Legarda’s environmental legacy calls for daily action beyond earth day

As Earth Day renews global focus on environmental issues, Senator Loren Legarda reminds Filipinos that true stewardship of the planet should happen every day, not just once a year.

“Earth Day should not be observed only once a year. It must be a daily reminder of our shared responsibility to protect and preserve our environment,” Legarda said, calling on the public to embrace sustainable living and back policies that support clean energy.

Echoing this year’s theme, Our Power, Our Planet, the senator underscored the need for collective action in speeding up the country’s shift to renewable energy. She stressed that every Filipino plays a role in the energy transition, not just industry leaders.

“The energy transition cannot be left to industry alone. Our energy transition must include every Filipino. When a household installs a solar panel, participates in net-metering, or when a business chooses the green energy option, it is not merely adopting a new technology—it is asserting its right to clean air, lower costs, and a livable future. Community microgrids bring not just power to homes, but economic gains to businesses, lower bills for everyone, and stronger resilience during crises,” she said.

Legarda’s environmental advocacy is grounded in lawmaking. She authored and co-sponsored the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act, both aimed at advancing energy reforms and climate solutions. She linked energy choices to public health and social equity.

“Cleaner energy means fewer emissions—and fewer lives lost to asthma, heart disease, and maternal complications linked to pollution. It means protecting women and children, who are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation,” she said.

Alongside these, Legarda has authored key environmental laws including the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, the Climate Change Act, and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act. These serve as foundations for the country’s climate resilience and environmental policies.

As part of her Earth Day message, she urged Filipinos to take action in simple but meaningful ways.

“This Earth Day, I call on every Filipino to take part—at home, in the barangay, at work. Plant trees. Turn off what you don’t need. Choose LED lights. Explore solar technologies and local microgrids. Demand clean energy choices from providers and support policies that bring us closer to a decentralized, democratized energy future. Our shift to cleaner energy is more than a change in infrastructure—it reflects a deeper shift in values,” Legarda said.

Her decades-long legislative work continues to shape national conversations on sustainability, reminding Filipinos that protecting the planet is a shared responsibility that starts with action, every single day.