Youth leaders from community-based organizations in coastal areas of Las Pinas joined ‘EcoTayo: Ugnayan sa Klima for Resilient Communities,’ an innovative action planning workshop led by Plan International Pilipinas last January 10 to 12 at Sequoia Hotel, Paranaque City.
“This time, it’s man-made. Can we survive the changes that we have caused?” Director of the Knowledge Sharing Division, Dr. Likha Minimo, facilitated a whole-day session on climate change and disaster risk reduction. She explained greenhouse gas concentrations and the continuing rise in temperature leading towards the warmest decade in recorded history. She situated trends from the global, down to the regional and national levels, highlighting that poverty is related to vulnerability, leaving floods to haunt the poor. With a growing population displacement and worsening economic losses, there is a need for innovation and better implementation of policies. An example of an innovative design would be the basketball court converted into a water detention basin. There are also Nature-based Solutions that enhance the multi-hazard watershed or the ridge-to-reef approach already mandated by our local policies. Understanding climate change lays the foundation to sustainable development.
Dr. Minimo emphasized how disasters happen once we forget. It is high time to work with local government units to develop local plans and simulate drills that are inclusive to all stakeholders. She also explained the concept of ‘Build Back Better’ where a community devastated should be able to return to a living condition which is better than normal. A systemic problem such as climate change also requires adaptive systemic solutions.
Youth participants analyze the impact of climate change
The participants dissected the impact of climate change to communities through an Impact Chain Analysis exercise. A group identified specific needs that persons with disabilities can face due to potential breakout of illnesses related to decrease in rainfall while another group summarized that sea level rise may trap teenage moms in social and psychological distress. Chris Sanchez and Kel Almazan of the Knowledge Sharing Division assisted in the facilitation of the activity. “With that activity, hinimay-himay lahat. Ang dami palang interconnected na effects. Ganoon pala kalaki yung impact niya kahit sa maliliit na bagay.” said Denisse Aguilar, Sangguniang Kabataan Chair of Barangay Manuyo Uno Las Pinas City. After analyzing the impact of climate change, they also mapped power dynamics in their communities through Stakeholder Mapping discussed by Plan International Pilipinas Project Manager Ivan Louie Inciong.
For their last session, the youth groups presented their action plans inspired by all the discussions on resilience building. They had youth-led action plans that address the needs of their communities, from a community-led urban garden to recycled school chairs out of plastic bottles. Their ideas speak of promise for generations to come.