PH advocates walking to Paris for #COP21: ‘We are safe’

MANILA, Philippines – It was early morning in his location in France, but Rodne Galicha had no sleep since he heard about the terror attacks in Paris on Friday night, November 13. 

“I am worried,” Galicha told Rappler even after marking himself “safe” on the Facebook safety check.

Galicha and 9 other Filipinos, including former Philippine climate change negotiator Yeb Saño, are on the final leg of their walk from Rome to the French capital, where a key climate summit will be held early December. Dubbed “People’ Pilgrimage,” the journey of at least 21 environmental activists from Congo, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, the Philippines, and USA calls on world leaders meeting in Paris to come up with a meaningful agreement on global warming. 

The environmental activists were monitoring the livestreamed climate event, “24 Hours of Reality and Live Earth: The World Is Watching,” from the iconic Eiffel Tower hosted by The Climate Reality Project chairman Al Gore when the attacks happened. 

“We were broadcasting the first 3 segments (when) Al Gore announced that the event will be discontinued,” Galicha said.

For now, Galicha and his group are forced to stay put after neighborhoods were closed off and the French borders sealed following the coordinated attacks that killed at least 120. 

“Given the declaration of state of emergency and the closing of borders, we are aware and conscious about our security but we will continue praying for the safety of all,” Galicha told Rappler. (READ: IN PHOTOS: November 13 Paris attacks)

According to Galicha, the group will hold an emergency meeting Saturday, November 14, to discuss security measures and the fate of their journey to nearby Paris, which is still reeling from jihadist attacks in January.

The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has not received any report of Filipinos hurt in the bloody attacks, Malacañang said as of late Saturday morning. 

Deputy President Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview on state-run dzRB that Philippine embassy officials in Paris are ready to assist Filipino citizens who need help and urged them to cooperate with French authorities. – Rappler.com