Brian Poe Llamanzares, author of the book "A Sustainable Future," was interviewed at the Manila Bulletin office about his recent honor at the UAE Next Mastermind Awards 2023. (Photo by Gerrald Tan)
For a country that experiences severe droughts and typhoons like Yolanda and Egay, the Philippines has only a handful of reading materials focusing on sustainability and climate change written by Filipino authors. That's why public servant Brian Poe Llamanzares, Ph.D., took on the task to produce a book that provides a "deeper understanding of sustainability," and also provides actionable proposals that can make a change. Titled "A Sustainable Future," Brian's book documents the knowledge he gained from attending various academic programs around the world, including Global Strategic Leadership at Wharton, Energy Innovation and Emerging Technologies at Stanford University, Evaluating Social Programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Leadership in Crises at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and Conference Diplomacy and Multilateral Negotiations at the United Nations in Geneva. With his passion for creating a better and sustainable Philippines, Brian’s hard work got recognized on the international stage. Last June, the Columbia University graduate was honored at UAE’s Next Mastermind Awards 2023. The award-giving body puts the spotlight on authors, entrepreneurs, and coaches “who in their life and work have personified outstanding standards and achievements to be an industry leader.” For its 2023 edition, the UAE’s Next Mastermind Awards announced Brian as one of its Authors awardees for his “A Sustainable Future” book. “When I was writing the book, it was just my way of trying to give back to the academic community… but I didn't realize that there would be such a groundswell for anything related to sustainability and combating the effects of climate change,” Brian told the Manila Bulletin. “So, when I won the award, nagulat ako (I was shocked), because it wasn't a local award. It was in the UAE.” Manila Bulletin Senior News Editor Isabel De Leon, Brian Poe Llamanzares, and Tempo Editor Emily Bugarin. (Photo by Gerrald Tan)

Making the book

Watching the film “An Inconvenient Truth” was among the things that led Brian to learn more about sustainability. However, it was seeing the devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda firsthand that pushed him to find solutions for climate change and make the country more disaster resilient, such as investing in renewable energy and disaster preparedness. In his book "A Sustainable Future," Brian highlights the importance of the three main pillars of sustainability: resource management, renewable energy, and disaster resilience. The book also discusses some of the local actions being taken to mitigate the effects of climate change. “I noticed that there's a lack of literature from the Philippines about these topics. There are a lot of people who have written about climate change and sustainability in the country but they are not Filipinos,” the author said. “They don’t really know what it is like to be here and go through those. They don't know what our latest initiatives are. I guess, it became kind of a mission for me to contribute to that field as a Filipino so that we have something produced locally that other people can refer to about our narrative.”

Pushing a sustainable future

According to Brian, what hinders the Philippines the most from fully embracing sustainability is its economy. “The Philippines has only so much in terms of resources and we have to allocate that to pressing concerns. We’re a hand-to-mouth economy. So, it becomes difficult to prioritize things that take time, and sustainability isn't something you achieve overnight,” he said. Through his book, he hopes to educate Filipinos and leaders, especially the younger generation, to start making incremental investments toward a sustainable future. “I don't want to be an alarmist and stoke fear, but I do want to remind the new generation, through the book, that now is the time to take action. And if you want to take action, this is how,” Brian said. “Sometimes, it is not about forcing these young people to do something about it in their own capacity. It is about informing them on what other people are doing so they can support them,” he added. “It doesn't have to be everyone’s individual effort. It can be a collective effort behind a leader that is pushing for a sustainable solution.” Brian Poe Llamanzares’ “A Sustainable Future,” published by the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation, is now available on Shopee and Lazada