Ecology Marchers Celebrate Feast of St Francis Assisi

October 04, 2011: Thousands of ecologists and followers of Saint Francis of Assisi braved torrential rain to march through Quezon City in Philippines in celebration of his October 4 feast day.
The statue of Saint Francis, who has been named patron saint of the environment, was carried aloft amid placards that highlighted ecology issues. Franciscan friars led the procession followed by Franciscan sisters, seminarians, parishioners, students and devotees.
The marchers demanded a stop to logging and mining. They also wanted the government to clean up the corruption in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and takes immediate action to protect the city of Marikina, devastated by flash floods.
Handouts given to motorists and pedestrians claimed that the latest onset of floods and typhoons, described as “extraordinary,” were brought about by global warming and man-made environmental destruction.
The marchers also prepared a statement, which read: “Only 3 percent of the virgin forest or primary forest is remaining in the Philippines. This is equivalent to only 900,000 hectares out of the country’s 30 million hectare land area. What we need is 50 percent forest.”
“Logging and land conversion is continuous despite the laws protecting them. There is no political will to stop ‘powerful people’ behind the environmental degradation in Aurora and the Marikina watershed. It’s been two years since typhoon Ondoy. Shall we always fear the great flood?”
“Saint Francis of Assisi met God through the environment and he treated it as his brother. He denounced greed and joyfully trusted God’s providence through a vow of poverty.” Franciscan Father Pedro Montallana said Filipinos need to be awakened and called upon to defend the environment. “We are asking for the help of Saint Francis. We want him to know that, like him, we love the environment,” he told the marchers.
After the march Fr Montallana, who is director of the Indigenous People’s Apostolate of the , said he was very happy that the Franciscan family took part in it. “I was not expecting much, but there is more and more realization of the need to campaign for the environment as Franciscans,” he said. Now he hopes more people will be mobilized to stop one law in particular, which is currently passing through Congress, which would authorize logging in the country’s secondary forests. “That means more floods, landslides and drought during summer,” said Fr Montallana.