Press Release
Custer C. Deocaris, Ph.D.
DOST Balik Scientist
Founder, Meatless
Monday-Philippines
Recently, the trend on food consumption has taken center stage in the
world’s environmental issues.
Following the United Nation’s “Livestock Long Shadow” white
paper that identified meat production as one of the most significant
contributors to global warming and environmental degradation, environment
experts at the World Bank revealed that at least 51% of the world's
anthropogenic GHGs are attributable to the life cycle and supply chain of
livestock products.
Therefore, we have taken a stand to convey our message to Congress that
by replacing at least a quarter of today's livestock products with better
alternatives could both reduce emissions and allow forest to regenerate on a
vast amount of land, which may be the only pragmatic way to reverse climate
change in the next five years. Five years is the last window of opportunity to
stabilize the world's GHGs to reverse the predicted 2-4 degree rise in global
temperatures by 2050.
Together with kids from Sophia School in Meycauyan, Bulacan, we are
going to lobby for HB 6311 (Luntiang Lunes Act of 2012) that will
require schools in public and private schools to serve vegetarian meals,
particularly with our indigenous vegetables, at least every Monday, to mold
food preference of 21 million schoolchildren and have them develop a life-long
healthy, sustainable, Earth-friendly dietary habits. Our group will assemble at
the North wing lobby of Congress at 1 pm.
[A] news article features our Meatless Monday model school where
children were trained to eat vegetables and have now become advocates for the
cause.
For a country that has one of the richest diversity of food resource,
we have the lowest intake of vegetables in the world. The 2008 National
Nutrition Survey revealed that among children 6-12 yrs old, fruits and
vegetables were only less than 7% of the total daily intake. One in 5 children
under five years and 1 in 3 children aged 6-10 are underweight for his or her
age, and at increased risk of an early death.
One in 4 Filipino adults on the other hand are already hypertensive and
5% of our population are diabetic making us one of the World's Top 10 in terms
of diabetic incidence.
Making a change in the diet of 100 million Filipino school children
will not be an easy task. In the US ,
Meatless Monday campaign, a program developed by John Hopkins
University
We are now working hard, despite have no funding for our advocacy, to
replicate it in the Philippines
Hope you may find interest in covering this activity and supporting our
advocacy. We hope we can also keep you posted with our advocacy activities.
For more information, you may visit and "LIKE" our facebook
page, "Meatless Monday - Philippines
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MEDIA INFORMATION FOR AUGUST 13, 2012
On the event
• There will be 64 kids and 31 adults (parents, teacher and staff) who
will troop to congress to lobby for House Bill 6311 which was filed by Rep.
Teddy Casino on August 13
• This activity is being organized by Sophia School
• The kids will be providing personalized letters to the members of the
Committee on Basic Education, the committee which the bill was assigned to.
• We will have a “veggie queen” costume to be donned by a student. We
also will bring a “Climate Change Kalabasa”. Kalabasa is a rich source of
lutein and zeaxanthin and is good for the eyes. Ang aming kalabasa ay
nagsisimbolo ng pampalinaw ng pananaw tungkol sa epekto ng ating kinakain sa
kalikasan lalung lalo na sa usapin ng climate change
• The activity will start from 1-5 pm at Batasan Pambansa Complex. We
will assemble at the Northwing.
• The theme of the activity is “FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, ONE PLATE AT A
TIME.”
What is HB 6311
• An act promoting vegetable intake in public and private schools by
implementing a luntiang lunes (meatless mondays) motivational program
• While voluntary, the legislation suggests that all schools offer a
greater variety of plant-based options to improve the health of students and
give them the opportunity to create healthy eating habits. The law can’t stop
people from ordering a burger or feasting on lechon, but we hope it will help
make our young citizens be more aware of the positive impacts of a green diet
and give them the opportunity to do it.
Comment on House Bill 6311
• It is a very simple legislation but it is impact should not be
ignored. It will empower 21 million young people to do share in shifting our
nation to a sustainable path. More than just to teach, we need to help make
them do.
• Focusing on new forms of energy and improving transport cannot
possibly be effective enough or can be made on broad enough scale to avert what
may be the coming climate catastrophe within the next 5 years. Let us not
ignore the much easier fix of adjusting our eating habits.
• The bill shall use school infrastructure to promote a nutrition and
climate change agenda.
• Childhood and adolescent is a critical time to develop life-long
healthy eating habits. Engaging students to make weekly changes in their
lifestyle ultimately creates healthy members in society.