Legarda Encourages Fasting that is Environment-Friendly

MANILA, March 27, 2013-As the Holy Week approaches, Senator Loren Legarda encouraged Filipinos to "carbon fast"—a kind of fasting that is environment-friendly.

“Filipinos are encouraged to do fasting in many other ways. Aside from fasting from food, we are asked to fast from vices and activities that we can do without, as we focus and usher in a period of reflection and spiritual growth. One best way is to carbon fast,” said Legarda.

“No less than Pope Francis said that we are the stewards of God’s creation and we must protect all things He created including our environment. To carbon fast is to reduce our individual carbon emissions, which is a concrete action on climate change and will ultimately help in saving our ailing ecosystems. It would be best if we  practice a low-carbon lifestyle, even beyond the Lenten season,” said the Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change.

Legarda said that the Environmental Studies Institute of the Miriam College has given a simpler explanation of this way of life.  Low-carbon lifestyle is the conscious effort by individuals and communities to change their daily routine and practices to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and to create carbon dioxide sinks. The aggregate of these individual and community efforts will considerably mitigate climate change. 

“Learning how to manage our local resources will eventually lead to the sustainability of our country. Ultimately, the objective is to help the world manage its ecological assets more judiciously so that humanity can live within the Earth’s limitations,” the senator stressed.

Legarda outlined several ways to "carbon fast" —(1) opt for food that is local, plant-based, and in-season because food from distant places utilizes more energy for transportation and preservation, resulting to greater carbon emission; (2) venture into modes of transportation that are energy-efficient, such as walking, biking, taking public transport, and carpooling whenever possible; (3) economize on energy consumption and shift to indigenous and renewable energy sources, use low-wattage appliances, unplug electronics when not in use, and other similar practices; (4) practice solid waste management by segregating at the source, composting biodegradable wastes and recycling; (5) consume water wisely like gathering and storing rainwater for daily chores; and, (6) plant trees, create forest parks, protect natural forests and undertake reforestation.

Legarda Observes Century-Old Family Tradition during Holy Week

MANILA, March 27, 2013-Senator Loren Bautista Legarda continues to observe the century-old tradition of the Bautista family during the Holy Week and encouraged Filipinos to likewise practice the Lenten traditions they grew up with.

“The Lenten Season, especially the Holy Week, is a time for contemplation. We renew our relationship with God as we reflect on the sacrifices of Jesus Christ. There is no better way to do this than by engaging in Church activities and observing Filipino Holy Week traditions,” said Legarda.

The Senator said that her great grandparents, Gregorio Bautista and Agapita Torres-Bautista, started the Bautista annual pabasa in the early 1900s in their house along Avenida, Rizal in Manila. The chanting and singing of the Pasyon did not stop even during the worst times of the Japanese occupation.

“With the impending arrival of the Japanese during World War II, my grandparents hid two sacred images over which the Pabasa was sung. The images were cared for by a couple who used to live in the place where San Lazaro Hospital presently stands,” she narrated.

“The statues survived the war. Today, the two life-sized images of Christ - the Scourging at the Pillar and the Crowning With Thorns - are located in our ancestral home in Malabon. These statues came from Spain and are believed to be already 200 years old,” she added.

Legarda said that she, her brothers and cousins continue to observe the tradition with their aunties every Holy Wednesday and they intend to pass on the tradition to their children.

“Not only does our annual pabasa bring our family closer together, but it also gives me the perfect opportunity to share with Jesus Christ’s suffering. I hope all Filipinos, no matter how busy they are, would also find time to reflect on the sufferings of Christ and prioritize the observance of our religious traditions especially this Holy Week,” Legarda said.