Text by Jennifer Manongdo

Photos by Jennifer Manongdo and the 7th EOH Forum Organizing Committee

Participants and speakers of the 7th Environmental & Occupational Health (EOH) Forum

Public health policies and carefully planned strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change should be in place to ensure the safety of community members and the working population. 

This was emphasized by speakers of the 7th Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) Forum, who unveiled important recommendations and best practices to help communities and workplaces adapt to stronger typhoons and a warmer climate.

With the theme “Resilient Futures: Enhancing Health and Safety in Communities and Workplaces Amid Climate Challenges,” the two-day online forum on Nov. 21 and 22, 2024, was hosted by the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Public Health (CPH) of the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila, and featured insightful discussions on climate change and its impact on communities and workplaces, policies and plans for fostering healthy communities and workplaces in the Philippines, enhancing climate resilience in hospitals through effective indoor air quality monitoring, nature-based solutions for climate resilience, innovations in early warning systems, and strategies for sustainable climate resilience for communities and workplaces. 

Effects of Climate Change and LGU Responses

Some 250,000 individuals are expected to die from climate change-related causes such as malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, cancer, cardiovascular illness, kidney dysfunction, physical injury, and heat stress between 2030 and 2050, based on statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO). 

WHO Technical Officer on EOHealth Bonifacio Magtibay said that these could be avoided by meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate change that enjoins participating countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep global temperatures below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, aiming for 1.5°C to greatly reduce climate risks and impacts. Furthermore, he emphasized the role of local governments in formulating actions to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis to reduce the effects of climate change. 

Danica Marie Supnet, director for Climate Policy of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, underscored the importance of effectively communicating the climate change issue to community members through the influence of local leaders and the use of the local dialect for a greater understanding of the topic. 

Dr. Ronald Law, director III of the Health Emergency Management Bureau, Health and Climate Change of the Department of Health, also joined the panel and discussed policies and plans for fostering healthy communities and workplaces in the Philippines. 

Meanwhile, Mayor Alfredo Coro II of the Municipality of Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte; Jaime Cinco, nurse II of the City Health Office of Cagayan de Oro; and Dr. Donnabel Tubera-Panes, medical officer IV of the City Health Services Office of Baguio City discussed the strategies of their respective local government units in responding to the threats of climate change. 

Improving air quality in hospitals

The second day of the 7th Environmental & Occupational Health (EOH) Forum featured discussions on climate resilience in hospitals through effective indoor air quality monitoring, nature-based solutions for climate resilience, innovations in early warning systems, and strategies for sustainable climate resilience for communities and workplaces. 

To address the impact of climate change on the working population, Dr. Renato Josef, an academician and occupational health and safety consultant, highlighted the importance of training sessions and the implementation of occupational and health standards to achieve a climate-resilient workplace. On the other hand, creating gardens on rooftops and vertical spaces will help filter the air and reduce heat in healthcare facilities, Joanne Flestado from the Conservation International Philippines Foundation, Inc. said. 

To illustrate the benefits of a climate-resilient workplace, Dr. Rosalie Rivera, country health manager of Shell Philippines, revealed the multinational company’s strategies for ensuring worker safety amid changing weather patterns. During periods of heavy rains, floods, and typhoons, Shell Philippines adopts flexible work arrangements for eligible staff members. Additionally, food, safe transport, and sleeping quarters are provided to support employees stranded at work. 

Meanwhile, a previous study conducted by Clean Air Asia from 2020 to 2022 at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital (DJFMH) cited peak periods where a deluge of air pollution was observed. Based on the study, Dana Babela, Senior Researcher of Clean Air Asia, explained that particulate matter was high in the afternoons because of constant outdoor foot traffic, especially during lunchtime. In the morning, movements in the wards, especially during cleaning time, cause air pollution, which is deemed unhealthy for people with asthma and other respiratory diseases. Clean Air Asia recommended the optimization and regular maintenance and cleaning of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to improve the indoor quality of the hospital. They also recommended additional air filtration systems for the hospital.

Renato Redentor Constantino, managing director of the Constantino Foundation, explained that the climate crisis is not only about super typhoons. “It is a development crisis and a reflection of a crisis of democracy because a tiny few have and continue to consume the vast portion of the world’s resources. The impacts of which harm those least responsible for a warming world,” he said. 

Finally, Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco Lagmay, executive director of the UP Resilience Institute, emphasized the importance of a people-centered early warning system to ensure the timely dissemination of accurate information and community preparedness during typhoons.#

(from left, clockwise: Prof. Marian Fe Theresa C. Lomboy-Capino of the UP Manila College of Public Health (forum moderator), Dana Babela of Clean Air Asia, Joanne Flestado of Conservation International Philippines, Foundation Inc., and Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco Lagmay of UP Resilience Institute.

Renato  Redentor Constantino, managing director of Constantino Foundation

Prof. Rose Abigail D. Enoveso-Duarte of the College of Public Health (host)