The Philippines is the country most exposed to natural calamities because of its geographic location. It is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a large Pacific Ocean region where many of the Earth’s volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. The archipelago is also in the Typhoon Belt. Tropical cyclones that hit the country generally produce heavy rains and flooding, and strong winds which result in numerous casualties to human life and destructions of crops and properties.
Aside from it being subjected to different types of typhoons, the Philippines is also one of those countries guilty of not taking care of the environment and thus contributing to climate change. Filipinos have not learned to segregate their trash. Many factories, buildings, powerplants and moving vehicles contribute to air pollution. Many forest trees are being cut down. All these contribute to the increase of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. CO2 is the gas mostly responsible for global warming. The heat trapping greenhouse gases are now at record
levels in the atmosphere when compared with the recent and distant past.
The recent Typhoon Odette (International name: Rai) that hit the country last December 2021 was very powerful and catastrophic. It was classified as Category 5 (Super Typhoon) and has left some provinces like Bohol, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and Siargao in ruins – so many trees uprooted, many houses damaged, overflowing rivers and 410 people were left dead. According to Wikipedia, Siargao was reported to be completely damaged, with an estimated cost of P20 million pesos.
Climate change is not only felt in the Philippines but in the whole world. That is why in his second encyclical letter, Laudato Si, Pope Francis called all people of the world to take a “swift and unified global action.” The Pope further said, “Our selfishness, our indifference, and our irresponsible ways are threatening the future of our children… From God’s hand we have received a garden, we cannot leave a desert to our children.” As a response to this call, Fr Francis Gustilo, President of Don Bosco School of Theology (DBST) launched DBST Green School that will help educate and prepare its students, faculty, and staff on how to be responsible citizens who care for the environment. Just imagine that all priests and lay catechists graduating from DBST are witnesses of a lifestyle and possess the mentality of Care for the Common Home, then, there is the great possibility that they will be the engine behind the movement of a Green world.
In his message to the Lay Mission Partners (LaMPs) last March 2, 2022, Archbishop Francesco Panfilo shared, “God always forgives when we do wrong, men and women sometimes forgive, but nature never forgives. If you go against nature, nature will get back at you.” We have to do our part in taking good care of Mother Earth and leave a greener future for the next generations.
The call is clear. The time is now. For the sake of the young and the poor, Don Bosco School of Theology chooses to be at the frontlines to provide them with a better home. Will you join us?
Note: Still on the topic of climate change, our next month’s newsletter will feature the story of Mr. Kenneth Shaw, a businessman in Siargao, who had a first-hand experience of the effects of climate change.
