“The cry of the Earth is the cry of the poor.”

Most Rev. Daniel O. Presto, D.D., Bishop, Diocese of San Fernando, La Union

The Municipality of Bauang, led by Municipal Mayor Eulogio Clarence Martin P. De Guzman III, signed the Climate Emergency Declaration, August 16, 2024, making us the sixth city/town in the Philippines and first in the Northern Philippines and Region I that signed the said timely Declaration. The momentous signing was held at the Bauang Bakawan Eco-Tourism Park, Barangay Parian Oeste, Bauang, La Union. This also coincided with the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, headed by the Department of Natural Resources (DENR).

Other cities/municipalities that already signed the Declaration were Bacolod City, Tolosa Municipality in Leyte, Cebu City, and Quezon City in 2019, Makati City in 2022, and Albay Province in 2023.

Present in the activity were Sangguniang Bayan Members: Hon. Felix P. Sanchez, Chairperson on Committee on Environment and Solid Waste Management and representative of Vice Mayor Henry A. Bacurnay, Jr., Hon. Veronica T. Bernardo, Chairperson on the Committee on Tourism, Sisterhood, and International Relations, Hon. Myrna U. Ligas, Vice Chairperson on the same Committee, and Hon. Rich Carlo A. Barnachea, Sangguniang Kabataan President.

Also present were: Mr. Wilson Samuel C. Caluza, Administrator for Operations, Mr. Marc Alvin Garcia, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) OIC-Department Head, other department heads and employees of the Municipality of Bauang, officials and employees from the CARBASAN (Caba, Aringay, Bauang, San Fernando), and officials and employees of Barangay Parian-Oeste.

The esteemed guests were the following: Most Rev. Daniel O. Presto, D.D., Bishop, Diocese of San Fernando, La Union, Rev. Father Ramon Caluza, former CICM, DENR, Provincial Governmental Environment and Natural Resources Office (PG-ENRO), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Mr. Cris Palabay, Chairperson, Save the Beauty of La Union Coalition, or Koalisyon Isalbar ti Pintas ti La Union, Atty. Ticia Soresca, Deputy Head of the Legal Program, Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED), Judge Edilberta Casiano from Municipal Trial Court of Luna, La Union, The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, SRI Pilipinas (System of Rice Intensification), and media partners Aksyon Radyo, Northern Dispatch, and Rappler.

MENRO OIC-Head Mr. Garcia provided the latest report on climate. According to his report, 2023 is the hottest year in record, as per the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Bishop Presto delivered his message. According to the Bishop, “The cry of the Earth is the cry of the poor.”

Mayor Martin De Guzman also provided his inspirational message. According to him, “We have declared climate emergency at the first planting of bakawan at Brgy. Pagdalagan Sur.” Further, he stated that, “This (Bauang Bakawan) is public land. The residents here are taking care of the land and were provided with EcoSan or Ecological Sanitation system in 2012 and soon, the DEWATS or Decentralized Waste Water Treatment System.” He added that, “This Declaration follows the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations (UN).”

Afterwhich, the most-awaited Signing of the Executive Order Declaring a State of Climate Emergency in the Municipality of Bauang commenced, led by Mayor Martin De Guzman.

The signing of the Pledge of Commitment at the stage also took place. It was signed by the participants.

A series of messages were delivered by Mr. Palabay from Save the Beauty of La Union, Atty. Ticia Soresca of CEED, and SK President Rich Carlo A. Barnachea.

Afterwhich, there was a tree-planting activity at the Bakawan headed by Mayor De Guzman. The tree-planting activity in the Municipality headed by MENRO is being normalized for every program of the Municipality so as to make it a habit for officials, employees, and residents to plant more trees.

The signing of this Declaration will pave way for the strengthening of existing Municipal policies protecting the environment and craft new ones, following the UN SDG 2030 Number 13: Climate Action.