黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Environmental advocates commemorated the Global Day for Climate Action on Saturday by demanding climate justice in a rally held at Baclaran Church in Para帽aque City.

Sister Maria Liza Ruedas of Daughters of Charity said the participation and unity of different religious denominations in the protest action that called for a common cause highlights the need for Filipinos, not just Catholics, to unite for the 鈥渘oble cause鈥� of protecting nature.

鈥淚t is very clear to us as a Church 鈥� we need to support our Mother Earth; to care for our Mother Earth,鈥� she said.

The nun marched with the protesters and expressed support for their advocacy of stopping reclamation projects in Manila Bay.

While marching from Airport Road to Baclaran Church with the rest of the crowd, Sr. Ruedas carried with her a 鈥減arol鈥� bearing the phrase 鈥渨ishing for climate justice to prevail.鈥�

鈥淭he grieving of Mother Earth is also the cry of the poor. Doon talaga nakikita ang malagim na epekto ng climate change: sa ating mga aba at dukhang kapatid,鈥� she told 黑料社 on the sidelines of the parade.

(That鈥檚 where the grim effects of climate change are truly seen: in our impoverished brothers and sisters.)

鈥淭he 鈥楲audato Si鈥� is very clear. Everything that the Church can do to help Mother Earth, it does,鈥� she noted.

鈥淟audato Si鈥� is Pope Francis鈥� second encyclical which focuses on the theme of caring for 鈥渙ur common home,鈥� addressing environmental issues, climate change, and advocating for ecological stewardship and social justice.

鈥淲e always say that the church will always take a stand where the poor are and the poor are the most affected in the climate crisis. Sometimes they cry out, yet their voices are not heard. But we will not cease shouting for this cause because we believe there is a reason to do so,鈥� she said in a mix of Filipino and English.

Multiple groups in the past have underscored how inequality is exacerbated by the effects of the climate crisis 鈥� including disasters, droughts, and rising sea levels, which disproportionately affect the poor.

READ: Filipino green groups to raise inequality concerns at COP28 in Dubai

鈥淭he Church will not stop,鈥� Sr. Ruedas continued, adding that despite the challenges faced by environmental defenders in the country, the Church will continue to 鈥渢ranslate its love of neighbor into love of creation.鈥�

READ: Report: PH still deadliest for environmentalists in Asia

For Patricia Muncal, a Protestant member of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, God鈥檚 creation takes center stage in the topic of climate justice.

鈥淎nything that creates a permanent imbalance in our ecology and destroys livelihoods disrupts God鈥檚 creation. With that, we, as Protestants, believe that it is one of our duties to protect the environment in any way we can,鈥� Muncal said.

Muncal added that apart from Catholic and Protestant groups, Evangelical Churches also joined the commemoration of the Global Day for Climate Action.

In May, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines joined calls for 鈥渋mmediate action鈥� against the climate crisis.

Data from the United Nations (UN) show that up to 3.6 billion people worldwide live in countries that are vulnerable to climate change.

The UN likewise pointed out that individuals living in poverty may be less able to prepare for or respond to extreme events that make them more susceptible to the impacts of climate-related hazards.