Legarda Champions Science-Based Policy in Sustainability Lecture

Senator Loren Legarda, the Philippines’ most decorated environmental legislator, delivered a landmark lecture at the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), underscoring the critical role of science in crafting sustainability policies amid a climate crisis that continues to deepen.

Speaking before a packed audience at the Little Theater and hundreds more online, Legarda called for urgent, inclusive, and research-based approaches to sustainability. Her keynote marked the official launch of UPV’s Master of Science in Sustainability — a pioneering program designed to bridge academic research with policymaking.

“We are not just hurting, we are bleeding,” Legarda declared, citing the Philippines’ ranking as the most disaster-affected country in the Global Climate Risk Index and the staggering cost of typhoon-related damages — over ₱673 billion from 2011 to 2021.

The four-term senator’s address blended personal reflection, policy critique, and a sweeping vision for a greener and more resilient Philippines, built on the foundation of informed governance and public engagement.

Politics of Sustainability

Legarda’s presence at the forum was itself a powerful symbol. Dubbed the “Green Legislator,” she is the author and sponsor of nearly every major environmental law in the country — from the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act to the Climate Change Act, the Green Jobs Act, and the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act.

Yet, she made clear that passing laws is not enough.

“Hope alone will not bring the changes we need,” she said. “We need to be strategic. We must act in the now to secure our future.”

She emphasized that sustainability policy must be driven by empirical evidence, not political convenience.

“This is the value of science-based legislation,” Legarda said. “It ensures that our policies are proactive and adaptive — that they anticipate challenges rather than simply react to them.”

Global Crisis with Local Stakes

Legarda detailed a bleak but necessary climate reality: by 2030, climate change could cost the Philippines at least 7.6% of its gross domestic product (GDP). By 2040, that number could rise to 13%. These losses are not abstract; they threaten livelihoods, food systems, public health, and entire communities — especially the poor and marginalized.

“Sea level rise could permanently displace 150,000 Filipinos by 2040,” she warned. “Heat indices over 42°C could lead to health crises and productivity losses of up to ₱870 billion by 2050.”

Despite these alarming trends, Legarda insisted that the country still has time — and tools — to respond.

“The baseline data and our lived experience underscore that there are opportunities to develop and implement localized, evidence-based solutions,” she said. “And this is where programs like the MS Sustainability come in.”

Interdisciplinary Learning

Legarda praised UP Visayas for launching a program that moves beyond traditional academic silos. The Master of Science in Sustainability is designed to be interdisciplinary, solutions-oriented, and research-enabled — equipping graduates to work across government, civil society, and the private sector.

“Sustainability challenges are multifaceted,” she said. “They cannot be addressed by any one discipline alone.”

She urged the academic community to take this as a mandate: to prepare future leaders who can implement sustainability policies that are inclusive, culturally grounded, and community-led.

“The program’s focus on collaboration, research, and practical engagement will ensure that our policies are not only sustainable — but just,” Legarda said.

Human Side of Legislation

In a deeply personal moment, Legarda reflected on the start of her political journey in 1998, when she topped the Senate race as a first-time candidate.

“I wanted to do meaningful work,” she said. “Before I turned 40, I was named one of the World Economic Forum’s Global Leaders for Tomorrow, and I knew I had to live up to that.”

Over the past two decades, Legarda has championed not only environmental laws, but also legislation protecting women, children, indigenous peoples, and disaster-affected communities. She reminded the audience that the true measure of public service is impact.

“More than the awards, I’m proud of the people I’ve helped — the children, the farmers, the fisherfolk, the so-called last, least, and lost,” she said.

Bridging Academia and Legislature

Legarda’s lecture was more than a celebration of policy victories. It was a call to strengthen the link between scholarship and governance.

She emphasized the need for academic institutions to serve as think tanks for Congress, supplying lawmakers with timely, relevant, and rigorous research to guide policy.

“Policies geared toward sustainability must come from legislature-academic collaborations,” she said. “Without robust and consistently enforced laws, sustainability remains an unattainable ideal.”

Legarda called for increased funding for research, graduate scholarships, and thesis support — investments she said were essential for producing a new generation of leaders ready to advance the SDGs and confront the realities of climate change.

Legacy and Future Directions

As she concluded her address, Legarda reiterated the central principle of sustainability: intergenerational equity.

“Let us not lose sight of our ultimate goal,” she said. “Progress that does not leave the vulnerable behind. Development that does not compromise the future. A nation where sustainability is the norm, not the exception.”

Her message was met with a standing ovation and echoed by the academic community in their closing remarks.

Dr. Rodelio Subade, dean of UPV’s Graduate School, called Legarda’s lecture “visionary,” saying it reaffirmed the program’s mission to produce leaders who can translate science into transformative policy.

UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano added that Legarda’s work exemplifies what the university hopes to achieve: a convergence of research, governance, and social justice.