Statement on Typhoon Carina
- CCNCI Secretariat
- Jul 26, 2024
- 3 min read
As Typhoon Carina batters the Filipino nation, the Climate Change Network for Community-based Initiatives (CCNCI) expresses its profound frustration with the third state address of the Marcos-Duterte administration which once again set aside the genuine issues faced by the Filipino people.
Despite the torrential rains pounding the nation on the day of President Bongbong Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address, the Php20 million event did not care to tackle the root cause of severe devastation during typhoon season. In fact, these annual struggles devastate the country and impact citizens across sectors but most significantly those already living in difficult conditions. Yet, the pressing issue of the intensifying climate crisis and its causes was conspicuously neglected. The president did not care that open-pit mining practices persist despite severe environmental damage. Over a hundred mining projects were approved, extended, and renewed throughout Marcos Jr. 's administration despite recent history proving that these cause long-term damage to the environment and ultimately, loss of lives and livelihood among communities. Open-pit mines, in particular, cause rampant erosion and ocean pollution. In Marinduque, just in 1996, it caused one of the world’s worst toxic mining disasters when millions of gallons of mine waste poured down the river and into the sea displacing 20,000 people and damaging a vital river and nearby fisheries.
What Marcos Jr. cares for is ‘securing funding’ for climate adaptation and mitigation measures. Then, he basically offered the same palliatives as the ones before him did. The president passed the responsibility to disaster frontline responders while limiting disaster preparedness to simple evacuation and relief operations. He kept pushing forward the same large-scale infrastructure projects and mining operations that caused the disasters. The so-called development agenda prioritizes the interests of foreign investors and local elites over the livelihoods and ecological health of ordinary Filipinos. Cloaked in the guise of progress, development aggression is nothing more than a relentless assault on our environment and communities.
President Marcos Jr.'s speech was carefully crafted to project concern for the increasing poverty and violence under his leadership. The projection, however, fell short in providing substantive solutions. High food prices were addressed, but only as a recurring rhetoric and a diversion tactic used to placate public anger without implementing concrete actions. At the same time, development workers and NGOs that do the caring for the environment and the people are under attack. Enforced disappearance of environmental defenders has escalated. Twenty-five environmental activists have been forcibly disappeared with half still missing. Meanwhile, 18 more have been killed since Marcos Jr. took office.
Laws have been weaponized against development and humanitarian NGOs, impacting on the communities they serve as their operations are halted with their bank accounts frozen, and their staff charged with trumped up cases of terrorism financing and support. Communities are adversely affected as they are effectively denied their right to access support and services provided by the NGOs.
It is imperative that this administration move beyond empty rhetoric and adopt genuine, impactful measures to address both the environmental and socio-economic challenges facing our nation. The Marcos-Duterte regime, while masquerading as champions for the environment, is the flag bearer of foreign policies that exploit and destroy our natural resources for profit. Our communities and ecosystems deserve proactive and sustainable policies prioritizing long-term well-being over short-term gains.
CCNCI calls on the Filipino people to stand united against development aggression. Hold the Marcos-Duterte regime accountable for its negligence and crimes against the Filipino people. By demanding a government that truly serves its citizens and protects its natural heritage, there will be a path towards a sustainable environment and a just and inclusive development.
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