encouraged Filipinos to adopt an environment-conscious lifestyle.

“We should clean and protect our rivers and lakes. We should push for community-based heritage tourism and ensure that climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction are issues that are understood up until the barangay level,” she said.

For the past three months, Senator Legarda has led the distribution of geohazard maps to LGUs. She has also conducted lectures to LGUs and state universities and colleges (SUCs). She has also called for the effective implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law.

The Senator was the principal author of the Climate Change Act (RA 9729) and co-author and sponsor of its amendatory law which provides for the creation of the People’s Survival Fund (RA 10174).

Legarda was chiefly responsible for the passage of landmark environmental legislations such as the Clean Air Act (RA 8749), Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003), Renewable Energy Act (RA 9513) and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act (RA 10121).