HONG KONG (SE): In a statement on the 10th anniversary of Super Typhoon Haiyan [Yolanda], Caritas Philippines called for “scaled up” action to help vulnerable communities adapt to the climate crisis, CBCP News reported on November 8.
Officials of Caritas Philippines led by its chairperson, Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, joined the anniversary commemoration in Leyte province on November 8.
Haiyan—one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded, with winds of up to 230kph —barrelled through the Philippines from 6 to 8 November 2013, affecting 14 million people in 44 provinces, and resulting in the devastation of the city of Tacloban, Leyte, as well as Daanbantayan, Bantayan Island, Concepcion, and Busuanga Island, among others. There were over 6,300 fatalities.
The Caritas statement lamented the slow pace of global action in dealing with multiple climate hazards, stressing, “There is no question that solutions to the climate emergency must be urgently scaled up and improved in their implementation.”
It emphasised the need for increased funding and implementation of action to support the most vulnerable nations, but stressed that a funding facility alone is not enough to deal with the climate emergency CBCP News reported.
There is no question that solutions to the climate emergency must be urgently scaled up and improved in their implementation
Caritas Philippines
Joanna Sustento-Bacsa lost most of her family members to the deadly super typhoon, now a 32-year-old, she has made some peace with Haiyan, saying, “so much growth” has happened for her as a survivor and now a full-time mother to a son, UCAN reported on November 9.
“[My son] is a very symbolic person in our family. His coming into our lives 10 years later says a lot about how much love grows in me, and how much love grows in our family,” she noted.
“So much has changed, but we are still here doing the work for climate justice,” Sustento-Bacsa, who is actibvely associated with an advocacy group called Climate Warriors, added.
Alren Beronio, a young photographer from Eastern Samar in the Eastern Visayas, volunteered his skills to a Catholic diocesan media office, UCAN reported.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
“It was a time when we witnessed the depth of human suffering and the height of human compassion,” Beronio recalled, saying he found “countless acts of kindness.”
So much has changed, but we are still here doing the work for climate justice
Joanna Sustento-Bacsa
An eco-friendly group called Climate Walkers arrived in Tacloban on November 7, after a 30-day journey from Manila to Haiyan’s ground zero to seek climate justice, which is connected to social, racial and environmental issues.
“Our journey does not end here. Because our real destination is in people’s hearts and minds,” the group said.
Scientists have said that human emissions of greenhouse gases—primarily from burning fossil fuels—are the cause of global warming.
“Without directly dealing with the source of the problem … other actions would only temporarily alleviate adverse effects,” Caritas Philippines pointed out. It also emphasised the need to fully implement previous agreements to keep global warming below 1.5 degree Celsius, CBCP News reported.
“This can only be achieved through a just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy,” it added.
Without directly dealing with the source of the problem … other actions would only temporarily alleviate adverse effects
Caritas Philippines
Caritas Philippines appealed to the Vatican to host a gathering of representatives from dioceses, parishes, faith-based organisations, and other stakeholders “as a consultative mechanism” to strengthen its climate positions.
“This interconnectedness exists within all of creation and gives inherent dignity and value to every being, which must be protected and upheld by all nations and individuals,” the Caritas statement said.
CBCP News reported Bishop Bagaforo as saying the typhoon was a “wake-up call” to the world about the dangers confronting humankind in the era of climate crisis.
The bishop said the fact that the global Catholic Church, through Caritas Philippines, would need to allocate more than 3.2 billion pesos in total response “is a testament to the great destruction and need.”
He added, “It is a warning for all of us, especially our leaders in governance, to avoid implementing the same decisions and strategies that have led to the climate emergency and other manifestations of the current ecological crisis.”
