Bishop Gerry Alminaza

In the lead-up to the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si', Bishop Gerry Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos co-celebrated Mass at the historic Notre-Dame de Paris alongside Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort of Reims, appealing for support from the French community in urging French banks to cease financing fossil fuel projects threatening the Verde Island Passage (VIP) in the Philippines—hailed as the “Amazon of the Oceans.”

In a show of unity, representatives from civil society, faith-based groups, and the government gathered on Friday, September 20, 2024, at the Maryhill School of Theology for "Hope for Creation: Dialogue for a Fossil Fuel-Free Future in the Philippines."