More than 250 cyclists and environmental advocates participated in the bike campaign on environmental protection and preservation organized by Caritas Philippines.
Dubbed Bike For Kalikasan (Environment), the event was hosted by the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro in southern Philippines on October 5.
This served as Caritas Philippines’ culminating activity for the Season of Creation.
“The enthusiasm shown by participants from the [archdioceses] and various biking associations demonstrate our collective commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of Caritas Philippines.
“To those who witnessed our cycling event today, the message is simple: we ride for the sake of our environment,” he also said.
Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Jose Cabantan expressed his hope that's sparks more
activities, programs, and advocacies that focus on protecting our environment.”
The bike campaign centered on the six critical eco-actions Caritas Philippines is championing, as identified by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) last July during their plenary assembly.
These are: strengthening integral ecology ministries across dioceses, supporting the global Season of Creation alongside other faith traditions, divesting from extractive industries by 2025, implementing policies to reject donations from unethical sources, eradicating plastic pollution, and promoting the 10 Million Solar Rooftops Challenge to transition to renewable energy.
The event culminated with the declaration of climate emergency in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro and the launching of a coalition of civil society organizations dedicated to environmental protection.
This is the third year of Caritas Philippines’ Bike for Kalikasan, with the previous two years held in Quezon City and Batangas City.
In their statement, Caritas Philippines revealed plans to bring the bike campaign to the Visayas region next year.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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