The UST Simbahayan Community Development Office (UST SIMBAHAYAN) in partnership with the Dunong Tomas cluster from the Junior High School, Senior High School, College of Education, and College of Information and Computing Sciences, organized the second webinar for the series “Boto Pilipino: Boto Mo Para sa Pagbabago” on February 5, 2022.
The said event was also aligned with the second Community Service Day for A.Y. 2021-2022, the bi-annual advocacy event of UST SIMBAHAYAN that promotes the proactive response to the call of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’.
With the theme Kapaligiran at Halalan, discussions did not only center on the elections, politics, and livelihood, but also on issues related to the environment. Asst. Prof. Froilan A. Alipao, the Director of UST SIMBAHAYAN, delivered the welcome remarks. It was followed by the insightful talk of Mr. Maverick Russel Flores, the Communications Campaigner of Greenpeace Philippines, titled “2022: The Year of Climate Action.”
Flores stressed that the Philippines urgently needs climate justice since our country is continuously battling the climate crisis coupled with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He also stated that environmental and climate issues are at the bottom of the priorities in the current electoral discourse.
Dr. Froilan C. Calilung from the Political Science Department of the Faculty of Arts and Letters had his presentation on the “Analysis of Environmental Platforms of the 2022 Presidential Candidates.” He shared a concise summary of the six front-running presidentiables’ environmental agenda on the following issues: renewable energy, commitment to the international environmental agreements, creation of a Department of Disaster Resilience, mining, plastic and solid waste management, and the West Philippine Sea.
Mr. Rodne Galiche, the Executive Director of Living Laudato Si’ Philippines, discussed “Laudato Si’ and Ecological Teachings of the Church.” Through the seven Laudato Si’ Goals: 1) Response to the cry of the earth, 2) Response to the cry of the poor, 3) Ecological economics, 4) Adoption of simple lifestyles, 5) Ecological education, 6) Ecological spirituality, and 7) Community engagements, the voters can use these as standards in deciding who amongst the national and local candidates will have the political will to push forward with climate justice.
The program culminated with the closing remarks of Asst. Prof. Evalyn B. Abiog, Ph.D., the Asst. Director of UST SIMBAHAYAN. The event was facilitated by Asst. Prof. Catherine C. Cocabo and Mr. John Christian Valeroso, Ph.D. The webinar can still be viewed via the UST-SIMBAHAYAN Community Development Office Facebook Page.
