Politics even in climate change

Changes and reforms often naturally come with every new administration that takes over the reins of government. A controversial appointee of former President Joseph Estrada had coined the term “weather-weather only.” This is to connote, in essence, it’s their time now in power to do what they wish to do.

And for those who don’t agree with the choice of appointees and decisions by the new administration, they can shout their lungs out to object until they turn blue. But whether their objections would matter depends upon the final say of the Chief Executive.

Deja vu, as they say. The same is happening under the five-month-old administration of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. After he got what he felt was a bum weather advisory, he sacked in June Prisco Nilo as the chief of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Nilo was one of the career officials he inherited from the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. 

President Aquino, however, soft-pedaled after some of his own appointees got embroiled in the bungled rescue of Hong Kong hostages in a bus drama in Luneta on Aug. 23. Despite the hue and cry over the government’s handling of the Luneta hostage incident here and in Hong Kong, the President’s appointees got only slaps on the wrist.

After a premature launching of his newest country brand dubbed “Pilipinas, Kay Ganda,” the Palace announced that the President “reluctantly” accepted the reported irrevocable resignation of Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Vicente Romano III. He let go of Romano, his erstwhile presidential campaign supporter, after the latter accepted responsibility for launching the half-baked new tourism slogan and logo that were subsequently withdrawn due to the furor it ignited.

Unfortunately for non-Aquino appointees, the Palace is less tolerant for mistakes. The latest Arroyo appointee to get the boot from the Palace was former Climate Change Commission (CCC) vice chairman Heherson “Sonny” Alvarez, erstwhile official spokesman of the Lakas-CMD party of ex-President Arroyo.

President Aquino appointed CCC Commissioner Mary Ann Lucille Sering to replace Alvarez as the new vice chairperson. Signed into law late last year, Republic Act (RA) 9729 established the CCC as the highest policy-making body on climate change matters. As provided for by this law, the President sits as the chairperson of the CCC, composed of three commissioners, one of whom is appointed by the President as vice chairman.

Alvarez came under fire reportedly after he made highly contentious decisions and actions without consulting with the other commissioners and concerned national government agencies, the most recent of which was the decision made by Alvarez to endorse South Korea’s bid to host the United Nations (UN) Climate Conference in 2012. This was contradicting the previous official endorsement of Qatar’s bid made by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

This was not the first time that Alvarez crossed swords with the DFA. After he submitted to the UN climate body his unilateral endorsement of the Copenhagen Accord — which was not adopted at the UN Climate Change Conference plenary held in Denmark due to its flaws — the DFA rescinded it to spare the country from making such official commitment.

But apparently the much graver “sin” committed by Alvarez was his having usurped the power of the President as the chairperson of the CCC. This was when he designated the LandBank of the Philippines as the official government entity that can access the UN Adaptation Fund — a move that only the CCC chairperson is authorized to undertake.

Despite being widely known as a very close ally of the President’s late parents, the slain Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon Aquino, Alvarez’s antics did not escape censure from their son. President Aquino stripped Alvarez of his Cabinet rank post. But since his appointment carries a fixed term in office of six years under RA 9729, independent-minded Alvarez was downgraded as a mere commissioner of the CCC.

It is rather unfortunate to see that politics even seeps into climate change matters while the Philippines is currently hosting the Consultative Meeting for Asian Parliamentarians on Disaster Risk Reduction. The Conference started yesterday and formally ends tomorrow.    

This Conference is the prelude to the Asia Leaders Summit that will be held in Manila next year which Sen. Loren Legarda has jointly organized with the UN in her capacity as the regional champion for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation for the Asia-Pacific under the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).

By the way, Legarda is the main author of RA 9729 and is currently the chairperson of the Senate Committees on Climate Change and on Foreign Relations. Legarda presided over the formal convening of the Conference being held here at the Makati Shangri-La. She is assisted by the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Wahlström.

The Conference is Legarda’s fellow parliamentarians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, the Philippines, Pakistan, Thailand and Laos. Strife-torn South Korea sent delegates.

Legarda’s UN duties to promote international consciousness to address the impact of climate change took her many times out of the country, especially last year while in the midst of her comeback bid to run for the country’s vice presidency. She lost it again in the last May 10 elections.

On hindsight, Legarda believed her absence from politics during those times took much toll on her political career. But she tells me she is not regretting the work she has done so far to help elevate the consciousness of leaders on the pressing needs for governments around the world to adapt to the challenges of climate change.

As political leaders, Legarda stressed, they must play a critical role and assume a moral responsibility in making sure governments must invest in disaster and climate risk reduction. Legarda recognizes that politics, too, must adapt to climate change for survival.