Climate Change and Conflict
This past week, I traveled to the Philippines. It is a first for me. It almost breaks my mind to meet a people that seem so remarkably friendly helpful and yet the country as a whole has major Conflict issues including an uneasy truce between the southern area and the rest of the country. But that is for a later post.
This past week, thanks to G'14 classmate, Pearl Pacada, I was taken to the province of Tarlac, 2 hours north of Manila. This happens to be where Pearl is from and also the province she was former Vice-Governor. Thanks to her, I was able to have a number of candid conversations with political members about the effects of climate change and even the conflict happening down south. Already, Typhoons are having more damaging landfall results and areas once sheltered from typhoon activities have started feeling the effects of larger storms or storms that have shifted from their traditional courses. Tarlac is actually positioned to ride out the climate change pattern fairly well given its location, however the province directly south of Tarlac which borders Manila will not be so lucky. Speaking with someone from the Provincial Capital, the Climate Change report done for the Institute of Governors outlined a 100 year model forecasting predictable impacts from climate change. It shows a rise in sea level which would put up to half of Manila and a large 20 km swath of the neighboring province underwater. That is hundreds of square kilometers of urban and agricultural land that will be submerged forcing resettlement of lands and a reduction in food production. However, it is more then just the technical problem of a new coast line and population resettlement. Filipino family units and the very social structure is based on long standing traditions with families occupying the same area (even the same house, village, plot of land) for generations. The loss of these areas will not just be a loss of farmland or village but a fundamental shift/loss/disruption to peoples very identities. On Saturday, I helped Pearl conduct her leadership workshop for 16 young high school women from her province. Hosted by Soroptimist International of Tarlac, the purpose of this workshop was to begin to give these young women the skills/tools needed to empower them. The social challenges they face are daunting. Philippine culture is not renowned for the empowerment of young women, especially in these rural areas where the most that is expected is for them to find a good husband from a good family to marry and then take over running the home. It was very exciting for me to be able to take part in these workshop and help possibly show these young women another way, or at least give them the tools to make them more empowered however their future turns out. Given the Climate Change report, they will certainly need to face some difficult challenges in their future.
1 Comment
Marta
3/17/2015 03:41:37 pm
Hi Dan!
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