Loren celebrates Earth Day with the youth

ON EARTH DAY, NP-NPC-LDP VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND STAUNCH ENVIRONMENTALIST LOREN LEGARDA ENCOURAGED THE YOUTH TO BECOME A CLIMATE HERO AND TAKE UP THE ENVIRONMENT AS AN ADVOCACY.
“As heirs of our nation’s wealth and heritage, the youth has a primary interest in protecting and conserving the environment. I encourage our young ones to become more aware of global warming, and participate in activities that help adapt to and mitigate its impact,” said Legarda, who has created and chaired the Senate Oversight Committee on Climate Change.
She also called for the immediate release of funds and operationalization of her P17-million 2010 congressional budget initiative that seeks to provide green jobs to thousands of out-of-school youth.
This allocation is comprised of P5 million for skills training, mapping, & advocacy and P12 million for the green jobs project.
Legarda is also keen on providing out-of-school youth with skills for job placements on clean energy, climate and environmental protection industries.
“By providing out-of-school youth with skills for green jobs, we are solving both the unemployment and job mismatch problem, and at the same time protecting the environment. This is a win-win solution,” she said.
The P17-million green jobs project will be spearheaded by the National Youth Commission. It will provide on-the-job training on forest and coastal resources management, environmental law enforcement and waste recycling; basic skills training for clean energy, green building and green development jobs and entrepreneurship program for green business ideas; and training on sustainable agriculture through organic farming for rural farm youth.
In response to Legarda’s efforts, the Philippine Youth Climate Movement today reiterated their strong support for Legarda and her environmental protection campaign.
“The Filipino youth hope that Earth Day 2010 can be a turning point to advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs,” said Esperanza Garcia, who heads PYCM and was the youth delegate to the Copenhagen summit.
Legarda’s Luntiang Pilipinas and PYCM partner to join more than one billion people in 190 countries that are taking action for Earth Day.