“Millions of Filipino children remain poor due to inequality and discrimination, and their situation is exacerbated by the climate crisis. Many of them lack access to basic services on health, education, proper nutrition, or adequate housing.”
The advocacy group Save the Children Philippines made this unsettling observation as it urged the government to act decisively and mitigate the effects of climate change of the children, particularly the impoverished families.
In an interview with ANC network, the group noted that the country was on top of the 2022 World Risk Index in terms of calamities and disasters worldwide.
“In the Philippines alone, around 5.6 million Filipino families… including children, who are perennially living in poverty and are not able to adapt well to the climate crisis,” according to the group’s director George De La Rama.
In a report titled “Born into the Climate Crisis,” Save the Children Philippines said Filipino children born in 2020 will live through 4.9 times more scorching heat waves, 2.3 times more river floods, 1.2 times more droughts and 1.5 times more crop failures than their ancestors who were born 60 at least years ago.
“You can just imagine the generational gap and the generational impact of what’s happening to them versus to those who were able to live in the past and how children are bracing themselves for the future with the impacts they are experiencing right now,” De La Rama said.
In a statement, Save the Children Philippines chief executive officer lawyer Albert Muyot stressed that no child deserves to grow up in poverty and an unsafe environment.
Save the Children Philippines is deeply concerned for the safety and welfare of children from 5.6 million poor families who are exposed to various risks and hazards from disasters and emergencies as the country braces for 15 cyclones this year. With the Philippines ranking first in the 2022 World Risk Index with the highest risk of disasters in the world, families living in poverty have less protection from the impacts of climate disasters and have less support and resources to adapt to climate-related change.
During climate emergencies, affected families may find it hard to send their children to school or even access healthcare. Children suffer the most as many of them will be forced to work to help their family’s daily needs. Filipino girls are at greater risk of being abused, neglected, exploited, and/or subjected to child marriage.
“No child deserves to grow up in poverty. But the reality is grim. Millions of Filipino children remain poor due to inequality and discrimination where many of them lack access to basic services on health, education, proper nutrition, or adequate housing. Hence, our work for and with children focuses on building children and families’ resilience from the negative impacts of the climate and inequality crises,” Muyot said.
The cause-oriented group also launched “Generation Hope” campaign calling for urgent action by the government and concerned sectors to create a “safer, fairer, and healthy environment for the children.”
“We demand child-centered climate change mitigation and adaptation plans. Let us save the planet to save the children,” the group said.
In celebration of World Environment Day, the drive particularly cited the youngsters in Eastern Samar holding a symbolic paper boat activity, sending letters demanding local and national leaders to implement and adopt environmental policies.
In partnership with the Department of Education, Save the Children Philippines also deployed a holistic Disaster Risk Reduction Management Information System for a comprehensive school safety ecosystem in the country.
The system safeguards schools and the community, ensuring learning continuity during disasters or other emergencies.
“Without urgent and concrete actions to mitigate the negative impact of climate change and support for the most vulnerable families to adapt, we are at a setback in fulfilling children’s right to survive, learn, be protected, and thrive,” said environmental health advisor Rexel Abrigo.
