Illac Diaz & MyShelter Foundation

Illac Diaz doing his Presentation

Former Actor/Model and now turned Social Entrepreneur Illac Diaz presented his advocacy through the Understanding Choices Forum part1: "Living on the Edge" which was made up of representatives from the government, NGOs, Academe and student to talk about the reality that we are all facing and the effects of climate change and what we can do about it.

One thing that struck me where he mentions that "We Filipinos have gained a preference to storms as if it is the same thing and we don't really have to do anything about it.We allocate millions of so-called Calamity funds but can we act before the storm? Wouldn't that be more cheaper?”

The Understanding Choices Forum of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) was held last October 29, 2010 at the Eduardo Aboitiz Studies Center. Through the talks, I was able to learn a lot about the Philippines' role in climate change, that we are in the front lines and we need to adapt and find our own local-innovative measures since what applies in the 1st world countries may not apply to our situation.

Illac with RAFI's Evelyn Nacario-Castro

GREENING is not our Focus.

Most corporate social responsibility campaigns are focused on greening, he says, which should not be the case. We should focus on protecting ourselves and let the first world countries deal with greening, he advises. “We have to be solutions-oriented” as we are the frontline of the effects of climate change like harsh winds, and extreme droughts. Typhoon Frank and Typhoon Ketsena showed our need to build adaptive communities more than ever.

“The people who are not emitting or contributing most to climate change are affected more like Philippines. We are experiencing cumulative, irreversible and global effects of climate change. We want adaptation, resiliency, less rebuilding and less deaths.”

MySHELTER FOUNDATION

He presented then the things he was working on about the MyShelter Foundation which showed the 50th school built using old Spanish techniques that have been used to build centuries old cathedrals. Together with a group of Architects and Engineers, they designed schools that could withstand up to 300 KM/hr winds with only simple materials and tools to use (new science to old technology).

What’s interesting is that what they use as one of their building materials is the1.5L bottles. Why bottles? Well, it is obviously abundant; lasts of up to 700 years of natural decomposition. An interesting substitute for hollow blocks. Another option for their bottle-school designs are what they call "Earth Bags," or use the ever resilient Bamboo.

Alternative technology doesn’t have to mean it’s risky.” They  won four prestigious international design awards including AIM Youngest Honors and Prestige, Reader’s Digest Everyday Hero, MIT’s Humphrey Awardee.

It was really amazing and interesting to have heard Illac Diaz's Advocacy from himself as to reading it over the Internet or through reading materials. His passion for his craft and his drive to excellence and international standards has makes him very admirable and that he still continues to pursue and build disaster-resilient communities in an ever-changing climate of today.

“Climate Change is certain. Survivability is not.”

Climate Change and the Global Climate Politics Forum

Climate Change and the Global Climate Politics entails a lot of thought and information that needs to be discussed, and you may have some questions:

What is global climate politics?

What has been the recent 'climate' on global climate politics?

What is the truth of the matter on the climate change reports and initiatives i.e. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) marred with contoversies and debates?

What are the impacts on the failed negotiations, i.e. the last COP 15 in Copenhagen, Denmark failure to agree on a binding agreement for post-Kyoto negotiations and uncertainty of the upcoming COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico on December 2010 to the country and to each and every one of us?

The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) is inviting you to the second part of the Living on the Edge Series: Climate Change Focus of the RAFI-EADSC's Understanding Choices Forum entitled Climate Change and the Global Climate Politics. The forum will will be held on November 15, 2010, Monday, 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM at Bryant George Hall, Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. The forum will highlight inputs from two international climate change negotiators for the Philippines, Atty. Antonio La Viña and Ms. Esperanza Garcia. The forum intend to facilitate and broaden understanding on the daunting issue of climate change, particularly on the international debates on climate change and related global initiatives and its impact to the country and to each and every citizen.

About the Speakers:

La Vina is the Dean of the Ateneo School of Government and Chairman of the United Nations Collaborative Initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation at United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Climate Change Conferences of Parties (UNFCC COP).

Garcia, Director of the Global Warming and Climate Change Initiatives for the International Youth Council and 'Climate Voice’ writer for Oxfam covering news for the UN General Assembly and Clinton Global Initiative. She is the founder of the Philippine Youth Climate Movement.