Senator Loren Legarda has called on climate-vulnerable countries to rethink outdated policies and adopt a more holistic and inclusive approach to climate action — one that protects not just lives and livelihoods, but also cultural identity, history, and heritage.
Speaking at the Climate Vulnerable Forum and V20 Finance Ministers (CVF-V20) meeting on Monday, Legarda said climate change poses a multidimensional threat, especially for nations that are on the frontlines of the climate crisis.
“Climate change endangers all that you see and so much more: climate change imperils not only lives and livelihoods; it threatens to erase who we are,” she said.
The four-term senator and longtime climate advocate stressed that risk assessments must expand beyond economics and infrastructure to include cultural well-being — from ancestral homes and sacred sites to time-honored traditions.
“It is this understanding that demands we broaden our definition of risk to fully encompass the cultural well-being of our people,” she added.
According to Legarda, extreme heat could cost the Philippines as much as ?466 billion annually by 2030. But more than the monetary loss, she warned of the intangible costs of losing cultural heritage, forced displacement from ancestral domains, and the gradual erosion of social cohesion rooted in shared traditions.
She emphasized that preserving cultural memory and indigenous knowledge must be seen as central to climate resilience.
“As legislators, we are more than mere policymakers; we are the stewards of our nation’s future,” the lawmaker said.
“We must ensure that our laws reflect an unwavering commitment to both climate action and cultural preservation.”
The CVF-V20 is a coalition of 74 climate-vulnerable countries, including Bangladesh, Ghana, Sri Lanka, Barbados, and the Philippines. Together, they are developing Climate Prosperity Plans (CPPs) — ambitious national investment strategies designed to harness renewable energy, nature-based solutions, and financial innovation to foster inclusive development and climate resilience.
The Philippines, which holds a founding role in the V20 group, has crafted its own Climate Prosperity Investment Memorandum, aligning climate goals with economic growth, clean energy transition, and local adaptation efforts.
Legarda, principal author of the landmark Climate Change Act and champion of the People’s Survival Fund, urged fellow lawmakers to prioritize the implementation of the country’s Climate Prosperity Plan.
“Let our collective efforts safeguard our precious cultural treasures, empower our resilient communities, and build a sustainable future for all Filipinos,” she said. — Sherylin Untalan/RF, GMA Integrated News