From ballots to climate action: A call for responsible voting

The planet is on the ballot today. As Filipinos head to the polls for the 2025 national and local elections, so too must we recognize that climate action begins at the ballot box. Every vote cast is a choice for the kind of future we want, one that either protects or puts at further risk our fragile ecosystems. We must vote wisely and responsibly, especially for the sake of the youth and children who will live with the consequences of today’s decisions.

Young people, particularly those aged 18 to 30, are not just leaders-in-waiting. They are shaping the present. Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) and Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2007) together make up about 63 percent of registered voters, with Gen Z alone accounting for 21.87 million or 28.79 percent of the voting age population. This demographic has the numbers and the power to influence outcomes that align our vision for a more sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient Philippines.

Across the country, young Filipinos actively participate in climate action, from using digital platforms to raise awareness to participating in campus climate forums. They also join community efforts such as mangrove planting and coastal cleanups.

This active involvement makes it important for the youth to choose leaders who share their values.

The campaign season gives us the opportunity to examine candidates’ platforms, not just their advocacies and agenda, but their commitment to sustainable development, climate justice and ecological protection.

At the Climate Change Commission (CCC), we recognize the importance of electing leaders who understand science, listen to communities, and act with urgency and foresight. We need leaders who will not only serve as public officials but as stewards of the Earth.

Climate change remains one of the most pressing governance challenges of our time. Rising temperatures, extreme precipitation, sea level rise, and the increasing intensity of tropical cyclones continue to endanger Filipino lives and livelihoods.

These impacts threaten our homes, our health, our economy, and, ultimately, our future. Climate change is no longer a distant concern but a daily reality.

This crisis demands urgent and effective solutions rooted in science, anchored in policy and delivered with a whole-of-government approach. In all levels of governance — national and local — climate action and disaster preparedness must be integrated into every aspect of development planning.

As the lead policymaking body on climate change, the CCC works to guide the country toward a more adaptive and climate-resilient future. Legislation and policies, such as the landmark Republic Act 9729, or the Climate Change Act of 2009, have institutionalized climate governance and created the CCC itself — thanks to visionary leaders who valued sustainability and the right of every Filipino to a balanced and healthy ecosystem.

At the grassroots level, the same vision is realized through the Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs), which every local government unit is mandated to develop. These plans outline adaptation and mitigation strategies tailored to their respective vulnerabilities and capacities. The CCC supports LGUs by providing planning templates and guidelines, capacity-building activities, and technical reviews that ensure the alignment with national climate priorities.

These mechanisms underscore one key truth: leadership matters.

Local leaders are on the frontlines of climate change. They are first to face its impacts and first to respond when disasters strike. National leaders, on the other hand, create the enabling environment by crafting the laws and policies that set the direction and determine the success or failure of our collective climate response.

As voters, we all have a role to play. Responsible voting means choosing leaders who prioritize climate action, understand climate risks, and include ecological protection in their agenda.

This responsibility extends to the campaign trail. How candidates conduct themselves reflects their values. Did they consider the sustainability of their campaign materials? Did they avoid plastic-heavy, single-use items? Were their materials responsibly managed?

Mismanaged campaign materials, many made of tarpaulin, can clog waterways, contribute to urban flooding, and end up in landfills and seas, releasing emissions that worsen climate change. Candidates and supporters should take the lead in reducing waste, recycling and upcycling, turning campaign season into an opportunity to support both the planet and local livelihoods.

To our fellow voters, the individuals we elect have the power to shape our national priorities, influence climate and environmental policies, and protect the natural systems we depend on. Let us vote with intention and foresight. Let us choose leaders who integrate climate action into their plans, not as an afterthought but as a guiding principle.

Climate change threatens the very foundation of our survival. Without a healthy ecosystem, our communities cannot thrive.

But laws, policies, and plans are only the beginning. They must be matched by a whole-of-society commitment — communities, businesses, institutions, and individuals — to turn frameworks into tangible, lasting results.

Today, 12 May, let us vote with the planet in mind. Let us choose leaders who will help secure a climate-resilient, sustainable tomorrow — for the youth, our shared future and for our beloved Philippines.