Young climate campaigners in Antipolo City are proving that climate action does not end after a dialogue. After organizing their peers and securing commitments from the city government, the child-led group Green Eco Warriors are now making sure those promises lead to real change for children and their communities.
For Clarisse and Rhodee, both 12-year-old Grade 7 learners, this journey began with lessons on climate change, children's rights, disaster preparedness, and child protection services during emergencies. Later, they were putting lessons into action.
Before engaging local leaders, Clarisse and Rhodee first shared what they have learned to young learners. They helped bring climate resilience lessons to 392 children across eight schools in the city. Using games, question-and-answer activities, and emergency drills, they taught practical ways to stay safe during earthquakes and typhoons while introducing school and community services available before, during, and after emergencies.
Before, I was shy and didn't really talk much. But now, I'm more confident talking to younger children," Clarisse said.
That growing confidence soon took them from the classroom to the city hall. Clarisse and Rhodee joined fellow Green Eco Warriors in a child-local government dialogue with heads of key city offices to discuss climate risks children experience in their communities. For the young climate campaigners, the best solutions to climate change should include their ideas and experiences. They raised concerns about rivers and drainage clogged by improper waste disposal, flood-prone bridges that make it difficult for children to get to school during rainy seasons, and disruptions to essential services during disasters.
Rhodee recalled how flooding repeatedly disrupted classes when he was in Grade 3, with lessons often halted as parents cleared floodwater from their classroom. "When we met the mayor, we shared the challenges we experienced and worked together to find solutions," he said.
The dialogue concluded with Mayor Casimiro "Jun" Ynares III signing the joint documentation prepared by the Green Eco Warriors, recording the city's verbal commitments to improve waste management, flood-prone infrastructure, and nature-based solutions, while continuing to engage children in future climate discussions.
Today, the Green Eco Warriors are making sure the dialogue leads to action. Through school-based surveys, classroom discussions, and regular internal reviews with the support of teachers and fellow youth leaders, they are tracking progress on the commitments made and identifying issues that still need attention.
From educating younger learners to engaging local leaders, the Green Eco Warriors have shown that children can help build safer and more climate-resilient communities when they are given the chance to lead. For Clarisse, this is only the beginning. "I will continue championing this advocacy for as long as I can."