Capitol Chronicle volume 25 issue 1 June-August 2013 | Page 16

n E W S v o l u m e 2 5 • i s s u e N o . 0 1 c a p i t o l c h r o n i c l e 16 Climate Change Commission holds 3rd Greeneration Summit in CU A By Laarni Joyce S. Quiñones and Andrea Rosselle I. Caneos fter its accomplished climate change summits in Luzon and in the Vizayas, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) has extended its campaign towards a greener Philippines by initiating a similar activity in Mindanao through the recently concluded 3rd Greeneration Summit held at the Capitol University Gymnatorium last August 2, 2013. The said gathering which was aimed for the empowerment of the youth on climate change was participated in by 800 youth leaders from various Mindanao-based schools. Led by the CCC, the Greeneration Philippines is a unified movement of Filipino youth empowering them not only to combat the impacts of climate change along with other environmental challenges, but also to rally for climate change actions. Two Capitolians namely Karen Mae S. Angus and Louis Clapano hosted the event together with Ms Pebbles Sanchez, Project head of the Greeneration summit and an advocate of youth empowerment and governance of climate change from the CCC. The program formally started with an Invocation and the singing of the National Anthem by the Lourdes College Children’s Choir followed by the opening remarks of Mayor Oscar “Oca” Moreno who stat- ed that “…Certainly, many things are taking place now,, flood control problems, poor drainage system, infrastructure programs, kailangan magtulungan. Climate change is not just an issue of today but of future generations as well …Tabang-tabang ta!” President Aquino through a read message also urged the youth participants to become transformative voices in this movement, to conserve our resources and establish more effective eco-friendly societies. He said in his message through Sec. Sering that “Climate change is a growing global concern that requires mechanisms to expand public awareness and create actionable activities.” Understanding climate change and its Impacts The Commission then showed educational presentations which were divided into three sessions. The first session featured Hon. Lucille L. Sering, the Secretary of the Climate Change Commission who started her talk with making sense on how Typhoon Sendong last December 2011 has greatly affected the environment and the lives of Kagayanons. One of the remarkable lines that she said was “Sendong shall never be used to name a child; it should only be used to remember for our country to be saved,”. She was emphasizing empowering the youth towards a greener nation. “You are the generation. The ‘YOUth’ can make a difference,” She stressed. For a Greener Nation. (L-R) Mayor Alfredo Coro of Del Carmen, Siargao, Sec. Lucille P. Sering of the CCC, Mayor Pie Alvarez of San Vicente Palawan, and Ms. Anna Oposa of Save the Philippine Seas strike a pose after their talks about climate change related topics during the 3rd Mindanao Greeneration Summit last August 2, 2013 at the Capitol University Gym. Youth-led climate change initiative The next speaker, Ms. Anna Rosario Remulla Oposa, the co-founder of the Save Philippine Seas Movement and the country’s chief mermaid discussed the importance of marine conservation in protecting the environment. “We have turned our sea into a big trash can” she said. She encouraged the youth to be good ‘seatizens’ because if they will all take care of the ocean, in return it will take care of them too. Based on her experiences as a diver and an eco-lover ???????)?????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????)????????????????d????????????q%???)????????????????????????????????????t)????????????)??????????????????????5??????????????? ??????M??????%?????)M?????????9???($?5??????????5????? ???%$)?????? ??????M??????%???????)??????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????)Q???????????????????????????????L??????????????????5??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????%???????????????????????)????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????)?????????????5??????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????? ????????)??????5????????????!??????????????)???????????a????????????d???q ?????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????1??????)???????? ?????????????????????t?!?)????????)%?e???????A???????M???Y??????)?$?Q????????????????M???Y??????)A??????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??? ??????????????????????????????????Q??????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)????????9??????????????????)????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????Q??????????((0