Activists within the People’s Rising for Climate Justice Philippines (PRCJ-PH) network staged a protest at the Mendiola Peace Arch on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, marking the somber 10th anniversary of the devastating landfall of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Among the demonstrators were survivors of Typhoon Yolanda, who passionately demanded justice for the typhoon’s victims and the countless others affected by recent climate change-induced disasters.

They emphasized the role of “criminal negligence” by the Philippine government in exacerbating the damage caused by Typhoon Yolanda 10 years ago and subsequent extreme weather events.

Internationally known as Typhoon Haiyan, this super typhoon struck the Philippines in 2013, claiming the lives of 6,300 individuals across the nation. Yolanda remains one of the deadliest and most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded.

Photographs of the gathering captured protesters raising banners to underscore their concerns, and some participants even lay on pavements, covered in mud (as did the real victims in the aftermath of the devastating typhoon), symbolizing the urgency and gravity of their message.

(Report and photography by Benjamin Cuaresma/ai/mnm)

Climate and energy justice activists associated with the Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) convened outside the Embassy of Japan on Roxas Blvd. in Pasay City on Friday, November 3, 2023, the day Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived for a two-day state visit. Their purpose was to stage a protest rally opposing Japanese fossil fuel projects.

During this visit, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is scheduled to spend two days in the country, highlighted by a speech before the joint session of Congress on Saturday.

It is expected that he will make announcements regarding a security aid package and forthcoming negotiations for a defense pact. These initiatives aim to strengthen Japan’s alliances, particularly in light of China’s current assertiveness in the region.

In meetings between President Bongbong Marcos and the Prime Minister, a significant focus will be on addressing the escalating assertiveness of China in the West Philippine Sea.

(Report & photography by Benjamin Cuaresma/ai/mnm)

Climate change activists initiated a protest march on Friday from Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, and Mendiola in Manila to Liwasang Bonifacio, as they assailed the United States government for its alleged failure to provide enough “Climate Finance.”

The protest came in the wake of United States President Joe Biden’s recent meeting with leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum. Biden has accordingly acknowledged the concerns raised by these leaders regarding the devastating impact of climate change on their regions. He reassured them of the United States’ commitment to assisting them in addressing this pressing challenge.

Images show members of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) and various other groups proudly displaying their banners as they marched from Mendiola to Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila.

(Benjamin Cuaresma/ai/mnm)