Quezon City Mayor Josefina “Joy” Belmonte’s commitment to environmental protection can be traced to the aftermath of the worst storm to hit the Philippines in decades. When Typhoon Ketsana struck in 2009, it unleashed ferocious downpours and floods that submerged roads and forced residents onto their rooftops for refuge. As the floodwaters receded, they left a river of plastic bags, sachets and other litter in their wake. That sight left a lasting impact on Belmonte, who successfully ran for vice mayor of Quezon City in 2009 before becoming its mayor in 2019. “I'm a good governance advocate,” Belmonte told the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). “Good governance involves good stewardship of the environment.” Only the second female mayor in the history of Quezon City, home to 3.1 million, Belmonte has pursued a raft of policies to end plastic pollution, counter climate change and green the city. For her efforts to transform Quezon City into an environmental trailblazer, Belmonte has been named the 2023 Champion of the Earth for Policy Leadership, one of the UN’s highest environmental honours. “Mayor Josefina Belmonte’s passionate leadership and policy achievements exemplify how local authorities can solve global environmental problems,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “Cities can be the dynamic engines of change we need to overcome the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste – and mayors can help to lead that charge.” Fighting the throwaway culture Quezon City was the Philippines’ capital for 27 years until the title returned to Manila in 1976. Today, it is the country’s most populous city and is part of Metro Manila. Belmonte’s connections to this place run deep. Not only was she born and raised here, but her father, Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte, was its ninth mayor. Despite an early exposure to politics, Belmonte’s interests initially led her elsewhere – including to a career as an archaeologist. But in the end, the call to public service proved too strong. “If you can be in a position where you can be a source of inspiration to others and become the root of positive change for millions of people, then it is worth it,” she said. For Belmonte, positive change means prioritizing action on the environment to create a liveable, green and sustainable city. Under Belmonte’s leadership, Quezon City has focused on reducing plastic pollution and extending the life of plastic products already in circulation. “Plastic pollution is a major problem in the Philippines, as in many parts of the world, because of the throwaway culture,” Belmonte said. “Plastics clog our drainage systems and end up in the oceans. We know that plastic waste becomes microplastics that can be consumed in the food we eat, the air we breathe and even in the water we drink, which affects our health.” Globally, humanity’s addiction to short-lived plastic products has created an environmental catastrophe. Around 19 to 23 million tonnes of plastic annually leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas. To stem that flow, experts say the world must fundamentally alter its relationship with plastic by using less of the material, eliminating single-use products, reusing what plastics are produced and finding environmentally friendly alternatives. Under Belmonte, Quezon City has banned single-use plastic bags, cutlery, straws and containers in hotels, restaurants and fast-food chains for dine-in customers, as well as single-use packaging material. Since 2021, residents have been able to trade in their recyclables and single-use plastic products for environmental points that can be used to buy food and pay electricity bills under the “Trash to Cashback” scheme. City authorities have even started a “Vote to Tote” programme to turn tarpaulins used in election campaigning into bags. Still, millions of single-use plastic sachets are thrown away every day in the Philippines, which is a major source of ocean plastics. Though sachets allow households more affordable access to essentials for cooking, hygiene and sanitation, they cannot be recycled effectively, causing serious environmental harm, experts say. “Sachet culture really gets to me. It really is something that makes me angry because it is there because we are a poor country,” Belmonte said. “Major manufacturers need to do their part and change the way they package products to make them more environmentally friendly.” To combat plastic pollution, Belmonte launched in 2023 an initiative to help put refill stations for essentials, such as washing-up liquid and liquid detergent, in convenience stores across the city. With products that are often less expensive than their packaged counterparts, the stations have been received positively and will be piloted in over 6,000 stores next year, Belmonte said. Last year, a historic UN resolution was passed to develop a legally binding international instrument to end plastic pollution. Belmonte has been vocal about the need for a “truly ambitious” global instrument. “Mayors want to be part of the negotiating table because we have very practical experience to bring,” she said. “The real work is at the level of cities. We already know that when change happens at the level of cities, it happens much more rapidly.” Earning trust Under Belmonte, Quezon City has also developed an ambitious plan to reduce its carbon emissions by 30 per cent in 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. It has declared a state of climate emergency to unlock spending, amounting to 11–13 per cent of the city’s annual budget, on programmes that mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis. There are plans to double the number of parks in the city, introduce more electric buses and almost quadruple the network of bike lanes by 2030 to fight pollution. Other green initiatives include promoting urban farming and deploying equipment that allows community farms to transform organic waste into methane gas that can be used for cooking. Although Belmonte has worked hard to forge her own path, she considers one piece of advice from her father to be priceless: “Always spend time with the people. Especially go to the poor communities, because when you go to the communities and you see how difficult life is for people in the grassroots, you'll never think of abusing power.” It is advice that has shaped her political approach, helped her to build public trust and contributed to her popularity among voters. She was re-elected mayor in 2022 and regularly scores the highest approval ratings among metro Manila’s mayors. “People will buy into your vision if you value what they have to say. That is the best way to get all of our environmental issues across,” Belmonte said. About the UNEP Champions of the Earth The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Champions of the Earth honours individuals and organizations whose actions have a transformative impact on the environment. The annual Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour. #EarthChamps About the #BeatPollution campaign To fight the pervasive impact of pollution on society, UNEP launched #BeatPollution, a strategy for rapid, large-scale and coordinated action against air, land and water pollution. The strategy highlights the impact of pollution on climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and human health. Through science-based messaging, the campaign showcases how transitioning to a pollution-free planet is vital for future generations.

27 OCTOBER, MANILA—The United Nations (UN) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) convened over 200 local chief executives at the Philippine Mayors Forum to discuss how local government units (LGUs) can help contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The forum was organized to accelerate implementation of the the SDGs at the local government level through the sharing of best practices on sustainable urban development, multi-level governance, and the use of digital technology. In his keynote speech, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said, “It was an inspired revelation for the UN to recognise that it will need local government assistance. We are talking about global issues here, but we depend on the local government.” “I welcome this forum which seeks to harness the power of innovation, digital governance, resiliency-building to ensure that the government can better respond to the demands of the times. And when I speak of government, I speak of government at every level,” he added. DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. also underscored the critical role played by cities: “The road to sustainable development runs through cities.” UN Resident Coordinator Gustavo González further emphasized the need to coordinate action on the SDGs with LGUs as part of the Philippines’ whole-of-nation approach to development.  “Local governments are closer to the level where actions are more likely to produce measurable results in a more responsive and inclusive process. They are first responders in challenging situations, as well as critical engines in transforming the lives of people,” he said.  Around two-thirds of SDG targets are expected to be met in or by cities and municipalities. The UN also introduced the recently signed Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework during the forum and discussed how the UN Country Team in the Philippines works with and supports LGUs on SDG localization.

23 OCTOBER, MANILA—The United Nations Joint Programme for Human Rights in the Philippines (UNJP) convened today representatives from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Philippine Congress, academe and civil society organizations to strengthen human rights approaches on key pending legislation. Among the bills discussed include four filed in the Senate covering the protection of human rights defenders (Senate Bill [SB] 2447), the CHR Charter (SB 2440), anti-discrimination (SB 1264), and the establishment of a Forensics Institute (SB 694). Two bills filed in the House of Representatives were also tackled, concerning the establishment of the National Preventive Mechanism (House Bill [HB] 8780), and a bill on mandatory autopsy (HB 8384). The roundtable discussion was organized to promote human rights in these proposed laws, particularly their compliance with national and international human rights standards and good practices. “Parliaments are the guardians of human rights,” said UN Philippines Resident Coordinator Gustavo González, adding that members of Congress play a vital role in ensuring that national laws cover the spectrum of citizens’ political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights. He added, “Legislators also play a crucial oversight role in ensuring government compliance with international human rights obligations and translating them into national legislation and policies.” CHR Chairperson Richard Paat Palpal-latoc underscored the importance of the discussion, saying, “These bills play an integral role in our shared aspirations for human rights and society.” “Let us continue to work together on the passage of these bills as doing so will result in impactful outcomes that will change the lives of many for the better,” he said.

MANILA — The United Nations (UN) in the Philippines convened a panel of gender advocates on 17 October to discuss the role played by women leaders in democracy, peacebuilding, and the pursuit of sustainable development. The panel, composed of Senator Risa Hontiveros, Representative Edcel Lagman, Member of Parliament (MP) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Froilyn Mendoza, and trade union leader Joanna Bernice Coronacion, tackled the challenges faced by women in pushing forward inclusive legislation and policies, as well as the continued importance of creating an enabling environment for women and girls to lead in spite of these hurdles.  Broadcast journalist Karen Davila, who was recently named a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, moderated the discussion. Among the key issues discussed was the ratio of women to men in leadership positions in government and whether a quota system would be a viable solution to address uneven representation, particularly in Congress and the BARMM Parliament. Though the panelists expressed their reservations with the quota system, Sen. Hontiveros highlighted that it could jumpstart the process of increasing women’s participation in the legislature.  A similar policy has recently been approved in the BARMM, following the passage of the region’s Electoral Code in March: at least 30 percent of each political party’s nominees must be women.  However, even with a quota system to address some barriers to entry for representation, the panelists identified another persistent concern to women’s meaningful participation: the harassment faced by women in positions of power, particularly those who are vulnerable to intersectional discrimination, such as women indigenous leaders or women with disabilities. The panelists shared their experiences and observations of instances of harassment against them and their colleagues, which they attributed partly to the country’s machismo culture. The panelists also underscored the need for effective implementation of existing laws in the Philippines, which they noted has some of the strongest legislation for the protection and empowerment of women in the world. This panel discussion is part of a series of events throughout October for UN Month to highlight and strengthen the collaborations between the UN and partners in government, civil society, private sector and the international community. With the theme "SDGs: A Race We Can Win," which is part of the global campaign, these events aim to amplify the drumbeat of opportunity to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Activities around UN Day also underscore the continuing importance and role of multilateralism and collective action to turn the UN’s vision for a better future for all into reality.