CLIMATE activists and local residents will take to the streets of Cagayan de Oro on Saturday (November 16) for a ‘Walk/Run/Ride for Climate Justice’ event, calling for urgent climate action and reparations from wealthy nations.

The rally, organized by the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) as part of a Global Day of Action, serves as a lead-up to the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Participants will gather at Gaston Park at 5 am before proceeding through the city, with walkers, runners, and cyclists joining the route to the Amphitheater for a brief program.

The event is led by the Kinaiyahan Coalition, a collective of environmental groups in Cagayan de Oro, together with the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro.

PEDAL FOR PEOPLE, PLANET. As the dawn breaks in the background, bikers from Cagayan de Oro city congregate at the Cepalco solar plant in Barangay Indahag, the starting line of the 2nd leg of the 2023 Pedal for People and Planet bike activity on June 4. They are pedaling to call action for climate change. The route took the participants all the way to Barangay Kiliog, Libona Municipality. File photo by Pat Jared V. Pangantihon

Mary Lyn Sabellano, Climate Action and Community Engagement officer for PMCJ Misamis Oriental, called on the city government to declare a climate emergency.

“We urge the city government to address the worsening impacts of climate change affecting Cagayan de Oro, including frequent floods, water shortages, and rising urban heat. We need to act now, as we are nearing a tipping point,” she told Gold Star Daily.

Local advocate Pat Pangantihon, PMCJ policy officer for Mindanao, pointed out the importance of immediate action to prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“The Philippines is among the most vulnerable to extreme weather events, yet we lack the resources for adequate climate adaptation. We need both local and national governments to push for climate action and to demand increased financial support from wealthier countries,” Pangantihon said.

The nationwide campaign calls on the Philippine government to declare a climate emergency and press international institutions for climate finance, underscoring the urgency to protect vulnerable communities from worsening environmental impacts.