PRESIDENT Arroyo was among those who listened to the “inconvenient truth” in the two-hour talk of former US Vice President Al Gore, which was part of the Leadership Conference Series at the full-house SMX Convention Center.

A mix of people from various sectors attended Gore’s presentation that centered on the “updated Asian version” of his critically acclaimed “An Inconvenient Truth.”

US Ambassador Harry Thomas and other members of the diplomatic corps were present. Also present were former First Lady Ming Ramos, Sens. Miguel Zubiri and Loren Legarda, Climate Change Secretary Heherson Alvarez, businessmen, other government officials, environmental advocates, church people, students and other stakeholders.

SM Prime president Hans Sy gave the welcome remarks.

The talk drew reactions from the crowd. SM Foundation scholar Angelou Trinidad of UE-Manila said the talk was an eye-opener for her and to her fellow scholars. She said Gore’s presentation broadened her awareness to be more concerned on the issues of environment and of the Earth as a whole.

 “It was very informative. What we know about the current state of the planet was limited. But the two-hour talk gave us more than a main course of what is happening to us. It struck my mind that even a small piece of garbage can contribute to the already-battered Earth,” she said.

Famous designer Rajo Laurel admitted that he cried during the presentation.

“I cried when the clips of [Typhoon] Ondoy were shown.” It relived the entire experience of what most Filipinos felt and went through during those times when a wave of typhoons hit and shook the country,” he added.

He also felt more concerned about his fellow citizens to find ways of reaching out to them.

One of the youngest attendees, 9-year-old Neil de Guzman, said,

“After listening to Mr. Gore’s talk, I felt more responsible for our environment because it is my future that he was referring to a while ago.”

Gemma Cruz Araneta, head of the Manila Historical and Heritage Commission, said there was “nothing new” in Gore’s presentation.

“We knew all of these,” Araneta, a former Miss International, said in Filipino.

Araneta remarked on the part of the lecture highlighting the impact of having a big population on the environment: “Does that mean we are to blame? [Aren’t] the developed countries [the biggest polluters]?” she asked.

An attendee, who requested not to be named, said practically there was nothing new in Gore’s presentations. “I felt shortchanged,” she said, adding that the only thing new in Gore’s presentation was the addition of the information on Ondoy and other recent developments.