YOUNG people are expected to join in a peaceful protest at the Rizal Park in Tacloban City on Friday afternoon, September 20, following the "Global Week of Climate Action" all over the Philippines.
The non-violent protest, which will simultaneously happen in 28 key areas around the country between September 20 to 27, is in solidarity with the Global Climate Strikes, a youth-led movement inspired by teen climate activist Greta Thunberg.
"Our silence and inaction towards this Climate Crisis means risking our future," said Ronan Renz Napoto, lead convener of Youth Strike for Climate Philippines Tacloban.
"This is a crisis, climate crisis, and we have to acknowledge it and do something about it. We need clear and concrete policies from our government leaders that will act on the urgency of this," he added.
In Tacloban, the youth will tackle the science of climate change, climate justice, and the role of youth in climate action from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Rizal Plaza.
The group will also demand a "declaration of Climate Emergency" from the City Government of Tacloban.
"Other than a climate emergency declaration, among the demands of Youth Strike for Climate Tacloban City are to strengthen our Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CCAM-DRRM) policies and enact legislation on CCAM-DRRM research and development," Napoto said in a statement.
"The Philippines, in general, are third most disaster-prone county given we are at the Pacific Ring of fire and the Tropical Cyclone Belt. Hence, there is a need for continued research on CCAM-DRRM to support the implementation of existing laws to ensure that it is effective and efficient and for the reference of future laws," he added.
According to Napoto, their movement also demands the "safeguarding of the rights of indigenous people and environmental defenders amidst the climate crisis, the immediate phase-out of coal and other fossil fuels and a just transition to 100 percent renewable energy that secures the livelihoods of all workers." (SunStar Philippines)