Leyte youth urges leaders to prioritize climate change agenda

TACLOBAN CITY, March 21 (PNA) -- Youth and student groups in Leyte urged global leaders and politicians to act on climate change.

“We call on the government and the leaders of this region to bring climate change to the heart of the regional agenda and to do it before it’s too late. What we do and what we do not do today about climate change has consequences to our generation and the next,” said Ma. Alma Andrea Culibar, youth chairperson of "Tingog Kabataan" in Eastern Visayas.

In celebration of this year's “Earth Day”, Culibar and her youth volunteer organization joined other student leaders in the province on Saturday for a solidarity message on climate change.

“Climate change is no longer a myth, it is an established fact. In Eastern Visayas, typhoon Yolanda is the unquestionable proof that climate change is real. It happened in our region, our town and our families. Climate change took away lives, properties, and the livelihood of our parents,” Culibar said, adding that “typhoon Yolanda, the unquestionable proof of climate change changed our lives forever.”

“More than two years ago, typhoon Yolanda turned our lives upside down. It was a sign that we were living in a dying world. And it was also a glimpse of a terrifying future...So how do we, the youth, involve ourselves against this massive global issue?” asked Raizsa Espina, student leader from the Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas campus during the forum.

Espina, also the president of the school’s student alliance, launched their social media campaign dubbed “Mission ASCEND” to bring their message into the global stage.

“Mission ASCEND will collect pledges from the youth of today on what their contribution will be in the world of tomorrow. These pledges will be featured on our website that will be launched today. The starting pledges will come from you. Our goal is to reach a million pledges by November 8, 2016,” she added in her speech.

According to Espina, the video pledges they would gather will be featured as part of the 2016 Yolanda memorial services.

Joining the youth and student groups during the event were Dr. Rey Garnace, campus director of Philippine Science High School in the region and other speakers from Manila.

“You have a voice, you have a power if you put together your voices. Tell the leaders you want action now,” said Shiela Castillo-Tiangco who spoke on climate reality project during the forum. (PNA)

JMC/SQM/RONALD O. REYES/EGR