OeconoMedia

16/12/2024

A Filipino bishop appealed for aid for the displaced families after the eruption of Mount Kanlaon on Dec. 9, which forced more than 87,000 residents to evacuate their homes.

Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, one of the areas impacted by the disaster, called for solidarity and tangible assistance for those forced to flee.

04/12/2024

The state of civic freedoms in the Philippines remains “repressed,” according to the People Power Under Attack 2024 report released Wednesday by the CIVICUS Monitor.

The study highlighted worsening conditions for human rights defenders and activists in the country amid a regional trend of crackdowns and restrictive policies.

The CIVICUS Monitor, which evaluates civic space conditions in 198 countries and territories, underscored that the Philippines is among the nine Asia-Pacific nations rated as “repressed.”

Worsening conditions for human rights defenders and activists in the country amid a regional trend of crackdowns and restrictive policies

27/11/2024

The Catholic bishops of Palawan have called for a 25-year moratorium on mining in the island province, citing serious concerns over environmental degradation and the impact on local communities.

In a pastoral letter, Bishop Socrates Mesiona of Puerto Princesa, Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Taytay and his predecessor, retired Bishop Edgardo Juanich, urged an immediate halt to the expansion of mining activities in the nation’s “Last Ecological Frontier”.

“We are calling for a 25-year moratorium or suspension on the approval of any mining applications and mining expansions,” the bishops said.

“We are calling for a 25-year moratorium or suspension on the approval of any mining applications and mining expansions,” the bishops said.

26/11/2024

During a recent Congressional meeting about a bill that will hold polluters accountable and penalize climate denialism, a representative from the industry sector boldly proclaimed that climate change is not man-made. He then claimed that they are one with all Filipinos in dealing with the impacts of this crisis.

No one who is truly in touch with the plight of the most vulnerable would ever say these words.

The scientific basis of the climate crisis has already been globally acknowledged for years. Our country recently went through six storms in just one month, including four storms along the Western Pacific at the same time, which has never happened before.

To the leaders [and staff] of big businesses and industries, you are invited to take some time to actually speak with the communities

25/11/2024

“What’s next after COP29? Philippine CSOs on the outcomes of the Baku climate negotiations”

The 2024 UN climate summit (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan resulted in outcomes that do not bode well for global climate action. Negotiations on key issues such as just transition and finance did not result in agreements needed by the most vulnerable countries and communities to avoid the worst of climate change impacts and achieve sustainable development. These would affect the next 12 months of climate actions of the Philippines, whose government has also identified Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which includes carbon markets, as a priority.

In this media briefing, a multisectoral and multigenerational panel of civil society and community representatives from across the country will present their insights on the outcomes of COP29. They will also state their analyses of how these outcomes would affect the Philippines’ domestic climate roadmap for 2025, which would culminate in updating its commitment for reducing climate pollution, known as the NDC.

22/11/2024

Environmental advocates and fisherfolk organizations marked World Fisheries Day on Thursday by calling for urgent measures to protect marine biodiversity, just days before the conclusion of the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Dubai.

The groups highlighted the critical role of oceans in sustaining the Philippines, an archipelagic nation, and warned that fossil fuel developments are threatening marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

“The Philippines relies heavily on its fisheries sector for food and livelihood. With the increasing threats to our oceans, fisherfolk and coastal communities are also at risk,” said Gerry Arances, Executive Director of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED).

The advocates used the global climate summit as a platform to urge world leaders to prioritize vulnerable countries in the Global South

20/11/2024

Experts are sounding the alarm over a record-breaking typhoon season in the Western Pacific, linking the unprecedented activity to human-caused climate change.

For the first time on record, four named tropical systems—Typhoon Yinxing, Typhoon Toraji, Super Typhoon Usagi, and Super Typhoon Man-Yi—were simultaneously active in November, a month traditionally considered less active for storms.

The standout among them, Super Typhoon Man-Yi, demonstrated the strongest intensity, fueled by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures that scientists attribute to climate change.

According to the Climate Shift Index: Ocean, these elevated temperatures were made “up to 40 times more likely by human-caused climate change.”

20/11/2024

The road to just transition has begun in the Philippines. What's next?
Join us tomorrow as Philippine civil society and sectoral representatives discuss how just transition should proceed at and at the national and local levels.
The media briefing takes place on 20 November 2024, 1 PM (Baku time) or 5 PM (Manila time), at Meeting Room 13, Blue Zone, inside the COP29 venue.

18/11/2024

Kristine. Leon. Marce. Nika. Ofel. Pepito; these are the local names of the six most recent tropical cyclones that have hit the Philippines. However, these did not occur in a span of months, but within these past four weeks. And enough is enough.
Aksyon Klima Pilipinas will host a media briefing here at , for Philippine civil society and community leaders to demand accountability and climate justice to countries and national and local policymakers, focusing on loss and damage, climate finance, and just transition.

15/11/2024

Filipino activists and civil society leaders at the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, are pressing world leaders to secure concrete financial commitments to help developing nations combat the climate crisis.

Central to their demand is the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), a financial mechanism to replace the $100 billion annual pledge

14/11/2024

14 November 2024
10:00am Baku time, 2:00pm Philippine time
Meeting Room 15, Blue Zone, Baku Olympic Stadium

11/11/2024

His participation, Caritas Philippines said, demonstrates the Church’s dedication to amplifying Filipino voices in the global climate dialogue

08/11/2024

Bishop Crispin Varquez of the central Philippine Diocese of Borongan invited the public to reflect on “the journey we have traveled together” as the nation marks the 11th anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan).

“This moment is not just a remembrance of the challenges we faced but a celebration of the resilience and unity,” the prelate said in a circular issued on Nov. 8.

Super Typhoon Yolanda, which struck on Nov. 8, 2013, claimed approximately 10,000 lives and affected nearly 11 million people, highlighting the Philippines’ vulnerability and prompting global calls for loss and damage mechanisms as a key component of climate action.

“This moment is not just a remembrance of the challenges we faced but a celebration of the resilience and unity"

05/11/2024

The Council of Bishops of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) expressed deep concern over the impact of recent typhoons on millions of Filipinos, calling for government accountability in disaster preparedness and response.

“In light of the relentless disasters that continue to devastate our country, it has become increasingly clear that our focus must extend beyond mere resilience"

31/10/2024

Several church organizations have issued a unified call to action at the COP16 conference in Cali, Colombia, urging immediate steps to address the intertwined crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

In a statement, the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), and the ACT Alliance “reaffirm our commitment to play an essential role in protecting biodiversity and the health of the planet.”

These organizations represent millions of Christians worldwide, including Anglican, Orthodox, Protestant, and Lutheran denominations across over 120 countries.

The ecumenical groups assert that global action is essential, as ecosystems deteriorate rapidly under the strain of climate change

28/10/2024

The Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) amplified calls to halt fossil fuel expansion in the Verde Island Passage (VIP) at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16) in Cali, Colombia.

Addressing an international audience at the Pavilion, CEED and environmental experts voiced grave concerns over threats to VIP’s globally significant marine biodiversity due to burgeoning fossil fuel projects.

The Verde Island Passage, a key marine corridor within the Coral Triangle and one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots, is increasingly under pressure from energy developments.

The Verde Island Passage, a key marine corridor within the Coral Triangle and one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots

24/10/2024

Southeast Asian groups are urging governments at the United Nations conference in Colombia to address the threats that expanding fossil fuel projects pose to the region’s biodiversity.

The 16th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) in Cali, Colombia, focuses on biodiversity protection.

Southeast Asian civil society organizations emphasized the need to prioritize the Coral Triangle, a key marine biodiversity hotspot spanning Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste.

The groups urge stronger commitments to halt fossil fuel expansion, advocate for renewable energy, and emphasize international cooperation

23/10/2024

The social action arm of the Catholic Church in the Philippines announced that dioceses impacted or at risk from Typhoon Kristine (international name: Trami) have mobilized emergency response teams.

“Our priority is to ensure swift and effective assistance reaches those most in need,” said Bishop Colin Bagaforo, President of Caritas Philippines.

The country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Oct. 23 reported that 77,910 families across 14 provinces have been affected by Typhoon Kristine’s impacts.

“Our priority is to ensure swift and effective assistance reaches those most in need,” said Bishop Colin Bagaforo, President of Caritas Philippines