What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now

growing up? This is a question posed by Pope Francis in his encyclical. Laudato Si reminds everyone that
the earth is our common home; that we humans are dust of the earth; our very bodies are made up of
elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters.

Pope Francis has talked about pollution and climate change in the first chapter of Laudato Si.
Climate change as he said brings serious implications in environment, social, economic, political and the
distribution of goods. It is a global problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. However, the
greater problem lies with the people who possess more resources and economic or political power as they
tend to mask the problems and conceal the symptoms. Laudato Si mentioned the issues of water and
loss of biodiversity.

In the Philippines, although in the summer time or during drought season, water resources
become scarce, the Philippines as a whole has more than enough surface and groundwater. However,
Filipinos lost the sense of responsibility of maintaining the cleanliness which led to the dramatic rise of
58% of contaminated groundwater. Only one-thirds of the Philippine river systems are considered suitable
for public water supply.

Modernity has also taken over the country. Pope Francis has marked modernity by an excessive
anthropocentrism. Today, the Philippines is one of the top countries in terms of drug trafficking and
trafficking of organs. Problems with regards to the limited scientific progress with clear reference to GMOs
also arises in our country. Although GMO has been an ongoing debate topic for years now as some would
say it has brought about economic growth which has helped to resolve problems, there remain a number
of significant difficulties which should not be underestimated, starting from productive land being
concentrated in the hands of few owners. Our country has already faced a lot of controversies involving
agrarian reform.

Laudato Si has also tacked about integral ecology which involves the injustices abound and
growing numbers of people who are deprived of the basic human rights and considered expendable. It
also involves everyday life in which the Encyclical gives specific attention to the urban environment.
Poverty has been a great problem in the Philippines but there is an admirable creativity among Filipinos
to adapt with the urban environment despite the situation. Nevertheless, a great deal of integral
improvement in the quality of life public space, housing, transport, etc. is still needed on order to
achieve authentic development.

Recognizing the need to tackle the environment issues as well as the need to sustain development
and growth, the Philippines came up with the Sustainable Development Strategy which includes
assimilating environmental considerations in administration, apposite pricing of natural resources,
conservation of biodiversity, rehabilitation of ecosystems, control of population growth and human
resources development, inducing growth in rural areas, promotion of environmental education,
strengthening citizens participation and promoting small to medium-sized enterprises and sustainable
agricultural and forestry practices. The government of the Philippines has been constantly looking into
different initiatives to improve environmental aspects of the country.

In the fifth chapter, Pope Francis insists on development of h