Manila: Senator Loren Legarda on Thursday marked World Environment Day by advocating for the stronger enforcement of the Philippines' environmental laws and emphasizing the need to integrate ecological sustainability into all development planning levels.

According to Philippines News Agency, Legarda highlighted the country's comprehensive set of environmental laws, which include the Clean Air Act, Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, Climate Change Act, Renewable Energy Act, and Extended Producer Responsibility Act. She stressed the necessity for faithful implementation, genuine political will, and active participation from all stakeholders.

Legarda urged a shift from mere "motherhood statements" to placing environmental protection at the core of development efforts. She emphasized that true progress should be measured by the well-being of both people and the planet, rather than just economic growth.

World Environment Day, observed every June 5, serves as the United Nations' flagship platform for global environmental awareness and action. This year, the theme underscores the urgent need for cooperation to address climate change and biodiversity loss.

Legarda warned against complacency, stressing the importance of recognizing environmental justice as an issue of intergenerational accountability. She called for efforts to restore lost ecosystems, protect existing ones, and envision a just and verdant future. The senator affirmed that while the necessary laws and programs are already in place, what is needed now is a shared, sustained, and unstoppable will to act.

Furthermore, Legarda reaffirmed her commitment to supporting legislation aimed at enhancing climate resilience and environmental protection. She also highlighted her ongoing grassroots initiatives through the Luntiang Pilipinas movement, which has successfully planted millions of trees across the nation since 1998.