Orland Quesada

Around 265 Eastern Samarenos coming from various groups and organizations gathered at Guiuan public plaza for the global climate strike. They too demand for climate action and climate justice as effects of climate change is tremendously felt by Estehanon like extreme heat, water acidification due to sea level rise and stronger typhoons like typhoon Yolanda which made its first landfall in Guiuan.

The event started with a unity march around Guiuan with strikers shouting “Aksiyon para Klima, ayaw na pag iha-a”! (climate actions now! in waray2x). A one minute symbolic raising of alarm for climate emergency followed through the use of whistle after they made an Earth human formation. As typhoon prone province, one disaster preparedness practice for estehanon is a go bag where whistle is a part of it. Other activities were spoken poetries from youth on environment, messages or “storya kanan klima”, a song number from a local composition about environment and a talk on Laudato Si from a representative of Caritas Borongan. Strikers can also give their thoughts and messages at the “Hugot para sa Klimabukasan” board as well as viewed a photo gallery on “Climate Then and Now”. One of the objectives of the strike is to make it more informative, the no to plastic use, and zero waste.

Environmental issues for Eastern Samar context were reflected in the banners and posters as locals demands like “No to Mining”, “Stop deforestation”, Pass the SINP (Samar Island Natural Park) bill into law”, Protect SINP -the Phil.last frontier”, Protect our oceans and seas”. The event ended with a short prayer of thanksgiving and offering prayers in honor of Yolanda victims by a local priest.