{"id":53125,"date":"2022-04-22T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-22T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/philippines\/?p=53125"},"modified":"2022-04-25T13:56:04","modified_gmt":"2022-04-25T05:56:04","slug":"youth-love-letters-remind-candidates-to-champion-climate-environment-ahead-of-earth-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/philippines\/press\/53125\/youth-love-letters-remind-candidates-to-champion-climate-environment-ahead-of-earth-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Youth \u2018love letters\u2019 remind candidates to champion climate, environment ahead of Earth Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

QUEZON CITY, Philippines, 22 April 202<\/em>2 \u2014 Filipino youth on Thursday renewed their call for presidential aspirants to ensure climate justice and climate action is the next administration\u2019s top agenda. The call came in the aftermath of Typhoon Agaton and ahead of  Earth Day, as Greenpeace and youth partners delivered \u2018love letters\u2019 from Filipinos across the country to 2022 presidential candidates\u2019 headquarters in Metro Manila. <\/p>\n\n

This was one of the activities under the Love, 52<\/em> youth and elections campaign, led by youth organizations from various sectors, together with Greenpeace. The groups are calling on presidential candidates to protect communities and ensure that the country\u2019s next generation will not experience the worst impacts of the climate crisis. The groups are also calling on candidates to stand for inclusive, transparent and inspired models of governance that are fully accountable to people, and which protect and strengthen democratic processes and institutions.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cThis election poses a gross lack of discourse on the climate crisis \u2014 at a time when scientists around the world are standing up for climate justice,\u201d said Love, 52<\/em> youth partner Cris Jamil Hertez, from the Better Normal Youth Movement. \u201cMeanwhile, typhoons continue to claim lives, homes, and livelihood. We can\u2019t keep playing catch-up with our climate; our future leaders must listen to the youth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

\u201cOur generation and future ones have the most to lose if our next leaders still choose to sit idly by,\u201d said Love, 52<\/em> youth partner Carmela Adelantar, from the National Society of Parliamentarians, Inc. \u201cThey need to hold the world\u2019s biggest polluters accountable for the crisis we\u2019re facing, and come up with coherent plans that will at least help us stay alive beyond the next decade.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

\u201cWe no longer have time to wait. The next administration must place climate action as top priority agenda,\u201d said Greenpeace campaigner Joanna Sustento. \u201cThe climate crisis is not just about the environment–it’s about food, water, lives, health, and the economy. They also need to ensure that democratic processes and institutions are protected and strengthened.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Greenpeace believes that there needs to be stronger climate action at home. In particular, the Philippine government must:<\/p>\n\n