The United Kingdom opens opportunities for stronger relations with the Philippines and Bohol.
Cong. Edgar Chatto welcomed British Embassy Officials led by Lloyd Cameron, Economic and Climate Counsellor along with Jane Desiree Andal-Cabrera, Climate Attache and Ayesha Sarapuddin, Climate Change and Environment Officer.
In a breakfast meeting on January 27, Chatto and the British Embassy team discussed climate change and disaster risk reduction as well as policies and programs discussed in Congress. These included vital legislation such as the Low Carbon Economy measure already approved in the House and transmitted to Senate.
The measure seeks to promote investments in low carbon economy, establish a carbon emission pricing framework and implement a mechanism to achieve low carbon and resilient economic development.
Moreover, House Bill 9609 or the Clima Bill is also under deliberation at the Committee on Climate Change.
Seen as the first loss and damage legal framework in the world, the bill was hailed as a groundbreaking move by climate action advocates.
Aside from allowing the payment of climate reparations to impacted communities through the establishment of a loss and damage fund, it provides the framework for limiting fossil fuel expansion and aligning businesses with the Paris Agreement.
The British team also particularly keen on is the Pasidungog sa Pagdumala program, an honor awards program that Chatto is implementing with the Philippine Center of Young Leaders in Governance (PCYLG) and the Sangguniang Kabataan Provincial Federation.
Chatto introduced Pasidungog sa Pagdumala, an honor awards program for youth leaders and youth organizations in the first district, recognizes leadership, innovative practices and significant impact that serve to inspire community involvement.
The British Embassy expressed interest in partnering with Chatto’s office in providing possible scholarships for young leaders under their Chevening scholarship program.
Chevening is the UK government’s international scholarships and fellowships programme.
Begun in 1983, Chevening is a highly competitive program that grants awards to individuals with outstanding leadership and influencing skills from around the world, to enable them to experience a period of study in the UK.
Chatto, for his part, expressed enthusiasm for this possible opportunity for Boholano youth.
He had pushed for similar international exchange programs such as the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) with the National Movement of Young Legislators (NMYL) in Washington DC, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.
There was also the Australian Political Exchange Council (APEC) with PCYLG in Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane.
Chatto was a delegate to the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (1982 ) SSEAYP in Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore as well as in the International Students Congress in Rome (1978) in Italy, England, Spain.
The British Embassy team’s current visit aimed to introduce this alongside funding opportunities across sectors, universities, NGOs and CSOs. They also conducted a monitoring of their project sites such as the Regenerative Seaweed Farming Linked to Improved Marine Protected Areas and Project Seahorse.