The House Committee on Disaster Resilience adopted recently a resolution declaring a disaster and climate emergency.
House Resolution No. 535, authored by Representative Joey Sarte Salceda (2nd District, Albay), expresses the will of the House that the country has been suffering from a disaster and climate emergency which now compels a whole-of-government, whole-of-society, and whole-of-nation policy response to anticipate, address, adapt to its impacts and causes.
“Recognizing the climate emergency would be the necessary first of many steps to secure broader international climate justice and local resilience.”
During the meeting, Salceda said recognizing the climate emergency would be the necessary first of many steps to secure broader international climate justice and local resilience.
“Declaring a disaster and climate emergency will allow the Philippines to leverage its position as a potent labor source for new industrialization.”
The veteran legislator also noted that declaring a disaster and climate emergency will allow the Philippines to leverage its position as an emerging market and as a potent labor source for new industrialization to pursue an official foreign policy of international climate justice.
Committee Chair Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez (4th District, Leyte) said the past month has been “a reminder that natural disasters will inflict damage on the country in their own terms.”
Torres-Gomez said the country must therefore be better prepared for future disasters.