Senator Legarda Urges Southeast Asia to Prioritize Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development

Senator Loren Legarda has called on Southeast Asian nations to reshape their development frameworks in response to the escalating climate emergency, advocating for a focus on resilience, environmental stewardship, and the preservation of human dignity. Delivering the keynote address as the 83rd Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellow at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, Legarda praised Singapore’s forward-thinking governance, attributing the city-state’s achievements to Lee Kuan Yew’s early attention to critical challenges like water scarcity and limited land resources.

She emphasized that "true nation-building rests not only on physical infrastructure but on the architecture of governance, the stewardship of resources, visionary long-term planning, and ensuring the dignity of people." Contrasting this with the Philippines’ vulnerability, she noted the country has been ranked among the world’s most climate-threatened for three consecutive years.

"A single typhoon can erase billions in agricultural output, shatter infrastructure, and wipe out years of human development gains," Legarda warned. Despite these challenges, she expressed determination, underscoring the need for resilience and renewal, while rejecting complacency.

"Climate change will not limit us; it must compel us to think differently, act decisively, and transform profoundly," she stated.

Legarda highlighted key legislation she has championed, such as the Climate Change Act, the Renewable Energy Act, and the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) Act, framing these laws as both technical and moral imperatives that integrate climate action into national development.

Acknowledging ongoing dependence on polluting technologies and car-focused infrastructure in the Philippines, she remains optimistic about a generational shift toward sustainability.

"If all this chaos does not lead us to a future more geared towards a circular economy, reliant on nature instead of concrete and corruption, only then will I give up. At this point, I am far from giving up," Legarda affirmed.

She introduced pending bills designed to complete the nation’s climate resilience framework, encompassing measures on the blue economy, low-carbon transition, plastic taxation, circular economy, and coastal zone protection.

Legarda stressed the regional impact of these initiatives, noting, "When the Philippines invests in our ecosystems, we also invest in the health of ASEAN’s shared seas and Asia-Pacific’s shared atmosphere."

She challenged ASEAN member states to adopt a unified regional approach to circular economy standards, disaster preparedness, and resilient infrastructure development.

Concluding her address, Legarda declared, "Progress must be redefined, not by what we extract, but by what we sustain; not by the wealth of a few, but by the dignity of all. Let our legacy be nothing less than transformation and transcendence."