Philippines watchful on climate change after typhoon devastation

The Philippines, a country ravaged by a variety of natural disasters each year, voiced its full support for the campaign against climate change on Sunday. Presidential Communications Operation Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in an interview at a weekend radio program that the country had started implementing its comprehensive long-term plan and strategy for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Coloma said one specific campaign under the climate change adaptation and mitigation program is the reduction of the gas emission in the country that adds to pollution. The recent storm surge that accompanied typhoon Yolanda and devastated several provinces in the Philippines is being blamed on climate change. Philippine President Benigno Aquino III instructed Environment Secretary Ramon Paje to devise a comprehensive environment protection program to minimize the impact of storm surges, flooding and calamities following the devastation of Yolanda. Aquino also ordered Paje to impose a rule prohibiting building commercial and residential structures along the seashore, and to ensure the immediate planting of mangrove, which serves as a natural protection against big waves, Coloma said.