IOs gather for Global Warming and Climate Change advocacy
SAN JOSE, Antique – It was a warm morning when Information Officers of different municipalities, agencies and offices of the Provincial Government gathered to express their commitment and support to undertake advocacy and information dissemination on Global Warming and Climate Change in their respective localities and agencies in a forum initiated by Philippine Information Agency.
This phenomenon has been experienced by mankind as manifested in by extreme weather events such as heavy rains, flooding, El Niño, heat waves, extreme cold fronts, spread of diseases, calamities and disasters among others.
According to Engr. Abraham Fabila, Provincial Director, Department of Science and Technology, Climate change is a “change in climate which is attributed directly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods” while Global Warming refers to the increase in the earth’s mean temperature as a result of enhanced greenhouse effect.
John Temana, Information Officer of Department of Environment and Natural Resources presented the geophysical hazards of the province including some mitigating measures an individual could do to help cushion the impact of Global Warming and Climate Change.
Temana further shared some tips everyone can do to share in mitigating the effect of climate change and global warming such as conserve use of electricity by using energy saving lights and devices, planting of trees and vegetables and integration of trees in agricultural farms as wind breaks and generate bio-intensive development for natural fertilizers and wildlife/insect habitat.
Other practical guides include waste segregation and recycling, re-using of grocery plastic bags when shopping, non-burning of garbage at home and advocating the same to barangays/communities and using organic fertilizers instead of inorganic, chemicals and pesticides.
Margie L. Gadian, Manager Philippine Information Agency (PIA) encouraged Information Officers to do their share in advocating and disseminating information on Climate Change and Global Warming in their respective agencies and local government units to help people understand its effects in their lives and environment and how it can be mitigated.
The Information Officers agreed to integrate the subject matter in their information dissemination and advocacy activities especially in barangay assemblies and community meetings.
Students/ youths are also encouraged to join the advocacy because they will be the stewards of the Earth in the years to come. (PS Mabaquiao/PIA)