Over 50 children and youth from various organizations urged the government to involve more young people in disaster risk reduction programs.
“We, children and youth of the Philippines, are not at fault for the climate crisis but suffer disproportionately from disasters," their statement read.
"We call on duty bearers to take decisive actions for and with children and youth and vulnerable groups towards resilient communities, schools, public infrastructure and climate justice," they added.
The youth also presented its commitment to each of the Sendai Framework's Priorities for Action and the Paris Agreement: Understanding disaster risk, strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk, investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience, and enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to build back better in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Their statements, gathered from the National Children and Youth Consultation on Disaster Risk Reduction, will be presented to disaster risk reduction and climate change decision-makers at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, which will be held in Manila from 14 to 17 October.
UNICEF earlier reported that children suffer most during any emergency, citing its study that the Philippines has the highest number of children displaced in the last six years from weather-related events at 9.7 million.
About 97 percent of children in the country also experience three or more types of shock, hazard, or stress.
According to the U-Report Philippines poll by UNICEF, 25 percent of the youth identified risks of injury as one of the main disasters impacts on children and youth.
About 20 percent said physical and mental health issues, while 18 percent answered educational disruption and difficulty in learning.
Among the challenges to youth participation in disaster risk reduction are lack of information, limited opportunities and lack of support from adults.