Groups urge climate action in May polls

MANILA As climate change becomes more visible in the routines of ordinary Filipinos, environmental watchdogs are calling on voters to reflect its urgency through their ballot in the May 12 elections.

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In observance of Earth Day, Greenpeace Philippines said on Tuesday, April 22, that there is no better time for Filipinos to put "climate justice front and center on the policy agenda." It recalls how the past year was marked by climate extremes: blistering heat with temperatures soaring closer to 50°C and a train of cyclones tearing through the country in just a month.

Recent election surveys, however, show that Filipinos' top concerns are primarily economic job opportunities, food security, healthcare and equal access to education.

While climate change was raised as a separate issue and remains a top concern for many voters, Greenpeace said these economic challenges are already deeply intertwined with the impacts of climate change.