WeGen Distributed Energy Philippines and WeGen Laudato Si’ united with the rest of the world in celebrating the 5th anniversary of Pope Francis' encyclical 'Laudato Si' and the launch of the "International Laudato Si’ Revolution” campaign. WeGen actively supported the online forum sponsored by Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas held last May 23, a day before the actual anniversary date on May 24. The forum was broadcasted live on Facebook and on Zoom.
WeGen also released its own video supporting Laudato Si’ on its Facebook page, and it featured various employees sharing messages on the need for ecological conversion.
Laudato Si’ and COVID-19
Auxiliary Bishop of Manila Broderick Pabillo and spiritual director of LAIKO gave the opening remarks of the program, saying that discussing Laudato Si’ is very important as a preparation for the lifting of the quarantine.
He said that discussions on Laudato Si’ and its calls for ecological conversion are very timely given the current global health crisis caused by COVID-19. Bishop Gerardo A. Alminaza of San Carlos, Vice Chairman of Caritas Philippines was the main speaker and resource person. His sharing focused on the topic “Laudato Si’ Lifestyles… New Mindsets for Emerging and Alternative Ministries”.
He explained that Filipinos should use Laudato Si’ as a guide on how to resume our lives after the pandemic. Bishop Alminaza emphasized the power of mindsets and how they are always at the back of our decisions, our actions, our feelings. This, he said, is why it’s important to see where people are coming from because this will have an impact on how they recognize problems and whether or not they will act on them or not and how.
Cultivating Environment-Friendly Behavior and Mindset
“We need to have paradigm shifts so we can appreciate the ecological conversion which Pope Francis is praying for all of us to experience. In the spiritual growth process, we start with awareness. We name this awareness accurately, then we own it, and we decide what to do with it,” he said. Bishop Alminaza then enumerated some of the concerns that people, he said, should become aware of, acknowledge, and address.
In the six chapters of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis expounds on all them:
• The intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet
• The value proper to each creature, the human meaning of ecology
• The need for fortnight and honest debate and dialogue
• The serious responsibility of international and local policy
• The need to address and shed off the throwaway culture and the proposal of a new lifestyle • Many things have to change, but it is human beings above all who have to change.
All of this, the Bishop said, concern the state of the planet now and the climate emergency we are facing. “Laudato Si’ was written five years before the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, but it has never been more relevant today as then. We need a shift in behavior, especially now during this time of the pandemic,” he said.
The entirety of Bishop Alminaza’s presentation was focused on the terrible environmental situation the country and the rest of the planet is facing caused by , among many factors, the ravages of irresponsible mining, logging, and massive land conversion; the pollution and destruction of the ozone layer caused by the emissions of coal-fired power plants; and the millions of tons of waste generated by single-use plastic containers.
What Individuals Can Do to Help the Environment
He also cited some of the actions which Pope Francis cited that individuals should do as part of their own efforts to cultivate a mindset and lifestyle that cares for the environment:
• Avoid the use of plastic and paper
• Be conscious of water consumption
• Separate refuse
• Cook only what can reasonably be consumed
• Show care for other living beings... using public transport or carpooling
• Plant trees
• Turn off unnecessary lights
• Reuse things instead of immediately discarding them
• Say grace before and after meals
• Be completely present to everyone and to everything.
Push for the Philippines’ Transition to Renewable Energy and Solar
Bishop Alminaza also included in his discussion updates on how the struggle to popularize and institutionalize the use of renewable energy sources in the country is faring. He said that much still has to be done to implement the already significant number of comprehensive laws supporting RE, and to convince the Rodrigo Duterte government to support RE technologies instead of putting up more coal-fired power plants.
As he concluded his sharing, Bishop Alminaza emphasized the necessity and urgency of strengthening partnerships between individuals, groups, and mass movements that promote RE and adhere to the ecological framework being proposed in Laudato Si’. In his PowerPoint presentation, the Bishop cited WeGen Distributed Energy Philippines as a partner of the church in promoting RE, specifically solar energy as a way to help the planet in keeping with the recommendations of Laudato Si’ and also the Social Development Goals (SDS) set by the United Nations (UN). #