Legarda urges climate-resilient urban transformation during Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue

Senator Loren Legarda called for urgent, climate-resilient urban transformation in her keynote address at the luncheon for speakers of the Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue (TPSD) 2025: Sustainable Cities and Communities on November 10, grounded in the country’s recent experience with destructive typhoons and the widening gap between urban growth and livability.

“It is my honor to host this luncheon and to welcome you all to Manila.” Legarda began, addressing a high-level gathering. “We gather in that same spirit of candor, respect, and search for common ground.”

Speaking before delegates from the Ban Ki-moon Foundation, Stanford University’s Asia-Pacific Research Center, the University of the Philippines Asian Center, and other international institutions, Legarda paid tribute to former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whom she had worked with on shared advocacies for climate action, disaster resilience, and sustainable development.

“Your leadership, from championing the Sustainable Development Goals to guiding the Paris Agreement, has shown us all that even complex global challenges can be met through empathy and collective resolve,” the four-term Senator said. “The Philippine Senate’s Resolution No. 929, which I had the honor to sponsor last year, was our modest tribute to you, a leader who has built bridges of cooperation across continents.”

Legarda, a long-time advocate of environmental protection and climate action, stressed her message on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. She warned that the country’s urban development has outpaced its safeguards, citing the devastation left by Typhoons Tino and Uwan.

“It is like nature is speaking to us, telling us that our urban growth has outpaced our safeguards,” Legarda said. “It is a hard truth; our cities are not yet built for the climate realities we face.”

The senator emphasized that legislative action must match the scale of the challenge. She cited the Sustainable Cities and Communities Act, the Clean Gateway Cities Act, the Urban Walkability and Safe Pathways Standards Act, the Government Sustainable Hybrid and Electric Fleet Transition (SHIFT) Act, and the Noise Pollution Control and Abatement Act as key measures aligned with SDG 11.

“These measures are important,” Legarda said, “but what matters is the spirit with which they are implemented, the spirit of long-term vision and care for both people and planet.”

Legarda closed with a call to deepen cooperation across sectors and generations.

“Let this Dialogue be one such bridge, linking research and policy, past and future.”

The Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue 2025 continues through November 11, convening senior policymakers, development experts, and scholars to accelerate progress on SDG 11 across the Asia-Pacific. (30)

Legarda nanawagan ng matatag, luntiang kaayusang urban sa Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue

Nanawagan si Senador Loren Legarda ng agarang pagbabago tungo sa matatag at climate-resilient na kaayusang urban sa kaniyang keynote address sa luncheon para sa mga tagapagsalita ng Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue (TPSD) 2025: Sustainable Cities and Communities nitong Nobyembre 10, kasunod ng mapaminsalang epekto ng mga bagyong Tino at Uwan at ng lumalawak na agwat sa pagitan ng urbanisasyon at kalidad ng pamumuhay.

“Ikinararangal kong maging punong-abala sa tanghaliang ito at tanggapin kayong lahat sa Maynila,” panimula ni Legarda sa pagtitipon ng mga mataas na kinatawan. “Tayo’y nagtitipon sa diwa ng katapatan, paggalang, at paghahanap ng pagkakaisa.”

Sa harap ng mga delegado mula sa Ban Ki-moon Foundation, Asia-Pacific Research Center ng Stanford University, Asian Center ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, at iba pang pandaigdigang institusyon, nagbigay pugay si Legarda kay dating UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, na kaniyang nakasama sa mga adbokasiya para sa aksyong klima, katatagan sa sakuna, at napapanatiling kaunlaran.

“Ang iyong pamumuno, mula sa pagtataguyod ng Sustainable Development Goals hanggang sa paggabay sa Paris Agreement, ay patunay na kahit ang pinakamalalaking hamon ay kayang tugunan sa pamamagitan ng malasakit at pagkakaisa,” pahayag ni Legarda. “Ang Senate Resolution No. 929, na ako pong may-akda noong nakaraang taon, ay isang munting pagpupugay sa iyo, isang lider na nagtulay ng kooperasyon sa iba’t ibang panig ng mundo.”

Bilang matagal nang tagapagtaguyod ng pangangalaga sa kalikasan at aksyong klima, binigyang-diin ni Legarda ang kahalagahan ng Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Binalaan niya na nahuhuli na ang mga pananggalang ng bansa sa bilis ng urbanisasyon, kasabay ng pagbanggit sa pinsalang iniwan ng mga bagyong Tino at Uwan.

“Parang ang kalikasan na mismo ang nagsasalita, sinasabi sa atin na nalampasan na ng ating urban growth ang ating mga pananggalang,” pahayag ni Legarda. “Ito ay isang masakit na katotohanan: hindi pa handa ang ating mga lungsod sa mga realidad ng nagbabagong klima.”

Binigyang-diin ng senadora na dapat tumugma ang mga hakbang pambatas sa laki ng hamon. Kaniyang binanggit ang mga panukalang batas tulad ng Sustainable Cities and Communities Act, Clean Gateway Cities Act, Urban Walkability and Safe Pathways Standards Act, Government Sustainable Hybrid and Electric Fleet Transition (SHIFT) Act, at Noise Pollution Control and Abatement Act bilang mga pangunahing hakbang na nakaangkla sa SDG 11.

“Mahalaga ang mga panukalang ito,” pahayag ni Legarda, “Ngunit higit na mahalaga ang diwang isinasabuhay sa kanilang pagpapatupad, ang diwa ng pangmatagalang pananaw at malasakit sa tao at kalikasan.”

Sa pagtatapos ng kaniyang talumpati, nanawagan si Legarda ng mas malalim na pagtutulungan sa iba’t ibang sektor at henerasyon.

“Nawa’y magsilbing tulay ang Dialogue na ito, na mag-uugnay sa pananaliksik at polisiya, sa nakaraan at kinabukasan.”

Magpapatuloy ang Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue 2025 hanggang Nobyembre 11, na nagtitipon ng mga senior policymaker, eksperto sa kaunlaran, at mga iskolar upang pabilisin ang pagsulong ng SDG 11 sa buong Asia-Pacific. (30)