“Climate change hits hardest at the poorest communities, fundamentally because they lack the resources to adapt,” said Fr. Edwin A. Gariguez, social action director of the Apo-stolic Vicariate of Calapan, south of Manila. Gariguez was the keynote speaker at the Caritas Asia Regional Conference, which took place in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 11, attended by approximately 100 representatives from 25 Caritas organizations across Asia. The priest said that small farmers, fishers, and indigenous peoples are on the front lines, grappling with the direct impacts of environ-mental changes that threaten their livelihoods and survival. Gariguez emphasized the need for effective policies that could provide immediate relief and long-term sustainability.
Discussing various extreme weather events, including the 2023 humid heatwave across South Asia and devastating typhoons in the Philippines, Gariguez explained that these phenomena “do not just disrupt daily lives–they obstruct long-term development.” Recent scientific data showed the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, under-scoring the urgent need for regional adaptive strategies, according to Gariguez. “The correlation between escalating climate events and the surge in health issues is undeniable,” noted Gariguez, adding that climate change exacerbates health crises, particularly respira-tory and water-borne diseases. “Our faith implores us to see the environmental crisis not just as a physical challenge but as a moral imperative,” Fr. Gariguez remarked.
He said that different Asian communities integrate spiritual beliefs and cultural values into their environmental conservation efforts, showing how these practices can forge strong commitments to ecological stewardship. The priest praised organizations like Caritas Internationalis for their role in blending humanitarian aid with developmental strategies. “By integrating immediate disaster response with long-term development plans, we pave the way for sustainable resilience,” he said.