Center for External Affairs, in collaboration with the Office for Student Affairs and Services, held a webinar on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action entitled “The Youth as Climate Action Leaders” on November 24, 2022 via Facebook Live on the CHMSU Official Facebook Page. This was organized in line with the National Environmental Awareness Month theme.
In her welcome remarks, Director for Student Affairs and Services Janet P. Espinosa, PhD gave a brief overview of SDG 13 and its targets. Espinosa also stated that the youth can do a lot of things such as join environmental groups, participate in government and non-government programs against climate change, and more.
Resource speaker Teodoro “Ted” Angelo Villanueva, Liceo Student Activities Coordinator of University of St. La Salle and Co-Founder and President of Youth Empowering Youth Initiative, Inc., began his talk by presenting young individuals actively involved in climate action advocacies in their respective countries and communities. His list included Carmela Ellaga, a CHMSU Binalbagan Campus alumna and camp facilitator of Danjugan Island Environmental Education Program (DEEP) of the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation (PRRCFI). He stated that these people share the common characteristics of being young, impactful, and empaths.
Villanueva continued with a discussion on the impacts of climate change and how young people can combat these realities by continuing to learn, love and live for the community, and lead starting with the self. He also emphasized that humanity is facing a deadline, “We need to do things urgently. We are running out of time.” He challenged the viewers to act now because the world may reach a threshold where there will be no turning back, “Your generation will either make or break the future.”
After the talk, the viewers participated in an open forum and took the chance to ask for advice on climate action leadership and how to empower other young people to take part in activities for the environment.
CEA Director Rhoderick K. Samonte closed the event with a message of gratitude to the speaker for sharing his insights and inspiration. He also expressed his agreement that there is no time to waste in terms of climate action. “Change will not happen if we will just sit down and wait for it. It will only happen when we all do our share and work together,” he said.
