By Shane Vallery A. Beduya and Stephanie Marie L. Magsalay

To raise awareness and demand climate action, an alliance network of Far Eastern University (FEU) youth leaders and student volunteers gathered in front of FEU Gate 4 on the last day of Global Climate Strike, September 27.

According to Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP) - Metro Manila member Kyle Atienza, global climate strike is a movement inspired by Greta Thunberg in raising the declaration of climate emergency to form climate mitigation programs. This gained support from the students around the globe.

"Importante kasi--tayo. Wala namang ibang magmamana ng kinabukasan kundi tayo (It is important because--[it is] us [youth]. No one will inherit the future but us youth)," Atienza explained.

In light of the global week of action which started from September 20 to 27, protesters held placards which tackled national and international environmental issues during the demonstration.

Atienza pointed the effects of burning fossil fuels in global warming. He also asserted that despite its environmental risks, world leaders kept coating the crisis under "climate denial".

"Nakakabahala ito [burning of fossil fuels] dahil unang-una ay patuloy na nagkakaroon ng pagtatakip o climate denial sa pagitan ng ating mga world leaders. Patuloy na pinagtatakpan ang problema sa halip na tugunan at humarap (It is alarming because first of all, there is a continuous covering up [of environmental issues] or climate denial between the world leaders. They continue to neglect the problems instead of addressing them),” said Atienza.

Further, the students raised particular issues in the country such as use of fossil fuels, construction of Kaliwa Dam, corruption of ancestral lands, "imperialist plunder" and green "capitalism".

The alliance formed a human chain to call the attention of national and world leaders to act on the crises and inspire unity towards environmental resolve.