VP Sara on Earth Day: Climate infra corruption a ‘threat’ to national security

In observance of Earth Day, Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday said the supposed corruption in climate infrastructure projects is considered a “threat” to national security.

Duterte said the mishandling of the budget allocated for flood control projects affects Filipinos whenever there are strong typhoons hitting the country. 

“Ito ang nangyayari kapag kinalimutan nating igalang ang mundong ating kinagisnan. Ang singil ng kapabayaan natin ay pasan ng mga mamamayang Pilipino,” she said in a video statement. 

(This is what happens when we forget to respect the world we come from. The burden of our lapses falls on the Filipino people.) 

“Kapag ang bilyon-bilyong inilaan para sa flood control ay ninanakaw o sinasayang, hindi lang natin binibigo ang kalikasan, ipinagkakanulo natin ang ating sariling mamamayan. Ang korapsyon ng ating climate infrastructure ay isang tuwirang banta sa ating national security,” she added. 

(When billions of pesos earmarked for flood control are stolen or wasted, we are not just failing the environment, we are betraying our own people. The corruption in our climate infrastructure is a direct threat to our national security.) 

Duterte said that under the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) “PagbaBAGo: A Million Trees Campaign,” a million trees were planted in a span of three years “to provide nature-based solution” to the country's flood problem.

“Hindi ito proyekto lamang; ito ay usapin ng survival,” she said. 

(This is not a mere project; it is a matter of survival.) 

The Vice President thus reminded the public that tree planting is the simplest climate action anyone can take to help the environment.

“Hindi natin kailangan ng dambuhalang budget. Ang kailangan natin ay punla at ang paninindigan para sa kinabukasan ng ating mga anak,” Duterte said. 

(We don't need a huge budget. All we need is a seedling and a commitment to our children's future.) —RF, GMA News