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A newly-formed climate justice network, Kilusan ng Mamamayan para sa Hustisyang Pangklima,  comprised of women from urban poor communities, trade union and worker organizations, together with lay people from the Labor Ministry Diocese of Novaliches, Quezon City, Philippines will be holding a solidarity walk tomorrow, 18 April, a few days before Earth Day, to demand decent work, livelihood and rights towards attaining just adaptation to climate change.

In a feminist participatory action research conducted by the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (in coordination with the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development), it was found out that repeated typhoons and flooding that rammed Metro Manila starting 2009, have seriously affected the socio-economic conditions of urban poor women and their families. Workers lost days and hours of work and resulted in lowered income. Urban poor families lost their homes and properties. Urban poor women are heavily burdened by the pressure, trauma and financial difficulties during and after these calamities. Considering the precarious situation of livelihood and employment of urban poor women, it becomes more difficult for them to recover and build resilience to climate change.

According to the climate change vulnerability index, the Philippines is among the top 10 countries at extreme risk to climate change. Metro Manila is only next to Bangkok as the city in the world to be most affected by climate change.

The group demands that a just and comprehensive climate change adaptation policies should include development demands and economic rights such as right to decent work and adequate housing. Oplan Likas, government’s resettlement program that removes families along “danger zones” like those 3-meters away from the Tullahan river,  only bring more misery to relocated families as they are driven away from their source of livelihood and access to basic utilities.

The group underscores the injustice behind climate change as big countries benefit immensely from carbon emission and extraction of natural resources, while developing countries suffer the consequences of increasing temperature. The group demands climate justice especially from big carbon emitters, such as the United States, Europe, Australia among others and call upon them to lower their emissions significantly.

The Solidarity Walk will start at 7:00 AM at the San Isidro Labrador Church in Villa Nova Subdivision along General Luis Rd. in Novaliches. It will walk towards the SB Plaza in Novaliches Proper where a program will be held around 7:30 AM. The program will last until 8:00 AM and will walk again to the Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Novaliches. Around 150 individuals are expected at the walk.

Media coverage is requested.

Interviews and photo opps will be available.

What: Solidarity Walk for Climate Justice, Decent Work and Rights

When: April 18, Saturday

Time and Place: 7 AM – Villa Nova Subdivision General Luis Rd. Novaliches, Quezon City, Philippines

                    7:30 AM – SB Plaza, Novaliches Proper, Quezon City, Philippines

 

For reference: Jane Siwa, Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) researcher and public information coordinator,  (+632) 917.468.2829, 411.0256