Press Release
October 8, 2009

LOREN CALLS FOR CREATION OF "GREEN ARMY", MORE GREEN JOBS

Staunch environmentalist and climate change advocate Senator Loren B. Legarda proposed the creation of a volunteer group to be trained to alert communities during the first sign of natural calamities such as earthquakes, rising sea levels and heavy rainfall.

The "green army" composed of kagawads, barangay officials and youth volunteers will be trained as an early warning brigade to lead evacuation efforts in disaster-prone areas. They will also conduct rescue and relief operations in affected localities, serving as the disaster response arm of local governments.

"If Bangladesh can gather 42,000 volunteers for disaster response, the Philippines can surely put together enough manpower from its 89 million population to become environment and community leaders. We need dedicated, passionate and dynamic volunteers to fight climate change and deal with its cruel consequences such as extreme weather events," she said.

Loren also called for the creation of green jobs, beginning with providing daily wages for the quick clean up of affected areas and the de-clogging of waterways.

"Many of the solutions to climate change are, surprisingly, nothing sophisticated. They are simple, doable and highly implementable. We only need to muster enough political will in bringing the issue to the fore," said Loren who chairs the Senate Committee on Climate Change.

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