BEING IN THE environment movement, I get to see and feel how intensely and tirelessly many advocates work to make the country green, clean, beautiful, and sustainable. That it would be disheartening for the Philippines to still rank very low in recent global environment performance indices.
GLOBAL RANKINGS
Of 180 countries, the Philippines placed 168th in the 2024 Performance Environmental Index of Yale University and Columbia University. It scored 32.1 out of 100, which is below the Asia-Pacific median. The biennial EPI ranks countries on climate change performance (mainly mitigation), environmental health(air quality, sanitation and drinking water, heavy metals), and ecosystem vitality (biodiversity and habitat, forest, agriculture, fisheries, air pollution). Through establishing a data-driven summary of the state of sustainability around the world, it seeks to guide countries aspiring to be more sustainable.
Also, in the 2025 Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index, Ph placed 116th out of 187 in addressing climate vulnerability and 197th of 220 countries in the Ocean Health Index.
‘As all actions will ripple longer and more seriously to the next generations, wisdom also dictates that the youth, from grade school to graduate class levels must already be more rooted on the critical importance of increased environmental knowledge and active participation in sustainability efforts.’
WHY WE LAG BEHIND
The EPI highlights connections among governance, economic resources, and environmental performance. How is this connection in our country?
While the Philippine government has enacted anumber of landmark environment laws notably on clean air, ecological solid waste management, wildlife conservation and protection, and climate change, the implementation is still far from ideal by local advocate standards. Moving forward, of the government budgetfor 2026 which is P 6.793 trillion, only 0.43% has been allocated for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources which is seen by some as very small but not unexpected.
There’s also criticism on prioritizing infrastructure over environment protection and social justice programs. Where and how science, including nature-based solutions to major environmental problems, will fit in the national program must definitely require a bigger and more determined push.
Politics also muddles the undertaking of environment programs. At national and local levels,dynastic and big-business preferences still hover widely, compromising ecosystem integrity and community life. Public servants will have to be schooled better on environmental principles to be more equipped to cascade them to their communities.Environmental NGOs will be of big help here.
STEWARDSHIP: A CRITICAL FACTOR
Bottomline, it is still how much and how well institutions and individuals value their common home (planet earth) and their territorial space (ridge to reef). Both forces must also be able to harmonize their dreams and realities, and not forgetting the global impact each country stands to make to the whole of the inter-connected creation. Improved standings in the global performance measures is a motivating aspiration.
As all actions will ripple longer and more seriously to the next generations, wisdom also dictates that the youth, from grade school to graduate class levels must already be more rooted on the critical importance of increased environmental knowledge and active participation in sustainability efforts.
It is reasonable for the Generation Z, seen as the political and technological game-changer, to also match their current political activism with a more passionate environment stewardship. And of course, those who wield power, in both policies and budgets, must lead the way as green warriors.