TACLOBAN CITY– Environmental groups in the Philippines on Friday (Sept.15) joined the historic marches against fossil fuel projects that are planned across the world.

Ian Rivera, coordinator of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), said the success of a fast and fair fossil fuel phaseout “primarily lies with the leaders of developed countries with huge historical responsibility for the climate crisis.”

“Wealthy countries must deliver their full fair share of climate actions, including meeting their climate finance obligations so that developing countries, the least responsible but suffering the brunt of the climate crisis, can rapidly shift to efficient, safe, renewable energy,” he said.

Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of Asian People’s Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD), said that they are ramping up their efforts to convince world leaders to initiate actions to phase out the use of fossil fuel.

“We are escalating this fight in the face of the swiftly intensifying climate crisis and consequent impacts while governments continue to have low ambition and in fact are backtracking from their already weak commitments,” she said.

Nacpil’s group, along with more than 3,800 organizations around the globe, kicked off the Asia-wide protests that drew millions of people.

They have targeted 650 mobilizations and protest actions in 60 countries.

On September 15 alone, more than 20,000 people trooped to the streets in 10 Asian countries, including the Philippines, “to demand a rapid, just and equitable end to fossil fuels.”

On September 17th, climate activities staged the “March to End Fossil Fuels” in New York to demand President Joe Biden “take bold climate action by rejecting new fossil fuel projects, phasing out fossil fuel production, and declaring a climate emergency.”

On September 18, a 10,000-strong climate march took place in Tokyo, Japan organized by trade unions, environmental groups, and anti-nukes campaigners.

“With so many deceptive excuses, governments are expanding rather than phasing out gas and oil. Unproven unreliable solutions like carbon capture and removal technologies, hydrogen, and ammonia co-firing are being promoted to extend the life of coal energy,” said Nacpil.

“We are not just fighting for the communities living around fossil fuel infrastructures. The health and well-being of humanity and the planet is at stake. We are saying end fossil fuels fast, fair, forever because the fight against the fossil fuel industry needs to have equity and justice at the heart of it or it won’t succeed,” she added.

Environmental groups around the world demand that countries will rebuild their economies as post-carbon economies by 2050. (RONALD O.REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY– Various civil society groups have urged lawmakers, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator, and government leaders in Asia to support a “just, equitable, progressive, reform of the international tax architecture” through the upcoming UN Tax Convention.

“The massive profits that large corporations and wealthy individuals have gained through the exploitation of tax systems in the Philippines and around the world should be handed back to workers, farmers, women, youth, and other basic sectors through progressive taxes like wealth taxes and the repeal of regressive, anti-people taxes like value-added taxes (VAT) that only raise the prices of basic goods and services,” said Fara Diva Gamalo, Eastern Visayas coordinator of Sanlakas, on Tuesday(Sept.19).

Civil society network Asian Peoples’ Movement for Debt and Development (APMDD), together with multisectoral group Sanlakas, women’s group Oriang, ALMA-QC, and Kilusan para sa Kabuhayan, Kalusugan, Kalikasan, at Katiyakan sa Paninirahan – QC (K4K-QC), organized the “Open Letter handover” in the country “to assert that the billions in revenue lost directly translates to a lack of funds to secure peoples’ rights to public services at a time when prices of basic goods and services are constantly rising.”

The open letter, signed by over 40 grassroots organizations across Asia and entitled “UN Tax Convention Now: A Call for Urgent Tax Justice,” calls on governments in Asia to back demands from peoples’ movements and tax justice advocates from around the world.
According to the groups, the “Open Letter handover” was part of the Asia Days of Action for Tax Justice, a week of civil society actions calling for justice in national and international tax systems under Tax and Fiscal Justice Network Asia (TAFJA), an Asia-wide network of grassroots organizations campaigning for tax justice.

The groups’ advocacy campaign, which runs from September 18-22, coincides with the opening of the 78th Session of the General Debate of the UN General Assembly, where member states will discuss the options moving forward for a UN Tax Convention as laid out by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his 2023 Tax Report.

Citing a 2023 report by the international tax justice advocacy group Tax Justice Network, the Philippine-based civil society groups said that the government’s revenue losses total a staggering $ 480 billion annually due to tax abuses, particularly from multinational corporations and wealthy individuals. (RONALD O. REYES)

‘Dayaw Awards’ 2023

TACLOBAN CITY – The provincial government of Northern Samar has recognized local government units that have exemplary performance in the implementation of the ecological solid waste management.
The Environmental ‘Dayaw Awards’ 2023 is a program of the provincial government giving recognition to local government units that are properly executing solid waste management programs.
Solid waste management is one of the climate change mitigation efforts by reducing plastic waste consumption and enhancing segregation at source in the barangay and municipal level which will help protect and conserve the environment as well as create self-sufficient and climate change-resilient communities.
Dayaw Award is a collaboration of the provincial government together with the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO), and the League of Environment and Natural Resources Officers.
Governor Edwin Ongchuan was thankful to the leadership of the 24 LGUs in the province and to all municipal environment and natural resources officers (MENRO) for ensuring that the solid waste management programs are properly implemented in their respective areas and in the province.
Under the replicable and regenerative residual waste processing categories, awardees are the local government units of Gamay, Laoang, Palapag, San Antonio, and Victoria.
For the responsive composting facility, the awardees were the municipalities of Palapag, Catarman, San Roque, Laoang, and Victoria.
For the productive materials recovery facility, the awardees were the towns of San Roque, Bobon, Victoria, Allen, Laoang, and Catarman.
For the most improved municipality in ecological solid waste management, the towns of Gamay, Catarman, San Roque, Allen, Laoang, and San Antonio got the citation.
The environmental stewardship awards are given to all 24 LGUs under the province.
Special award was also given to individuals recognizing their contribution and work in the implementation of solid waste management program.
These awardees were Sixto Ano of Palapag as best composting facility manager; Jesus Acebuche, the MENRO of Laoang for the leadership award for best performing MENRO, and posthumous environment service award were given to Maria Luz Doroga-Molato of Catarman, and Nancy Amaro-Evaristo of San Jose. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)