Why climate activists are trekking from Manila to Tacloban, 10 years after Yolanda

ALBAY, Philippines – Age is just a number for some climate walkers taking part in a month-long journey to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda, a devastating weather event in southern Philippines that left more than 6,000 people dead in 2013.

Filcon Dumat-ol Rivera, 64 and from the island of Negros, is among the climate justice advocates who began the trek in Manila on October 8.

Bringing with him a bike made of bamboo, Rivera said the trip was for the people he cares for the most.

“I joined the climate walkers for the future of my grandchildren and future generations,” he told Rappler.

He said he was not the oldest member in their team. The title belonged to Arseñito Colaba, a 67-year-old retired professor from the University of the Philippines in Tacloban.

“[Colaba] survived the super typhoon,” Rivera added.

By October 24, the two men – and several others – have already walked around 500 kilometers from Manila to Legazpi, the fourth major stopover of their 30-day walk to Tacloban, Leyte, which was ground zero of the super typhoon’s wrath a decade ago.

The Climate Justice Walk is led by Greenpeace Southeast Asia executive director Yeb Sano.

In each stop, they connect with the local community, meeting church and public officials to raise awareness on the climate crisis. Previous stops included provinces of Laguna, Quezon, and Camarines Sur.

This is the second time they are doing this, after a similar activity back in 2014.

“This is a tribute to those who experience suffering and challenges in the face of the climate crisis. As we walk from Manila to Tacloban, it’s our aim to amplify the call for climate justice. It’s a matter of justice because this problem was caused by the activities of rich nations as well as big corporations and they refuse to take responsibility for it. Those who suffered the most are those who contributed the least to this crisis,” he said.

Last week, the group met with Albay Governor Grex Lagman and the Diocese of Legazpi.

The provincial government already declared a state of climate emergency, and is planning to mount a climate change summit early next year.

“We acknowledge the pressing need to limit global temperature rise to the 1.5 degrees Celsius target outlined in the Paris Agreement, which is essential to prevent a more catastrophic climate future. The gravity of this situation calls for an unprecedented collective response,” Lagman said.

The Climate Justice Walk seeks to elevate the call for climate reparations, among other goals.

Sano’s group is expected to reach Tacloban on November 8, the day Yolanda – known as Haiyan in the international community – made landfall in Eastern Visayas ten years ago.

It is one of the world’s most powerful tropical cyclones, affecting 16 million Filipinos and leaving $12 billion in damage. – Rappler.com