Green summit to be held in Oro

WITH the aim of raising awareness on environmental issues, civil society group Sulog and the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro will be initiating the first-ever People's Environment Summit on January 10, 2018, at the Limketkai Atrium.

The environmental summit comes almost one month after parts of Cagayan de Oro was once again flooded due to Tropical Storm Vinta.

Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) chairman Orlando Ravanera said the summit aims to gather key people and organizations to help government gain fresh perspectives.

The summit will be open to the public and will especially welcome the participation of legislators to encourage them to support and craft laws that will guide people in mitigating the effects of environmental disasters.

"We will now come up with a concrete plan that will save Cagayan de Oro and its people. Hopefully our lawmakers both local and national could attend so we all can work together in achieving our goal, protect the people and save our environment," he said.

Ravanera disclosed the Task Force (TF) Kinaiyahan will publicize a report naming mining companies and logging corporations which he called are main contributors to the cyclical flooding experienced by the city.

TF Kinaiyahan, he said, was mandated by the Court of Appeals to protect the environment by the virtue of the Writ of Kalikasan. The writ is a remedy available to any persons or organizations whose constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology is violated, or threatened.

According to Ravanera, big mining companies operating illegally in the mountains are factors why flooding in Cagayan de Oro is now uncontrollable.

"I want them to be arrested and hold them accountable. I do not care if they threaten us," Ravanera said.

"We should wake up now and save our city," Ravanera added.