Noy gets media climate change declaration

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – President Aquino yesterday received here the Philippine Media Declaration on Climate Change 2011 composed and signed by representatives of four major media organizations in the country.

The declaration will be included in the portfolio that will be presented by the Philippine government to the 17th Conference of Parties (COP 17) to be held in Durban, South Africa from Nov. 28 to Dec. 10.

The declaration was ratified by the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists (PNEJ), the National Press Club, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, and the Publishers Association of the Philippines, and was submitted to Secretary Herminio Coloma and Albay Gov. Joey Salceda who recommended it to the President.

Aquino accepted the declaration before he delivered the keynote address to the first national media conference on climate adaptation at the Bicol University amphitheater here yesterday.

While here, the President also led the inauguration of the Climate Change Academy, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

The academy drew admiration from foreign organizations, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Agencia Espanola de Cooperation Internacional para el Desarollo.

Salceda said the CCA would serve as a training center for local governments in climate change adaptation.

“Our experience taught us how to fight disaster, now we are ready to teach you how to fight it because we learned it for you,” he said.

Coloma cited two key points of the declaration: first, the allocation of funds for the immediate capacity assessment and training program on climate change and disaster risk reduction for the media; and second, media participation in the rollout of the National Climate Change Action Plans.

PNEJ chairperson Imelda Abano said the declaration is a welcome development for the media to increase awareness on climate change and other environmental issues.– With Celso Amo