Youth leaders from all over the country have presented to the government a set of actionable recommendations on mitigating climate change during the recent edition of the Sulong Pilipinas forum that tackled exclusively the deepening ecological crisis.

During the e-conference with the youths dubbed “Sulong Pilipinas 2021: Climate Change and the New Normal,” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III recognized them as comprising the most significant stakeholders on the issue of climate change, as they make up the generation that will inherit the world and its future.

He said their fresh perspective and deep understanding of the climate crisis put them in a significant position to discuss ways on how to address this issue and mitigate its impact on people and habitats, said Dominguez.

“As bearers of the future, the youth—who will have to live through 2030 and beyond—have the greatest stake in overcoming this crisis. It is therefore very important that you understand this issue and take the lead in reversing this destructive course,” Dominguez said.

Deputy Speaker and Representative of the lone district of Antique Loren Legarda also encouraged the youth to refrain from going back to the old normal, which led us to this pandemic.

“We have the opportunity to define and commit to a new norm—a better normal—where we do not sacrifice our environment, where we embrace sustainability and mindful consumption, where we and the future generations can truly be safe, thrive, prosper, where we have a resilient, sustainable, green, and healthy environment,” Legarda said.

The following are the top actionable recommendations that the participants had presented to the government during the latest Sulong forum:

1. To promote sustainable agriculture, especially among the youth and in the domestic economy, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other national government agencies (NGAs) should support small-scale agribusiness through extension programs, training, financing and upskilling;

2. To reduce the use of single-use plastics, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and local government units (LGUs) should impose guidelines on alternative sustainable options, such as giving consumers the option to remove plastic packaging in favor of paper-based packaging, and avoiding the use of plastic bubble wrap for non-breakable products;

3. To achieve a circular economy, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and DTI along with the private sector should implement proper solid waste management and promote recycling facilities that will be available and accessible to businesses by 2022 onwards;

4. To help our country become climate- and disaster-resilient, the Departments of Finance (DOF) and of Budget and Management (DBM), Climate Change Commission (CCC) and DTI should implement policies that will encourage green financing, promote green bonds, and look for and tap whatever international aid is available by 2021 onwards;

5. To encourage the Filipino people to invest in Energy Security, the Department of Energy (DOE), DENR and DOF should conduct an awareness campaign to inform people about Energy Security and how to invest properly in things that are needed by 2025;

6. To encourage research and development (R&D) focused on climate change, the DENR, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and higher education institutions (HEIs) should set aside funds for conducting strong and efficient programs (e.g., nationwide competitions) and revisit the existing R&D agenda of higher education institutions by 2022

7. To promote sustainable tourism and help protect, preserve and conserve our natural resources, the Department of Tourism (DOT) should collaborate with the private sector to implement necessary policies (e.g., land use plans and zoning) and provide funding to train local communities by 2025;

8. To promote sustainable transport, the government through the Departments of Transportation (DOTr) and of Science and Technology (DOST) and other relevant agencies should facilitate and promote programs and policy reforms to reduce carbon emissions through public transport modernization, promotion of active transport, redistribution of public spaces, and the use of alternative energy for transport;

9. To reduce household waste and implement sanitary landfills, the LGUs, in cooperation with the DENR, should increase training on alternative waste processing techniques (vermicomposting, arts and crafts from otherwise waste materials, community gardens) and encourage sustainability; and

10. To promote the conservation of our remaining forests, the DENR and NCIP should conduct documentation of the various Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP) of indigenous peoples (IPs) on forest resource management and integrate the best practices in relevant national to local programs and policies.

The e-conference, hosted by the DOF last June 15 and attended by 588 youth leaders from 136 organizations, schools, colleges, and universities all over the Philippines, also featured presentations from the DOF, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), DENR, DOST, DOE, DA, DOT, DOTr and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

Recognizing that addressing climate change should be anchored on the whole-of-nation approach, the DOF also invited representatives from the private sector to share their experiences as they moved towards environment-friendly and sustainable practices.

The resource speakers included representatives from the National Resilience Council (NRC), The Coca-Cola Company Philippines, Nestle Philippines Inc. (Nestlé), Xchange and the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF).

Finance Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Paola Alvarez, who received the recommendations on behalf of the Duterte administration’s economic team, noted the importance of youth participation in governance.

“Sulong is a platform through which we in Government keep ourselves in check and hold ourselves accountable to our citizens for our actions and efforts toward building a better future,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez also urged the youth participants to support the government’s push for new legislation and policy reforms aimed at addressing climate change, such as the measure banning single-use plastics.

This proposed ban on single-use plastics is an important component of effective solid waste management and climate crisis action, she said.

In 2019 and 2020, the Duterte administration also conducted two Sulong Pilipinas workshops with the youth sector focusing, respectively, on financial inclusion and economic recovery.

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