MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday blamed industrialized countries for the destruction caused by climate change, noting that countries like the Philippines are on the losing end of the effects of pollution they cause.

According to Duterte, countries with a lot of factories are to be blamed for the pollution that causes climate change.

"The industrialized countries are spewing, sila 'yung pinakamaraming factory, and in some industrialized places, halos every kanto may factory. I don't want to mention the countries because kaibigan naman natin lahat, but unfortunately, sila 'yung biggest contributor ng carbon emissions dito sa mundong ito," he said.

(The industrialized countries are spewing, they have the most number of factories, and in some industrialized places, they have factories in almost every corner. I don't want to mention the countries because we are all friends, but unfortunately, they are the biggest contributors to the world's carbon emissions.)

He also lamented that the Philippines, while only contributing a little to the pollution, is among the countries suffering the worst from effects of climate change.

"Ang problema, the consequence is being suffered by all. At sa malas nito, sila 'yung pinaka-biggest pollution na ginawa, tayo kakaunti lang, iilan naman ang factory dito," Duterte said.

(The problems is, the consequence is being suffered by all. Unfortunately, they are the ones who contribute the most to pollution. We only contribute a little, we only have a few factories here.)

"The Philippines is located in the tropical zone. Ang ating bayan is the window, galing Pacific. If there is a warming of the climate there, with the mixture of the cold and hot temperatures, ayan tinatamaan tayo. At tayo talaga ang nagbabayad ng malaki," he added.

(The Philippines is located in the tropical zone. Our country is the window from the Pacific. If there is a warming of the climate there, with the mixture of the cold and hot temperatures, we are affected. And we suffer a lot.)

Duterte said it seems unfair that countries like the Philippines pay for the actions of industrialized countries.

"Parang 'yung resulta ng mga pollution ng ibang countries, tayo ang sumasalo. Pagdating sa damage, tayo rin ang pinakakawawa," he said.

(It seems like we are the ones suffering from the effects of pollution caused by other countries. We also suffer the most damage.)

"Dapat ang mayaman na hindi tinatamaan ng destruction caused by itong pollution, bayaran nila tayo for the damage. Or dapat silang mag-ano talaga, maggawa sila ng anong paraan para, at least ma-equalize 'yung damage. Sa atin mas malaki tapos maliit ang ating contribution doon sa climate change," Duterte added.

(Those countries who do not suffer the destruction caused by pollution, they should pay us for the damage. Or they should really do something, anything, to at least equalize the damage. We suffer more damage when we contribute so little to climate change.)

The country is reeling from the effects of tropical depression Agaton, which spawned floods and landslides last week in parts of Eastern Visayas.

Agaton has left at least 172 dead and 110 others missing, according to a report Monday by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

• Agaton death toll reaches 172: NDRRMC

Agaton, which dumped heavy rains over several days, forced some 158,000 into evacuation centers and around 188,000 to take shelter with friends or relatives, the NDRRMC said.

Agaton struck at the beginning of Holy Week, one of the most important holidays in the mainly Catholic nation, when thousands travel to visit relatives.

• Duterte vows new houses for Agaton victims, even if process ‘long, not easy’

It came 4 months after a super typhoon devastated swaths of the country, killing more than 400 and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.

The Philippines, ranked among the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change, is hit by an average of 20 storms every year.

• Scores still missing after Agaton landslides, gov't mulls stopping risky rescue

— With a report from Agence France-Presse

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