Legarda: Redefine Development to Uplift Quality of Living in the Phl

SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA TODAY RENEWED HER CALL TO THE GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENS TO ENGAGE IN THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT IS PRODUCTIVE IN ALL ASPECTS AND SHUN PRACTICES THAT ARE DESTRUCTIVE TO THE ENVIRONMENT, SOCIETY AND ONE’S SELF.
Legarda made the statement following the release of the result of the 2011 Mercier’s Quality of Living Survey, which ranked Manila the 128th most livable city out of 221 cities assessed in the world.
“Our current paradigm of progress reflects our ways-unmindful lifestyles, weak standard enforcement, insatiable greed for wealth and money that cause irreparable harm to our environment,” she explained.
“While Manila is just one city in the Philippines, it generally reflects the country being its capital. But our efforts should not be concentrated in Manila alone because we must uplift the quality of living in the whole country,” she stressed.
The Senator pointed out that the challenges have become greater as they are now compounded by climate change, but this same reason calls for intensified and urgent action to restore the vibrancy of the environment and improve the country’s suitability for human living.
“With the impact of climate change and the many disasters that continue to strike all over the world, Mother Nature seems to be talking back to us, demanding that we change our way of thinking and ways of doing,” Legarda said.
“Evidently, the path of development we pursue has long-term implications on our welfare and have exposed us to various risks. We must pursue the kind of development that is founded on sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, ecosystems protection, cultural resilience, and good governance,” Legarda concluded.