DWCCAA and City College of Calapan UNESCO-ASPnet sponsors climate change forum

Sen. Loren Legarda, Fr. Anthony Fabella, SVD, and Dr. Rene M. Colocar

The Divine Word College of Calapan Alumni Association (DWCCAA) and City College of Calapan UNESCO-ASPnet sponsored a forum on Climate Change, February 22, 2011, Tuesday, at the DWCC Gymnasium.

Sen. Loren Legarda and Sec. Elisea Gozun, Presidential Assistant on Climate Change were the speakers during the 2-hour forum with students from the Divine Word College of Calapan, Luna Goco Colleges, Saint Augustine Seminary, City College of Calapan, Rotary Club and alumni of DWCC like Calapan City Mayor Doy Leachon, Vice Governor Humerlito Dolor, employees from the City & provincial Government and teachers from the Department of Education (DepEd), Division of Calapan City headed by their superintendent, Dr. Araceli R. Salmorin.

Sen. Loren Legarda

“We must realize that every decision we make with regard to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation is crucial to our survival. We must plan carefully but swiftly,” Legarda said.

Meanwhile, Gozun in her lecture said that the nation urgently needs to respond to the vulnerabilities posed by climate change because it affects all sectors, hence, various agencies of the government and non-government sectors must adopt mitigation program. She also emphasized the effects of burning plastic and leaves and told DepEd Superintendent Salmorin to encourage school heads to practice composting instead of burning garbage in their schools.

In like manner, Mayor Leachon announced during the forum that the City Government of Calapan will implement the “no plastic” use in the city effective April 1, 2011. He said that, “if other cities can do this why not in Calapan?” He further emphasized that this project is intended for his own personal benefits or for the City Government project only but for all people in the community, especially Calapeños for he believes that this is one way of mitigating problems that result to climate change.

Major part of the forum was the Climate Change Pledge of Commitment spearheaded by DWCCAA president and UNESCO- ASPnet National Coordinator, Dr. Rene M. Colocar and External & Alumni Officer Don Stepherson V. Calda.

Tags: Climate Change, DWCC