Last November 28 at the San Roque Cathedral in Caloocan City , the WeGen Social Transformation Team gave a short talk about climate change and its effects to some 40 children from families directly affected by the campaign of extrajudicial killings of the Duterte government as implemented under the so-called war against drugs.
The children were introduced to the concepts of global warming, fossil fuel use, environmental degradation, and the intersectionality of the issues of consumption and production habits and the environment. “It’s important that children are taught social realities, and this includes issues about the environment. The lack of awareness and correct understanding about important issues is one of the reasons why society today has so many problems ranging from the political to the environmental. Not knowing about climate change, what causes it, and what the serious implications are for our environment, the planet, and humanity’s very survival makes people continue their practices and habits that are bad for the environment. This is why we should start teaching these issues to children because they are the ones who will inherit everything – good and bad – and inevitably they will be the most affected,” said the WeGen ST Team.
“We want to help educate Filipino children on what they can do to help and protect the environment even at a very young age. The older ones are actually receptive and can be advocates in the homes, schools, and communities.” With their ages ranging from 5 to 17 years old, the children come from different communities in Caloocan, Malabon, and Rizal. All of them have had a close relative – mothers, fathers, brothers - - killed by elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) or by unknown assailants also suspected of being connected to the PNP. Some of the children actually witnessed their relatives being abducted or killed in cases of the killings taking place in their own homes.
Their surviving parents or guardians are organized under the Samahan ng mga Biktima ng mga EJK, a support group which is assisted by Diocese of Caloocan and Caritas Caloocan under Sr. May Cano. In previous months, WeGen’s ST Team conducted two discussions in Caloocan on climate change, Laudato Si’, and renewable energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. The audience in those earlier talks were the surviving parents and grandparents of the children – the members of the group of relatives of EJK victims. Sr. May and the leader of the EJK support group Ms. Marianna Hao (her husband and eldest son were killed in August 2016) had earlier made the request to WeGen if the ST Team could organize a separate activity for children.
The November 28 talk was part of a whole-day art therapy workshop for the children meant to help them cope with the trauma and stress they experienced/are experiencing because of the death of their parents. The main sponsor of the activity is the 2KK Tulong sa Kapwa Kapatid Foundation, and the art therapy sessions were led by facilitators from the Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC) and the Salinlahi Alliance for Children's Concerns, with the help of 2KK Yapak Scholars.#