Philippine Daily Inquirer
A LEGAL LUMINARY urged the people to prevent the leveling of the hill in Caticlan to make way for the extension of the airport runway because it is unconstitutional.
“A people’s movement should be formed to see to it that it is prevented because it is against the Constitution,” said Dean Froilan Bacungan, a former dean of the UP College of Law, at the recent Kapihan sa Sulo.
Bacungan cited section 79 of the 1987 Constitution: “The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced ecology in accordance with the harmony of nations.”
He expressed his opinion after hearing the warning of an expert of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that the beaches of Boracay will disappear if the hill is leveled as required by the Caticlan Airport upgrade project.
Dr. Ricarte Javelosa of the Mines & Geosciences Bureau of the DENR conducted a case study on Boracay’s micro-climate where he claims that the Boracay-Caticlan Zone of Micro-Climatic Convergence is where low and high energy environments converge generating mild surface currents and breezy waves highly conducive to deposition of white coral-rich beaches of Boracay.
Javelosa explained that the longshore currents of Amihan and Habagat converge at Caticlan Point.
The morphologist is convinced that leveling the hill will trigger local hydro-met changes in the area that would eventually lead to the erosion of beaches along Boracay and drying up of the Lupo-Lupo Lake.
“That particular hill is a climate barrier that deflects and converts strong monsoon winds into gentle breezes that swirl and loiter along the beaches of Boracay and Caticlan,” said Javelosa.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
‘Ondoy’s’ lesson: We must change the way we live
By Augusto Villalon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
LAST week’s column piece “Where Have All the ‘Esteros’ Gone?” has generated several feedback from readers.
“Let’s change the way we live,” writes M.L.C. “All is not lost, we can still reverse the situation now...though we must first do our part in taking care of Mother Nature.”
“Your article was a good read for those who are concerned with what just happened [the floods]...One thing for us to look into is the lowly bamboo as alternative for construction. It is sturdy and grows easily. Plant them in areas prone to landslides.
“We have to live simply so that others may simply live.”
From another reader: “Yes, I agree the drainage in Manila is so outdated it is the big reason why rains flood Manila.”
Krisbelle of Pagadian City, who has been living in Manila for eight years, observes in Filipino: “I do not see cleanliness in Manila; people here do not care about their surroundings. Only one thing will prevent flooding, that canals and drainage are not clogged and proper exits are provided.”
Chronic disregard
Readers express mainly outrage at how the government has allowed the state of the urban and rural environments to dismally deteriorate.
Outrage? By all means, we should be outraged.
Look at the chronic disregard of planning and environmental ordinances by government authorities and real-estate developers.
Consider the poor maintenance of drainage and flood-control facilities; over-concreting of urban areas; unregulated building over natural waterways and open public areas, whether urban or rural; massive deforestation. These are just a few of a multitude of issues that must be looked into immediately.
But we are as much at fault as those in authority whom we like to blame.
Illegal residents squat on easements and clog waterways with trash. From upscale communities like Forbes Park to mid-scale BF Homes, residents appropriate public easements as well, either fencing them off or worse still, covering them over with permanent structures that clog urban waterways with concrete.
Plastic-free Philippines
These days, a covered basketball-cum-multipurpose area gifted by the leading local politician is the centerpiece of most town plazas, displacing the usual open planted areas that would have naturally drained excess water back into the ground. Goodbye to natural water absorption.
Despite ill-enforced environmental laws to protect our forests, rampant illegal logging persists. Goodbye to natural flood control.
Rather than being outraged at government carelessness and blaming it for the widespread degradation, should we not also be outraged at ourselves for being so remiss?
In the same way that ordinary citizens banded together to help out flood victims, people can channel their energy protecting the environment. We could start simply by taking care of our immediate surroundings, keeping it clean and free from garbage, avoiding the use of plastic altogether.
A plastic-free Philippines makes so much sense after seeing how drains and waterways clogged by plastic caused flooding and destruction. This is a call for us to use biodegradable materials.
We should let our cities breathe again. Peel away as much concrete as possible. Restore open areas and replant trees and shrubs to allow excess water to drain naturally back into the ground.
It is time to change our environmental paradigms. The old way of environmental laissez faire does not work, as the floods have so cruelly shown us.
After the floods, we can’t go back to our old habits. We have to change the way we live.
E-mail feedback and comments to pride.place@gmail.com.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
LAST week’s column piece “Where Have All the ‘Esteros’ Gone?” has generated several feedback from readers.
“Let’s change the way we live,” writes M.L.C. “All is not lost, we can still reverse the situation now...though we must first do our part in taking care of Mother Nature.”
“Your article was a good read for those who are concerned with what just happened [the floods]...One thing for us to look into is the lowly bamboo as alternative for construction. It is sturdy and grows easily. Plant them in areas prone to landslides.
“We have to live simply so that others may simply live.”
From another reader: “Yes, I agree the drainage in Manila is so outdated it is the big reason why rains flood Manila.”
Krisbelle of Pagadian City, who has been living in Manila for eight years, observes in Filipino: “I do not see cleanliness in Manila; people here do not care about their surroundings. Only one thing will prevent flooding, that canals and drainage are not clogged and proper exits are provided.”
Chronic disregard
Readers express mainly outrage at how the government has allowed the state of the urban and rural environments to dismally deteriorate.
Outrage? By all means, we should be outraged.
Look at the chronic disregard of planning and environmental ordinances by government authorities and real-estate developers.
Consider the poor maintenance of drainage and flood-control facilities; over-concreting of urban areas; unregulated building over natural waterways and open public areas, whether urban or rural; massive deforestation. These are just a few of a multitude of issues that must be looked into immediately.
But we are as much at fault as those in authority whom we like to blame.
Illegal residents squat on easements and clog waterways with trash. From upscale communities like Forbes Park to mid-scale BF Homes, residents appropriate public easements as well, either fencing them off or worse still, covering them over with permanent structures that clog urban waterways with concrete.
Plastic-free Philippines
These days, a covered basketball-cum-multipurpose area gifted by the leading local politician is the centerpiece of most town plazas, displacing the usual open planted areas that would have naturally drained excess water back into the ground. Goodbye to natural water absorption.
Despite ill-enforced environmental laws to protect our forests, rampant illegal logging persists. Goodbye to natural flood control.
Rather than being outraged at government carelessness and blaming it for the widespread degradation, should we not also be outraged at ourselves for being so remiss?
In the same way that ordinary citizens banded together to help out flood victims, people can channel their energy protecting the environment. We could start simply by taking care of our immediate surroundings, keeping it clean and free from garbage, avoiding the use of plastic altogether.
A plastic-free Philippines makes so much sense after seeing how drains and waterways clogged by plastic caused flooding and destruction. This is a call for us to use biodegradable materials.
We should let our cities breathe again. Peel away as much concrete as possible. Restore open areas and replant trees and shrubs to allow excess water to drain naturally back into the ground.
It is time to change our environmental paradigms. The old way of environmental laissez faire does not work, as the floods have so cruelly shown us.
After the floods, we can’t go back to our old habits. We have to change the way we live.
E-mail feedback and comments to pride.place@gmail.com.
‘Ondoy’s’ lesson: We must change the way we live
By Augusto Villalon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
LAST week’s column piece “Where Have All the ‘Esteros’ Gone?” has generated several feedback from readers.
“Let’s change the way we live,” writes M.L.C. “All is not lost, we can still reverse the situation now...though we must first do our part in taking care of Mother Nature.”
“Your article was a good read for those who are concerned with what just happened [the floods]...One thing for us to look into is the lowly bamboo as alternative for construction. It is sturdy and grows easily. Plant them in areas prone to landslides.
“We have to live simply so that others may simply live.”
From another reader: “Yes, I agree the drainage in Manila is so outdated it is the big reason why rains flood Manila.”
Krisbelle of Pagadian City, who has been living in Manila for eight years, observes in Filipino: “I do not see cleanliness in Manila; people here do not care about their surroundings. Only one thing will prevent flooding, that canals and drainage are not clogged and proper exits are provided.”
Chronic disregard
Readers express mainly outrage at how the government has allowed the state of the urban and rural environments to dismally deteriorate.
Outrage? By all means, we should be outraged.
Look at the chronic disregard of planning and environmental ordinances by government authorities and real-estate developers.
Consider the poor maintenance of drainage and flood-control facilities; over-concreting of urban areas; unregulated building over natural waterways and open public areas, whether urban or rural; massive deforestation. These are just a few of a multitude of issues that must be looked into immediately.
But we are as much at fault as those in authority whom we like to blame.
Illegal residents squat on easements and clog waterways with trash. From upscale communities like Forbes Park to mid-scale BF Homes, residents appropriate public easements as well, either fencing them off or worse still, covering them over with permanent structures that clog urban waterways with concrete.
Plastic-free Philippines
These days, a covered basketball-cum-multipurpose area gifted by the leading local politician is the centerpiece of most town plazas, displacing the usual open planted areas that would have naturally drained excess water back into the ground. Goodbye to natural water absorption.
Despite ill-enforced environmental laws to protect our forests, rampant illegal logging persists. Goodbye to natural flood control.
Rather than being outraged at government carelessness and blaming it for the widespread degradation, should we not also be outraged at ourselves for being so remiss?
In the same way that ordinary citizens banded together to help out flood victims, people can channel their energy protecting the environment. We could start simply by taking care of our immediate surroundings, keeping it clean and free from garbage, avoiding the use of plastic altogether.
A plastic-free Philippines makes so much sense after seeing how drains and waterways clogged by plastic caused flooding and destruction. This is a call for us to use biodegradable materials.
We should let our cities breathe again. Peel away as much concrete as possible. Restore open areas and replant trees and shrubs to allow excess water to drain naturally back into the ground.
It is time to change our environmental paradigms. The old way of environmental laissez faire does not work, as the floods have so cruelly shown us.
After the floods, we can’t go back to our old habits. We have to change the way we live.
E-mail feedback and comments to pride.place@gmail.com.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Wind energy blows strong in the Philippines
by Dennis Posadas
The recently held GTZ symposium on renewable energy held last October 8 at the Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street was an interesting example of how investors and the public are now interacting with our new Renewable Energy Act. The passage of the 2008 Renewable Energy Act of the Philippines has paved the way for an increase in investments in the renewable energy sector. One of the areas that have benefited is the wind energy sector. It is estimated that the Philippines theoretically has around 76,000 MW in wind energy capacity, based on studies conducted by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Philippines Department of Energy.
It was reported in the Inquirer.net that the Department of Energy last September awarded three companies four new wind energy service contracts—Energy Development Corp. (PSE: EDC) for its planned 86-MW wind farm in Burgos, Ilocos Norte; UPC Asia Corp. for its 50-MW wind project in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte; and PetroEnergy Resources Corp., which bagged two contracts for a 30-MW project in Sual, Pangasinan and a 30-MW project in Nabas, Aklan. Also, Energy Logics Philippines Inc.’s pre-commercial contract for a 120-MW wind farm in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, was converted to a wind energy service contract.
Several joint ventures between local businessmen and foreign companies and investors have also been announced in the local dailies, among those that have been reported include the Alterenergy Partners joint venture with Eurus Energy Japan and Korea East West Power Co. to identify projects in the 30 to 40 MW range; and the French wind turbine manufacturer Vergnet Group, said to be looking for joint venture partners.
The rule of thumb given is that each megawatt of capacity costs around USD $2m to 2.5m dollars. At present, aside from small isolated micro-wind installations in remote communities, the largest one at present is the 33MW wind farm in Bangui Bay, Ilocos Norte run by the Northwind Power Corporation, which contributes only 0.21% of the total electricity generated in the country, that is when the wind is blowing.
The 7,100 islands of the Philippines make it difficult to make electricity available in many areas, particularly those that are isolated from the main electric grid. Most large islands with large populations, such as Luzon, Panay, Cebu, Mindanao, and others have their own generation, distribution and utility companies to service their areas.
However, smaller islands with sparse populations or mountainous areas are a particular challenge. In these cases, sometimes the only practical solution is to use renewable energy power sources (e.g. wind, solar, biomass) or diesel powered generators.
Because wind, like solar, is an intermittent energy source, there has to be a means of storage to compensate for times when it is not generating power. In isolated off-grid areas, for smaller wind systems, this normally means a battery. In countries like the U.S., in the Texas Panhandle for example, T. Boone Pickens’s backup of choice is a natural gas turbine. But for the Philippine setting, the typical approach much like in most countries is to simply connect these large wind systems to the electric grid, and to simply sell power to the grid when it is generating. Anyway, just like in the U.S., the Philippines operates a spot market for electricity. In the case of renewable energy, a special spot market for renewable energy has been developed by the Philippine government to guarantee that there will be buyers for producers of renewable energy electricity.
One concern of some investors is the limit on foreign ownership. It is defined in the Philippine constitution that in certain key industries/sectors, foreign ownership is to be a minority, with a slight majority going to a Philippine partner. For some investors, it is not an issue, but for some it is. As former Energy Secretary and now Alterenergy Partners CEO Vince Perez mentioned during the GTZ symposium, at the moment the only choice is to look for a trusted Philippine partner to work with.
Another concern is in the way the public may perceive the Feed-in-Tariff, which is a key subsidy mechanism to attract investors to invest in renewable energy in the Philippines. During the Ramos administration, the government suddenly had to build power plants to meet a large capacity shortfall, and to do this, they had to entice investors with a ‘take or pay’ scheme meaning that even if the power was not being used, electricity utilities and therefore consumers had to shoulder part, if not all, of the cost of the unused generated power. There was such a big public outcry, especially in this country where the ‘cheapest power possible’ mentality rules, that it will sometimes if not always be difficult to pass measures that subsidize for example, renewable energy. Just like the personal computer and the semiconductor industry, renewable energy requires a steady market in order for private sector technologists to be attracted to constantly improve it. Unfortunately, the appetite for renewable energy seems to be correlated with the price of oil. If oil is cheap, the appetite for renewable energy disappears and vice versa. The Feed-in-Tariff hopes to counteract this tendency.
Personally, most people would like to see renewable energy succeed in the Philippines. The severe flooding brought about by typhoon Ondoy has brought home more awareness of the need for low carbon energy sources. Supporters of renewable energy hope that electricity consumers will actually step up to the plate and pay a little extra for renewable energy through the feed-in-tariff, in order to increase the returns for the companies and investors that go into this sector, already saddled by high upfront capital expense costs for wind (currently $2.5m per MW) and solar (currently $2/watt for silicon based photovoltaics and $1/watt for less efficient thin film based photovoltaics) and the threat of cheap oil. Besides, electricity consumers in the Philippines already pay a foreign currency adjustment charge for imported oil used in power generation. There is no reason why they should not accept a feed-in-tariff adder, given that they will no longer need to pay the foreign currency charge for that portion of the electricity bill.
Otherwise if consumers do not agree to pay the piper, then coal, the current king of the hill in terms of price, will really become entrenched as the power source of choice.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Dennis Posadas is the editor of Cleantech Asia Online, and the author of Jump Start: A Technopreneurship Fable (Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009). He is is currently working on a new business fable on climate change and clean energy.
The recently held GTZ symposium on renewable energy held last October 8 at the Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street was an interesting example of how investors and the public are now interacting with our new Renewable Energy Act. The passage of the 2008 Renewable Energy Act of the Philippines has paved the way for an increase in investments in the renewable energy sector. One of the areas that have benefited is the wind energy sector. It is estimated that the Philippines theoretically has around 76,000 MW in wind energy capacity, based on studies conducted by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Philippines Department of Energy.
It was reported in the Inquirer.net that the Department of Energy last September awarded three companies four new wind energy service contracts—Energy Development Corp. (PSE: EDC) for its planned 86-MW wind farm in Burgos, Ilocos Norte; UPC Asia Corp. for its 50-MW wind project in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte; and PetroEnergy Resources Corp., which bagged two contracts for a 30-MW project in Sual, Pangasinan and a 30-MW project in Nabas, Aklan. Also, Energy Logics Philippines Inc.’s pre-commercial contract for a 120-MW wind farm in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, was converted to a wind energy service contract.
Several joint ventures between local businessmen and foreign companies and investors have also been announced in the local dailies, among those that have been reported include the Alterenergy Partners joint venture with Eurus Energy Japan and Korea East West Power Co. to identify projects in the 30 to 40 MW range; and the French wind turbine manufacturer Vergnet Group, said to be looking for joint venture partners.
The rule of thumb given is that each megawatt of capacity costs around USD $2m to 2.5m dollars. At present, aside from small isolated micro-wind installations in remote communities, the largest one at present is the 33MW wind farm in Bangui Bay, Ilocos Norte run by the Northwind Power Corporation, which contributes only 0.21% of the total electricity generated in the country, that is when the wind is blowing.
The 7,100 islands of the Philippines make it difficult to make electricity available in many areas, particularly those that are isolated from the main electric grid. Most large islands with large populations, such as Luzon, Panay, Cebu, Mindanao, and others have their own generation, distribution and utility companies to service their areas.
However, smaller islands with sparse populations or mountainous areas are a particular challenge. In these cases, sometimes the only practical solution is to use renewable energy power sources (e.g. wind, solar, biomass) or diesel powered generators.
Because wind, like solar, is an intermittent energy source, there has to be a means of storage to compensate for times when it is not generating power. In isolated off-grid areas, for smaller wind systems, this normally means a battery. In countries like the U.S., in the Texas Panhandle for example, T. Boone Pickens’s backup of choice is a natural gas turbine. But for the Philippine setting, the typical approach much like in most countries is to simply connect these large wind systems to the electric grid, and to simply sell power to the grid when it is generating. Anyway, just like in the U.S., the Philippines operates a spot market for electricity. In the case of renewable energy, a special spot market for renewable energy has been developed by the Philippine government to guarantee that there will be buyers for producers of renewable energy electricity.
One concern of some investors is the limit on foreign ownership. It is defined in the Philippine constitution that in certain key industries/sectors, foreign ownership is to be a minority, with a slight majority going to a Philippine partner. For some investors, it is not an issue, but for some it is. As former Energy Secretary and now Alterenergy Partners CEO Vince Perez mentioned during the GTZ symposium, at the moment the only choice is to look for a trusted Philippine partner to work with.
Another concern is in the way the public may perceive the Feed-in-Tariff, which is a key subsidy mechanism to attract investors to invest in renewable energy in the Philippines. During the Ramos administration, the government suddenly had to build power plants to meet a large capacity shortfall, and to do this, they had to entice investors with a ‘take or pay’ scheme meaning that even if the power was not being used, electricity utilities and therefore consumers had to shoulder part, if not all, of the cost of the unused generated power. There was such a big public outcry, especially in this country where the ‘cheapest power possible’ mentality rules, that it will sometimes if not always be difficult to pass measures that subsidize for example, renewable energy. Just like the personal computer and the semiconductor industry, renewable energy requires a steady market in order for private sector technologists to be attracted to constantly improve it. Unfortunately, the appetite for renewable energy seems to be correlated with the price of oil. If oil is cheap, the appetite for renewable energy disappears and vice versa. The Feed-in-Tariff hopes to counteract this tendency.
Personally, most people would like to see renewable energy succeed in the Philippines. The severe flooding brought about by typhoon Ondoy has brought home more awareness of the need for low carbon energy sources. Supporters of renewable energy hope that electricity consumers will actually step up to the plate and pay a little extra for renewable energy through the feed-in-tariff, in order to increase the returns for the companies and investors that go into this sector, already saddled by high upfront capital expense costs for wind (currently $2.5m per MW) and solar (currently $2/watt for silicon based photovoltaics and $1/watt for less efficient thin film based photovoltaics) and the threat of cheap oil. Besides, electricity consumers in the Philippines already pay a foreign currency adjustment charge for imported oil used in power generation. There is no reason why they should not accept a feed-in-tariff adder, given that they will no longer need to pay the foreign currency charge for that portion of the electricity bill.
Otherwise if consumers do not agree to pay the piper, then coal, the current king of the hill in terms of price, will really become entrenched as the power source of choice.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Dennis Posadas is the editor of Cleantech Asia Online, and the author of Jump Start: A Technopreneurship Fable (Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009). He is is currently working on a new business fable on climate change and clean energy.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Abusing the mountains
The filing of charges against Consolacion Mayor Avelino Gungob for cutting down trees in timberland area and dumping filling materials there will test whether the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) has the backbone to pursue the case to a final resolution.
That, and the case against unscrupulous persons selling watershed land in barangay Tabunan, Cebu City.
The agency through its sub-agencies like the Bureau of Mines and Geosciences have been reminding the mayor about his illegal quarrying activities for some time, even going to the extent of elevating the matter to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
But as seen in the filing of charges against Gungob, it seemed the mayor didn’t back down and even continued to pursue cutting trees in timberland area. While some local officials rarely get cowed by national government agencies, it would have been better if the DENR enforced the law more firmly to remind the mayor not to run his greedy hands over the uplands of his town.
The mayor assured that the tree-cutting of trees and dumping of mountain soil stopped a long time ago. But if memory serves, Gungob agreed to stop quarrying only to resume them with the help of some partner companies with the excuse that he was implementing a land development project there.
Meanwhile, the cases filed against land sellers in sitio Cantipla, barangay Tabunan underscore the struggle of the DENR’s reforestation agreement with former police general Tiburcio Fusilero.
True, parts of the timberland area have been regreened, but if people are willing to illegaly sell land “rights” for commercial and private use, what’s to prevent them from allowing activities and structures that upset reforestation activties in the first place?
Add to that the hostility of farmer residents who claim to have lived in the land for several generations . This leaves the DENR in a situation where the preservation of timberland areas is compromised by a few rich parties and opposed by farmer residents who could have been tapped to help protect the area.
The filing of charges may not be enough. The enforcement of environment laws should include plugging loopholes which allow the acquisition of public land.
This refers to questionable tax declarations issued to occupants in the mountains, who use the document to “sell” their property, which can never be titled. The DENR should be asking Cebu City Hall why these tax declarations are issued in the first place.
Otherwise people will see more of the same sales of inalienable public land to rich folk and not enough action being done to regulate land use of occupants or to protect a thinning forest cover in order to ensure Metro Cebu’s source of drinking water.
That, and the case against unscrupulous persons selling watershed land in barangay Tabunan, Cebu City.
The agency through its sub-agencies like the Bureau of Mines and Geosciences have been reminding the mayor about his illegal quarrying activities for some time, even going to the extent of elevating the matter to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
But as seen in the filing of charges against Gungob, it seemed the mayor didn’t back down and even continued to pursue cutting trees in timberland area. While some local officials rarely get cowed by national government agencies, it would have been better if the DENR enforced the law more firmly to remind the mayor not to run his greedy hands over the uplands of his town.
The mayor assured that the tree-cutting of trees and dumping of mountain soil stopped a long time ago. But if memory serves, Gungob agreed to stop quarrying only to resume them with the help of some partner companies with the excuse that he was implementing a land development project there.
Meanwhile, the cases filed against land sellers in sitio Cantipla, barangay Tabunan underscore the struggle of the DENR’s reforestation agreement with former police general Tiburcio Fusilero.
True, parts of the timberland area have been regreened, but if people are willing to illegaly sell land “rights” for commercial and private use, what’s to prevent them from allowing activities and structures that upset reforestation activties in the first place?
Add to that the hostility of farmer residents who claim to have lived in the land for several generations . This leaves the DENR in a situation where the preservation of timberland areas is compromised by a few rich parties and opposed by farmer residents who could have been tapped to help protect the area.
The filing of charges may not be enough. The enforcement of environment laws should include plugging loopholes which allow the acquisition of public land.
This refers to questionable tax declarations issued to occupants in the mountains, who use the document to “sell” their property, which can never be titled. The DENR should be asking Cebu City Hall why these tax declarations are issued in the first place.
Otherwise people will see more of the same sales of inalienable public land to rich folk and not enough action being done to regulate land use of occupants or to protect a thinning forest cover in order to ensure Metro Cebu’s source of drinking water.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Invest in clean energy, Napocor urges firms
By Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
STATE-RUN NATIONAL POWER CORP. SEEKS investments in renewable energy for its island and off-grid operations, in a bid to reduce costly government subsidies to its Small Power Utilities Group operations.
SPUG, Napocor’s missionary electrification arm, currently provides power to remote islands and barangays not connected to the main grids, and the subsidy to these areas runs up to about P6 billion a year.
“The subsidy of government becomes less because we will now just have to provide the gap between the regulated rate of electricity and the actual generating cost of the private sector, as opposed to coming in there on our own and covering the entire cost. That is where the value of the partnership comes in,” said Napocor president Froilan A. Tampinco.
He cautioned, however, that relying on renewable energy alone could be expensive.
“The trick is to come up with hybrid systems. This is a combination of renewable and conventional energy,” Tampinco said.
Another incentive for investors, Tampinco noted, was the pending tourism bill, which aims to promote tourism in areas where SPUG operates.
“That [bill] is going to be another incentive for investors in terms of the improved economic activity of the people, the prospects for the market and better returns,” Tampinco said.
“I am very confident and bullish about how things are moving right now. Our concentrated efforts on these island and off-grid operations, the supportive legislative piece in the form of the New Renewable Energy Law and the coming Tourism Bill will allow us to have a positive impact on these communities that need priming up to improve their livelihood,” he added.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
STATE-RUN NATIONAL POWER CORP. SEEKS investments in renewable energy for its island and off-grid operations, in a bid to reduce costly government subsidies to its Small Power Utilities Group operations.
SPUG, Napocor’s missionary electrification arm, currently provides power to remote islands and barangays not connected to the main grids, and the subsidy to these areas runs up to about P6 billion a year.
“The subsidy of government becomes less because we will now just have to provide the gap between the regulated rate of electricity and the actual generating cost of the private sector, as opposed to coming in there on our own and covering the entire cost. That is where the value of the partnership comes in,” said Napocor president Froilan A. Tampinco.
He cautioned, however, that relying on renewable energy alone could be expensive.
“The trick is to come up with hybrid systems. This is a combination of renewable and conventional energy,” Tampinco said.
Another incentive for investors, Tampinco noted, was the pending tourism bill, which aims to promote tourism in areas where SPUG operates.
“That [bill] is going to be another incentive for investors in terms of the improved economic activity of the people, the prospects for the market and better returns,” Tampinco said.
“I am very confident and bullish about how things are moving right now. Our concentrated efforts on these island and off-grid operations, the supportive legislative piece in the form of the New Renewable Energy Law and the coming Tourism Bill will allow us to have a positive impact on these communities that need priming up to improve their livelihood,” he added.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Green and Bare It
Philippine Daily Inquirer
GOING green doesn’t mean being in the red. More and more companies involved in manufacturing, energy, retail and construction are now embracing environmentally safe and energy-saving practices that also reduce their production and operational costs.
In a recently released international survey, the business sector in the Philippines emerged as the most perceptibly environment-friendly sector.
According to the 2009 Grant Thornton International Business Report, the business sector in the country got a score of +78 percent which, observers said, was a result of efforts among several firms to actively pursue projects that promote cleaner and greener surroundings.
The Philippines, thus, makes for a rightful venue for the first International Conference on Green Industry in Asia on September 9 to 11, at the Philippine International Convention Center. This is organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) and hosted by the Philippines through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
In this meeting, delegations from 25 Asia Pacific countries, headed by environment and trade ministers, as well as senior officials, are expected to come up with a Manila declaration to encourage industries and businesses to adopt eco-friendly systems.
DENR Secretary Joselito Atienza Jr. is optimistic that the event will serve as an opportunity for the Philippines to highlight its potential toward green growth. “Climate change is one of the biggest problems we face today. The shift to a low carbon economy will change how industries operate, the products we use and our lifestyles. Business and consumers can benefit from significant savings and resource efficiency measures,” Atienza said.
“We are pursuing the shift to renewable energy. We also have ample water supply. We have considerable geothermal resources and our wind condition is suitable for windmills. In fact, we are the only country in Southeast Asia with windmills that earn carbon credits. Indeed, we are blessed that we have the natural resources to do these and be able to show our neighboring countries such potential is a very worthy accomplishment,” he added.
The following is an initial list of companies with notable green initiatives, as compiled by the DENR Environmental Management Bureau.
1. Nestlé Philippines, Inc.
The company optimizes the use of water in its operations and eliminates unnecessary consumption. These efforts have cut down Nestlé’s water consumption by 16.76 percent since 1997 or an average of 65,600 cubic meters of water every year. One of the green measures that Nestlé has employed is the reuse of water for various parts of its operation particularly in its Lipa and Cabuyao factories. Water used for sealing, cooling and even treated waste water is collected, pumped and recirculated for irrigation of plants and grass as well as other uses instead of being discharged as waste.
2. Coca-Cola Bottlers Plant, Tacloban (CCBPI)
CCBPI is implementing a program to phase out refrigerants with ozone-depleting substances through the purchase of refrigerators, coolers, fountains and vending equipment that use environment-friendly refrigerants. The program also includes energy-efficient initiatives such as use of natural light (skylight) in its warehouses. The plant has also switched or retrofitted its boiler from using bunker fuel to Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (LSFO).
3. Hideco Sugar Milling Company, Leyte
Hideco uses bagasse, a by-product derived from sugar cane, as fuel for its boilers to generate steam. The steam generated is then used to drive turbines of cane milling plant equipment and also turbo-generators to produce electricity for the sugar processing plant. •
GOING green doesn’t mean being in the red. More and more companies involved in manufacturing, energy, retail and construction are now embracing environmentally safe and energy-saving practices that also reduce their production and operational costs.
In a recently released international survey, the business sector in the Philippines emerged as the most perceptibly environment-friendly sector.
According to the 2009 Grant Thornton International Business Report, the business sector in the country got a score of +78 percent which, observers said, was a result of efforts among several firms to actively pursue projects that promote cleaner and greener surroundings.
The Philippines, thus, makes for a rightful venue for the first International Conference on Green Industry in Asia on September 9 to 11, at the Philippine International Convention Center. This is organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) and hosted by the Philippines through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
In this meeting, delegations from 25 Asia Pacific countries, headed by environment and trade ministers, as well as senior officials, are expected to come up with a Manila declaration to encourage industries and businesses to adopt eco-friendly systems.
DENR Secretary Joselito Atienza Jr. is optimistic that the event will serve as an opportunity for the Philippines to highlight its potential toward green growth. “Climate change is one of the biggest problems we face today. The shift to a low carbon economy will change how industries operate, the products we use and our lifestyles. Business and consumers can benefit from significant savings and resource efficiency measures,” Atienza said.
“We are pursuing the shift to renewable energy. We also have ample water supply. We have considerable geothermal resources and our wind condition is suitable for windmills. In fact, we are the only country in Southeast Asia with windmills that earn carbon credits. Indeed, we are blessed that we have the natural resources to do these and be able to show our neighboring countries such potential is a very worthy accomplishment,” he added.
The following is an initial list of companies with notable green initiatives, as compiled by the DENR Environmental Management Bureau.
1. Nestlé Philippines, Inc.
The company optimizes the use of water in its operations and eliminates unnecessary consumption. These efforts have cut down Nestlé’s water consumption by 16.76 percent since 1997 or an average of 65,600 cubic meters of water every year. One of the green measures that Nestlé has employed is the reuse of water for various parts of its operation particularly in its Lipa and Cabuyao factories. Water used for sealing, cooling and even treated waste water is collected, pumped and recirculated for irrigation of plants and grass as well as other uses instead of being discharged as waste.
2. Coca-Cola Bottlers Plant, Tacloban (CCBPI)
CCBPI is implementing a program to phase out refrigerants with ozone-depleting substances through the purchase of refrigerators, coolers, fountains and vending equipment that use environment-friendly refrigerants. The program also includes energy-efficient initiatives such as use of natural light (skylight) in its warehouses. The plant has also switched or retrofitted its boiler from using bunker fuel to Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (LSFO).
3. Hideco Sugar Milling Company, Leyte
Hideco uses bagasse, a by-product derived from sugar cane, as fuel for its boilers to generate steam. The steam generated is then used to drive turbines of cane milling plant equipment and also turbo-generators to produce electricity for the sugar processing plant. •
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Richard Gutierrez goes green in new docu
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—Richard Gutierrez found Nemo (clownfish) while diving in the waters off Anilao, Batangas, for the new environmental documentary “Planet Philippines.”
Chard, as he is known in show biz circles, thoroughly enjoyed taping the docu, which airs tonight on GMA 7.
The actor went diving in three different spots in the Batangas-Mindoro seas known as “Center of the Center of the World’s Marine Biodiversity.”
“I was surrounded by hundreds of jackfish, what locals call talakitok,” he recounts. “It was a beautiful experience ... seeing the colorful corals, the amazing marine life.”
Chard was happy to learn that the fisher folk of Batangas had been recruited in conservation efforts.
“In this docu, we show how we can take care of our country’s natural resources,” he notes.
The docu boasts rare footage of the thresher shark as well. “It was caught by our cameraman in Malapascua, Cebu. My diver-friends have gone to Malapascua four times and they’ve never seen the thresher shark.”
In Cebu, Chard also went trekking in the Alcoy forest for an hour and a half and spotted the black shama, a bird endemic to the country.
“Our cameraman wore camouflage so he could get close-up shots of the bird. He couldn’t move an inch even though mosquitoes were feasting on him,” he recalls.
The docu was recorded using high definition Panasonic HPX 500 cameras.
“I never considered it difficult because when I experience something new and see places I haven’t seen before, all my exhaustion disappears,” the actor says.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—Richard Gutierrez found Nemo (clownfish) while diving in the waters off Anilao, Batangas, for the new environmental documentary “Planet Philippines.”
Chard, as he is known in show biz circles, thoroughly enjoyed taping the docu, which airs tonight on GMA 7.
The actor went diving in three different spots in the Batangas-Mindoro seas known as “Center of the Center of the World’s Marine Biodiversity.”
“I was surrounded by hundreds of jackfish, what locals call talakitok,” he recounts. “It was a beautiful experience ... seeing the colorful corals, the amazing marine life.”
Chard was happy to learn that the fisher folk of Batangas had been recruited in conservation efforts.
“In this docu, we show how we can take care of our country’s natural resources,” he notes.
The docu boasts rare footage of the thresher shark as well. “It was caught by our cameraman in Malapascua, Cebu. My diver-friends have gone to Malapascua four times and they’ve never seen the thresher shark.”
In Cebu, Chard also went trekking in the Alcoy forest for an hour and a half and spotted the black shama, a bird endemic to the country.
“Our cameraman wore camouflage so he could get close-up shots of the bird. He couldn’t move an inch even though mosquitoes were feasting on him,” he recalls.
The docu was recorded using high definition Panasonic HPX 500 cameras.
“I never considered it difficult because when I experience something new and see places I haven’t seen before, all my exhaustion disappears,” the actor says.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Small Leyte town assembles bamboo car
By Vicente Labro
Philippine Daily Inquirer
TABONTABON, LEYTE, Philippines—Move over electric cars, bamboo cars are the next eco-friendly transport.
A farming town has started to assemble cars using bamboo and other indigenous materials in pursuit of the green agenda. It has also fabricated equipment for waste recycling.
Tabontabon, a fifth-class municipality of over 10,000 people and situated 30 kilometers south of Tacloban City, began the environment-friendly projects on the initiative of its mayor, Dr. Rustico Balderian.
Balderian, 53, a physician serving his first term as mayor, recalls that the car assembly venture arose from the town’s need for an alternative means of transportation.
Jeepneys seldom ply the route because it takes hours for the vehicles to fill up with passengers. The main mode of transport is the motorcycle, locally known as habal-habal which, according to the mayor, is prone to accidents.
To solve the problem, Balderian says he looked around for a form of transport that can compete with the habal-habal, jeepney and multicab in terms of cost and efficiency. With the help of residents and out-of-school youths, he experimented with a three-wheeler and a car with a one-cylinder engine.
Three car models
They finally settled on a two-cylinder engine that runs on coconut-based biofuel with the body made of indigenous material.
Their efforts resulted in three prototypes of the eco-friendly cars assembled under the Tabontabon Organic Transportation Industry (Toti) livelihood project.
The Eco 1 model car, designed by Balderian, is made of indigenous materials, except for the engine, tires, chassis and flooring. It can seat 20 people, including driver, and can run on one gallon of biodiesel for eight hours.
It can climb a 20-percent incline. Its body, including the roof, is covered with woven mats. It has a steel plate flooring.
The Eco 2 model car is 70 per cent made of bamboo, including body and flooring. It can seat six passengers and has a stereo system. It can run on one gallon of biodiesel for eight hours and can climb a 20-percent incline.
The Eco 3 model car is an improved version of Eco 2. Bamboo makes up 90 percent of the car, including chassis. It can accommodate six passengers.
The three car models have been driven around town and even participated in a parade in Tacloban City.
Stronger than steel
Balderian says the use of locally available bamboo, whose tensile strength is greater than steel, lowers production cost. Bamboo is also pliant and light.
“Bamboo cars are environment-friendly and could help mitigate the adverse effects of climate changes,” he says.
According to the mayor, it takes around five tons of ore to produce a ton of steel plate and to transform the ore into steel plate, some five million Btu of heat is needed.
Balderian claims the car body can last 10 years as the bamboo and indigenous materials will be laminated or treated with polyurethane to withstand the heat and rain.
There is also no danger of the vehicle catching fire as polyurethane is fire-resistant, he adds.
Mass production
Balderian estimates that the Eco 1 car will cost about P200,000. Since it runs on coconut biofuel, it will not be dependent on the more expensive fossil-fuel.
Some of his fellow mayors, he says, have already signified their interest to buy these environment-friendly cars.
Balderian says their group is seeking a classification for these “eco-vehicles” from the Land Transportation Office.
So far, they have only produced three prototypes and will only assemble additional units if there are orders.
If there is enough interest, they plan to mass-produce the cars.
Solid waste management
Tabontabon has other ventures such as the fabrication of shredders, boilers and bio-reactors, not only for use in the town’s solid waste management program but also to sell in other provinces.
So far, the mayors of Mayorga in Leyte and Villareal in Samar bought the solid waste management package, each costing P650,000.
“Other bio-reactors take 14-21 days to produce fertilizer. Our bio-reactor can make fertilizer in five days,” Balderian says. The fertilizer can be sold at P5 a kilo.
Other projects
Other livelihood projects include the making of slippers, bags and bricks out of plastic waste.
Balderian says the town’s environment and livelihood projects are anchored on a campaign against climate change.
“If we will not work together to mitigate climate change, Tabontabon, which is located 15 kilometers from the sea, will become a coastal town in about 40 years,” he warns.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
TABONTABON, LEYTE, Philippines—Move over electric cars, bamboo cars are the next eco-friendly transport.
A farming town has started to assemble cars using bamboo and other indigenous materials in pursuit of the green agenda. It has also fabricated equipment for waste recycling.
Tabontabon, a fifth-class municipality of over 10,000 people and situated 30 kilometers south of Tacloban City, began the environment-friendly projects on the initiative of its mayor, Dr. Rustico Balderian.
Balderian, 53, a physician serving his first term as mayor, recalls that the car assembly venture arose from the town’s need for an alternative means of transportation.
Jeepneys seldom ply the route because it takes hours for the vehicles to fill up with passengers. The main mode of transport is the motorcycle, locally known as habal-habal which, according to the mayor, is prone to accidents.
To solve the problem, Balderian says he looked around for a form of transport that can compete with the habal-habal, jeepney and multicab in terms of cost and efficiency. With the help of residents and out-of-school youths, he experimented with a three-wheeler and a car with a one-cylinder engine.
Three car models
They finally settled on a two-cylinder engine that runs on coconut-based biofuel with the body made of indigenous material.
Their efforts resulted in three prototypes of the eco-friendly cars assembled under the Tabontabon Organic Transportation Industry (Toti) livelihood project.
The Eco 1 model car, designed by Balderian, is made of indigenous materials, except for the engine, tires, chassis and flooring. It can seat 20 people, including driver, and can run on one gallon of biodiesel for eight hours.
It can climb a 20-percent incline. Its body, including the roof, is covered with woven mats. It has a steel plate flooring.
The Eco 2 model car is 70 per cent made of bamboo, including body and flooring. It can seat six passengers and has a stereo system. It can run on one gallon of biodiesel for eight hours and can climb a 20-percent incline.
The Eco 3 model car is an improved version of Eco 2. Bamboo makes up 90 percent of the car, including chassis. It can accommodate six passengers.
The three car models have been driven around town and even participated in a parade in Tacloban City.
Stronger than steel
Balderian says the use of locally available bamboo, whose tensile strength is greater than steel, lowers production cost. Bamboo is also pliant and light.
“Bamboo cars are environment-friendly and could help mitigate the adverse effects of climate changes,” he says.
According to the mayor, it takes around five tons of ore to produce a ton of steel plate and to transform the ore into steel plate, some five million Btu of heat is needed.
Balderian claims the car body can last 10 years as the bamboo and indigenous materials will be laminated or treated with polyurethane to withstand the heat and rain.
There is also no danger of the vehicle catching fire as polyurethane is fire-resistant, he adds.
Mass production
Balderian estimates that the Eco 1 car will cost about P200,000. Since it runs on coconut biofuel, it will not be dependent on the more expensive fossil-fuel.
Some of his fellow mayors, he says, have already signified their interest to buy these environment-friendly cars.
Balderian says their group is seeking a classification for these “eco-vehicles” from the Land Transportation Office.
So far, they have only produced three prototypes and will only assemble additional units if there are orders.
If there is enough interest, they plan to mass-produce the cars.
Solid waste management
Tabontabon has other ventures such as the fabrication of shredders, boilers and bio-reactors, not only for use in the town’s solid waste management program but also to sell in other provinces.
So far, the mayors of Mayorga in Leyte and Villareal in Samar bought the solid waste management package, each costing P650,000.
“Other bio-reactors take 14-21 days to produce fertilizer. Our bio-reactor can make fertilizer in five days,” Balderian says. The fertilizer can be sold at P5 a kilo.
Other projects
Other livelihood projects include the making of slippers, bags and bricks out of plastic waste.
Balderian says the town’s environment and livelihood projects are anchored on a campaign against climate change.
“If we will not work together to mitigate climate change, Tabontabon, which is located 15 kilometers from the sea, will become a coastal town in about 40 years,” he warns.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Nitrous oxide is top destroyer of ozone layer
Agence France-Presse
WASHINGTON – Nitrous oxide emissions caused by human activity have become the largest contributor to ozone depletion and are likely to remain so for the rest of the 21st century, a US study has concluded.
The study by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency said efforts to reduce chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the atmosphere over the past two decades were "an environmental success story.
"But manmade nitrous oxide is now the elephant in the room among ozone-depleting substances," said A. R. Ravishankara, lead author of the study, which was published Friday in the journal Science.
While nitrous oxide's role in depleting the ozone layer has been known for decades, the study marks the first time that its impact has been measured using the same methods as CFCs and other ozone depleting substances.
Emissions and production of those substances are regulated under the 1987 Montreal Protocol.
But the treaty excludes nitrous oxides, which are emitted by agricultural fertilizers, livestock manure, sewage treatment, combustion and certain other industrial processes.
Since nitrous oxide is also a greenhouse gas, the scientists said reducing emissions from man made sources would be good for the ozone layer and help temper climate change.
WASHINGTON – Nitrous oxide emissions caused by human activity have become the largest contributor to ozone depletion and are likely to remain so for the rest of the 21st century, a US study has concluded.
The study by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency said efforts to reduce chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the atmosphere over the past two decades were "an environmental success story.
"But manmade nitrous oxide is now the elephant in the room among ozone-depleting substances," said A. R. Ravishankara, lead author of the study, which was published Friday in the journal Science.
While nitrous oxide's role in depleting the ozone layer has been known for decades, the study marks the first time that its impact has been measured using the same methods as CFCs and other ozone depleting substances.
Emissions and production of those substances are regulated under the 1987 Montreal Protocol.
But the treaty excludes nitrous oxides, which are emitted by agricultural fertilizers, livestock manure, sewage treatment, combustion and certain other industrial processes.
Since nitrous oxide is also a greenhouse gas, the scientists said reducing emissions from man made sources would be good for the ozone layer and help temper climate change.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Strong as the ‘balete’
By Rina Jimenez-David
Philippine Daily Inquirer
ONE OF the sites we visited during our recent trip to Baler in Aurora was to the 600-year-old balete tree (said to be the biggest and oldest tree in Asia) that stands in a clearing carved out of the lush forests that surround the capital.
The balete is so old that its roots have grown to gigantic proportions, pushing out of the earth and raising the main trunk way above the heads of visitors. Locals say it takes 60 adults, linking arms, to surround the entirety of the tree. So large is the tree, in fact, that the complex network of criss-crossing roots has formed tiny caves and passageways which children climb and explore.
The women in our party were leery of moving past the external roots, fearing getting lost in the maze and encountering bird dung and spider webs, not to mention bird poop and (gasp!) snakes. But the men who ventured into the tree’s interiors reported that the space at the tree’s center was surprisingly roomy, with sunlight streaming in through the interlaced branches and leaves.
We couldn’t help wondering how much history, how much upheaval and drama the balete had witnessed, a silent sentinel through the passage of time and tide. Just last year, said some locals, they feared for the balete’s health as typhoon winds lashed Aurora, and they rushed to the site as soon as the weather had cleared. The tree had indeed been battered, with several branches broken off, but still it stood, defying nature’s wrath.
A likely metaphor for the Filipino people, isn’t it? Beset by political winds like “Typhoon Con-ass,” battered by political ambition, corruption, hypocrisy and sex scandals, and living with the plagues of poverty and pestilence, and still standing strong, weathering the storms of life.
When in Cebu City, please visit also gregmelep.com for your retirement and real estate needs.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
ONE OF the sites we visited during our recent trip to Baler in Aurora was to the 600-year-old balete tree (said to be the biggest and oldest tree in Asia) that stands in a clearing carved out of the lush forests that surround the capital.
The balete is so old that its roots have grown to gigantic proportions, pushing out of the earth and raising the main trunk way above the heads of visitors. Locals say it takes 60 adults, linking arms, to surround the entirety of the tree. So large is the tree, in fact, that the complex network of criss-crossing roots has formed tiny caves and passageways which children climb and explore.
The women in our party were leery of moving past the external roots, fearing getting lost in the maze and encountering bird dung and spider webs, not to mention bird poop and (gasp!) snakes. But the men who ventured into the tree’s interiors reported that the space at the tree’s center was surprisingly roomy, with sunlight streaming in through the interlaced branches and leaves.
We couldn’t help wondering how much history, how much upheaval and drama the balete had witnessed, a silent sentinel through the passage of time and tide. Just last year, said some locals, they feared for the balete’s health as typhoon winds lashed Aurora, and they rushed to the site as soon as the weather had cleared. The tree had indeed been battered, with several branches broken off, but still it stood, defying nature’s wrath.
A likely metaphor for the Filipino people, isn’t it? Beset by political winds like “Typhoon Con-ass,” battered by political ambition, corruption, hypocrisy and sex scandals, and living with the plagues of poverty and pestilence, and still standing strong, weathering the storms of life.
When in Cebu City, please visit also gregmelep.com for your retirement and real estate needs.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Ayala group in Cebu to hold recyclables fair twice a year
By Liberty A. Pinili
FOR many companies nowadays, environmental protection is no longer a trend but a necessity.
The 12-member Ayala Business Club of Cebu Inc. (ABCCI) is among them. Recently, ABCI organized its first Recyclables Fair at the parking lot of Marriott Hotel Cebu City to add to its lineup of projects meant to protect the environment.
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Marriott Hotel general manager Roy Abraham said ABCCI hopes to be able to hold the similar fair twice a year.
Although lasting only a day, the fair was projected to raise P100,000 that, Abraham said, will be used to build more houses for Habitat for Humanity, a housing project for the poor.
“(For the Ayala group), environment is a big thing. We are doing everything to conform,” said Abraham.
He said the Ayala group implements tree planting programs and energy saving measures.
The ABCCI includes Globe Telecom, Cebu Holdings Inc. (operator of Ayala Center Cebu), Isuzu Cebu Inc., Marriott Hotel, Bank of the Philippine Islands, BPI-MS Insurance, Honda Cars and eTelecare.
The recyclable materials—most of which were donated by Globe—were bought by one buyer.
Leonardo Sibbaluca, Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7 director, said he hopes other companies would follow the Ayala group.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Manila Bay warrior wins SC nod
Dream come true for environmental law professor
By Alcuin Papa
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 06:28:00 01/02/2009
MANILA, Philippines—For the lawyer and law professor who filed the case to clean up the Manila Bay, his recent victory in the Supreme Court is a dream come true.
“This 10-year saga started as a dream to see the bay clean again. Now, I will see the fulfillment of this dream,” said Antonio Oposa, a professor at the University of the Philippines College of Law.
Oposa, a longtime resident of Imus, Cavite, one of the provinces bordering the bay, saw firsthand the deterioration of the Manila Bay.
In 1999, he decided to do something about it. That year, he filed a case before the regional trial court in Imus to compel government agencies to clean up the bay.
The case was elevated to the high court. And last Dec. 18, after nine years of legal work, the Supreme Court ordered the government to immediately clean up the bay.
For Oposa, 54, the dream started in the late 1990s when he came across a study that showed that if the bay was properly cared for, “it could feed Metro Manila with enough fish. The bay has recreational value and is a national treasure.”
Outrage
However, stakeholders, including some local officials, “ignored the problem, they couldn’t care less. No one was interested in cleaning up the bay.”
According to the study, there were almost one million units of fecal matter per cubic meter in the waters of Manila Bay, way above the normal level of 20 units. The environmentalist in Oposa was outraged and he decided to take matters into his own hands.
“I am just a lawyer and I tell my story through the law. I thought that this needed to be brought to the attention of the public and the concerned government agencies,” he said.
He brought the issue to his students in environmental law at the UP and they agreed to help and stand as plaintiffs.
Oposa said he wanted to include his students in the suit “so there is representation from the youth. I wanted to make it symbolic.” He also included his then 3-month-old son, Jaime Agustin, in the list of plaintiffs.
Discovery of little-known law
As the years went by, Oposa’s students graduated and he was left to fight the battle alone. Fortunately, he was able to get the help of lawyer Sigfrid Fortun.
Oposa said he discovered a little known 1977 law, Presidential Decree No. 1152, which provided that when bodies of waters are polluted, it is the duty of the government to clean it up.
“Only two people knew of that law: me and former President Marcos,” Oposa said.
He said he met stiff resistance from various government agencies which argued before the high court that the cleanup of Manila Bay was a “political question” and therefore not subject to legal action.
Nonetheless, he thanked his opponents at the Office of the Solicitor General for bringing the matter up to the Supreme Court.
Final, executory
“Their appeal to the Supreme Court has resulted in this decision. Finally, we have a final and executory decision on the matter that is respected by all.”
Fighting wars in behalf of the government is not entirely new to Oposa.
It was Oposa who filed a case in 1980 against the then Environment Secretary Fulgencio Factoran to cancel all logging concessions “in behalf of the children and future generations.” He won that now landmark case before the Supreme Court in 1993.
In 1989, he started a campaign to clean up the rivers of Imus, Cavite, in cooperation with the local government.
“That project was successful. But when the rains came, the waste matter from Dasmariñas came flowing in and we were back where we started,” he said.
A lack of political will
In fairness to local officials, Oposa said he saw many local governments and agencies wanting to do something about Manila Bay. “But they lacked the political will,” he said.
“I know many want to do the right thing. Now, they have the teeth because the rule of law is behind them,” Oposa said.
He said he wants to see a serious implementation of the Supreme Court decision on the Manila Bay cleanup.
On Jan. 7, members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Philippine Bar Association will meet to discuss measures to monitor the implementation of the cleanup.
One of the initial ideas is to write to the government agencies concerned, asking for a report on the progress of the cleanup, with a copy to be furnished the Supreme Court.
“If government agencies and local governments waver in the cleanup, they will have to be answerable to the high court,” he said.
Wastewater treatment
He also said he agreed with the call of Environment Secretary Lito Atienza for the two major water concessionaires in Metro Manila—Manila Water Co. and Maynilad Water Services Inc.—to immediately set up wastewater treatment facilities as a start in the cleanup of the bay.
Oposa cited another study that showed that four million gallons, or 16 million liters of raw untreated sewage, were being dumped into Manila Bay every day.
“If we look at our water bill, we pay a sewage fee. How come there is no compliance at least for the past 10 years?” he asked.
For Oposa, the fight to save Manila Bay has just begun and he anticipates the day when he would see the bay back to its pristine beauty.
“The Supreme Court decision reminds us that we are responsible for the environment to our youth and future generations,” he said.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
By Alcuin Papa
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 06:28:00 01/02/2009
MANILA, Philippines—For the lawyer and law professor who filed the case to clean up the Manila Bay, his recent victory in the Supreme Court is a dream come true.
“This 10-year saga started as a dream to see the bay clean again. Now, I will see the fulfillment of this dream,” said Antonio Oposa, a professor at the University of the Philippines College of Law.
Oposa, a longtime resident of Imus, Cavite, one of the provinces bordering the bay, saw firsthand the deterioration of the Manila Bay.
In 1999, he decided to do something about it. That year, he filed a case before the regional trial court in Imus to compel government agencies to clean up the bay.
The case was elevated to the high court. And last Dec. 18, after nine years of legal work, the Supreme Court ordered the government to immediately clean up the bay.
For Oposa, 54, the dream started in the late 1990s when he came across a study that showed that if the bay was properly cared for, “it could feed Metro Manila with enough fish. The bay has recreational value and is a national treasure.”
Outrage
However, stakeholders, including some local officials, “ignored the problem, they couldn’t care less. No one was interested in cleaning up the bay.”
According to the study, there were almost one million units of fecal matter per cubic meter in the waters of Manila Bay, way above the normal level of 20 units. The environmentalist in Oposa was outraged and he decided to take matters into his own hands.
“I am just a lawyer and I tell my story through the law. I thought that this needed to be brought to the attention of the public and the concerned government agencies,” he said.
He brought the issue to his students in environmental law at the UP and they agreed to help and stand as plaintiffs.
Oposa said he wanted to include his students in the suit “so there is representation from the youth. I wanted to make it symbolic.” He also included his then 3-month-old son, Jaime Agustin, in the list of plaintiffs.
Discovery of little-known law
As the years went by, Oposa’s students graduated and he was left to fight the battle alone. Fortunately, he was able to get the help of lawyer Sigfrid Fortun.
Oposa said he discovered a little known 1977 law, Presidential Decree No. 1152, which provided that when bodies of waters are polluted, it is the duty of the government to clean it up.
“Only two people knew of that law: me and former President Marcos,” Oposa said.
He said he met stiff resistance from various government agencies which argued before the high court that the cleanup of Manila Bay was a “political question” and therefore not subject to legal action.
Nonetheless, he thanked his opponents at the Office of the Solicitor General for bringing the matter up to the Supreme Court.
Final, executory
“Their appeal to the Supreme Court has resulted in this decision. Finally, we have a final and executory decision on the matter that is respected by all.”
Fighting wars in behalf of the government is not entirely new to Oposa.
It was Oposa who filed a case in 1980 against the then Environment Secretary Fulgencio Factoran to cancel all logging concessions “in behalf of the children and future generations.” He won that now landmark case before the Supreme Court in 1993.
In 1989, he started a campaign to clean up the rivers of Imus, Cavite, in cooperation with the local government.
“That project was successful. But when the rains came, the waste matter from Dasmariñas came flowing in and we were back where we started,” he said.
A lack of political will
In fairness to local officials, Oposa said he saw many local governments and agencies wanting to do something about Manila Bay. “But they lacked the political will,” he said.
“I know many want to do the right thing. Now, they have the teeth because the rule of law is behind them,” Oposa said.
He said he wants to see a serious implementation of the Supreme Court decision on the Manila Bay cleanup.
On Jan. 7, members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Philippine Bar Association will meet to discuss measures to monitor the implementation of the cleanup.
One of the initial ideas is to write to the government agencies concerned, asking for a report on the progress of the cleanup, with a copy to be furnished the Supreme Court.
“If government agencies and local governments waver in the cleanup, they will have to be answerable to the high court,” he said.
Wastewater treatment
He also said he agreed with the call of Environment Secretary Lito Atienza for the two major water concessionaires in Metro Manila—Manila Water Co. and Maynilad Water Services Inc.—to immediately set up wastewater treatment facilities as a start in the cleanup of the bay.
Oposa cited another study that showed that four million gallons, or 16 million liters of raw untreated sewage, were being dumped into Manila Bay every day.
“If we look at our water bill, we pay a sewage fee. How come there is no compliance at least for the past 10 years?” he asked.
For Oposa, the fight to save Manila Bay has just begun and he anticipates the day when he would see the bay back to its pristine beauty.
“The Supreme Court decision reminds us that we are responsible for the environment to our youth and future generations,” he said.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Honeybee connection
By Leticia Suarez-Orendain
Mixing job creation with environmental protection, beekeepers stay as busy as, well, bees
BEES are nature’s chemists and man’s inspiration for altruism.
Worker bees draw nectar from flowers and convert it into honey in special sacs in their esophagi. They feed honey to bee larvae and store the rest in honeycombs as food for rainy days.
The tiny insects, however, are wary of flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides.
“The bee has a ‘natural mentality’ not to enter the hive if it accidentally lands on flowers sprayed with pesticides. If it is unaware that it has been contaminated, it will re-enter the hive but guard bees will drive it off. It will not insist, knowing that doing so would harm the hive. So it stays below the hive, crawls round and round, until it dies,” Roberto “Boy” Flores Sr. said in Cebuano.
Flores, a resident of Lomboy, Banawa, is the president of the National Beekeepers Network in the Philippines and treasurer of Cebu Honeybeekeepers Association Inc. (Chai). The latter was organized in 1993, former Chai vice president Catalino “Titing” Solon said.
All abuzz
“Some of the founders were City Agriculturist Joey Baclayon and Roberto “Jojo” Nemenzo, one of the beekeeping coordinators of the Department of Agriculture (DA 7),” Solon said.
Chai mainly promotes beekeeping in Cebu and all over the Philippines. There are 60 active members as of now, and all are working for the welfare of the group.
The non-government organization (NGO) updates the know-how of members with trainings in beekeeping management. In 2006, they had training in new methods of bee technology. This year, they held a seminar, open to the public, at the DA Livestock Division on M. Velez St. from March 7 to 8.
“Anyone can be a beekeeper as long as he or she is not allergic to pollen and pollen products,” Flores said.
Asked if beekeeping can help answer the unemployment problem, he said in Cebuano: “I believe beekeeping is a good venture but if you are just starting, it’s better to keep it as a hobby. Observe first how the production goes. Only then can you make it a business.”
The former overseas worker (a ship radio operator) knows whereof he speaks. When he retired in 2000, God answered his prayers by inspiring him to try beekeeping, he said. “It has supported my family; sent my four children to school.”
Protection
Rosales, who lives in Lourdes Village, Cebu City, said that after taking a beekeeping seminar in 1999, he has never looked back. It is his main livelihood now.
“It was my first time to learn bees can be cultured,” he said in Cebuano.
Just as bees protect their hive, Chai also seeks to protect the environment. “We depend on the surrounding vegetation for our bee products. Beepkeepers don’t want to cut down trees, except for development,” Flores said.
If more fruit trees are planted, honey output will increase. In the Philippines, honey is multi-floral. Cebu’s honey is mainly from narra, acacia and mango nectar. Other sources may be tamarind, lomboy, mahogany, and lagundi.
The NGO advocates natural farming, the use of organic fertilizers, composting and vermiculture (i.e., growing earthworms). They promote the use of three types of natural repellents: bitter, smelly and spicy plants. For example, the bitter juice from panyawan effectively wards off bugs.
Chai wants to maximize honey and pollen production. However, their problem is marketing. They have the technology for value-added goods—like beeswax candles, skin cream, honey vinegar, and soap—but because members have day jobs, no one can sell the items full time.
Another concern is “honey-bal” or honey sold in a balde (pail), which gives honey a bad name. It is an adulterated jumble of honey, molasses and honeycomb to “prove” purity, Rosales said.
“Summer is our main honey flow,” he added. Honey flow refers to the time when flowers bloom and make nectar. For Cebu, it is from March to June.
“You can buy honey from us during off-season as we have stocks in bottles,” Flores said.
Chai is acting like the bee: forthright in its duty and protective of its environment.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
Mixing job creation with environmental protection, beekeepers stay as busy as, well, bees
BEES are nature’s chemists and man’s inspiration for altruism.
Worker bees draw nectar from flowers and convert it into honey in special sacs in their esophagi. They feed honey to bee larvae and store the rest in honeycombs as food for rainy days.
The tiny insects, however, are wary of flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides.
“The bee has a ‘natural mentality’ not to enter the hive if it accidentally lands on flowers sprayed with pesticides. If it is unaware that it has been contaminated, it will re-enter the hive but guard bees will drive it off. It will not insist, knowing that doing so would harm the hive. So it stays below the hive, crawls round and round, until it dies,” Roberto “Boy” Flores Sr. said in Cebuano.
Flores, a resident of Lomboy, Banawa, is the president of the National Beekeepers Network in the Philippines and treasurer of Cebu Honeybeekeepers Association Inc. (Chai). The latter was organized in 1993, former Chai vice president Catalino “Titing” Solon said.
All abuzz
“Some of the founders were City Agriculturist Joey Baclayon and Roberto “Jojo” Nemenzo, one of the beekeeping coordinators of the Department of Agriculture (DA 7),” Solon said.
Chai mainly promotes beekeeping in Cebu and all over the Philippines. There are 60 active members as of now, and all are working for the welfare of the group.
The non-government organization (NGO) updates the know-how of members with trainings in beekeeping management. In 2006, they had training in new methods of bee technology. This year, they held a seminar, open to the public, at the DA Livestock Division on M. Velez St. from March 7 to 8.
“Anyone can be a beekeeper as long as he or she is not allergic to pollen and pollen products,” Flores said.
Asked if beekeeping can help answer the unemployment problem, he said in Cebuano: “I believe beekeeping is a good venture but if you are just starting, it’s better to keep it as a hobby. Observe first how the production goes. Only then can you make it a business.”
The former overseas worker (a ship radio operator) knows whereof he speaks. When he retired in 2000, God answered his prayers by inspiring him to try beekeeping, he said. “It has supported my family; sent my four children to school.”
Protection
Rosales, who lives in Lourdes Village, Cebu City, said that after taking a beekeeping seminar in 1999, he has never looked back. It is his main livelihood now.
“It was my first time to learn bees can be cultured,” he said in Cebuano.
Just as bees protect their hive, Chai also seeks to protect the environment. “We depend on the surrounding vegetation for our bee products. Beepkeepers don’t want to cut down trees, except for development,” Flores said.
If more fruit trees are planted, honey output will increase. In the Philippines, honey is multi-floral. Cebu’s honey is mainly from narra, acacia and mango nectar. Other sources may be tamarind, lomboy, mahogany, and lagundi.
The NGO advocates natural farming, the use of organic fertilizers, composting and vermiculture (i.e., growing earthworms). They promote the use of three types of natural repellents: bitter, smelly and spicy plants. For example, the bitter juice from panyawan effectively wards off bugs.
Chai wants to maximize honey and pollen production. However, their problem is marketing. They have the technology for value-added goods—like beeswax candles, skin cream, honey vinegar, and soap—but because members have day jobs, no one can sell the items full time.
Another concern is “honey-bal” or honey sold in a balde (pail), which gives honey a bad name. It is an adulterated jumble of honey, molasses and honeycomb to “prove” purity, Rosales said.
“Summer is our main honey flow,” he added. Honey flow refers to the time when flowers bloom and make nectar. For Cebu, it is from March to June.
“You can buy honey from us during off-season as we have stocks in bottles,” Flores said.
Chai is acting like the bee: forthright in its duty and protective of its environment.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
RP wetlands under threat
CANDABA - Black-crowned night herons take off to roost at sunrise as the day shift arrives for a feeding frenzy at the Candaba marsh in the Philippines.
Thirty years ago the marshes covered some 32,000 hectares (79,000 acres) but thanks to the spread of agriculture and urbanization just 72 hectares remain.
Valentine's 2009 blog
Today, ornithologists count some 12,000 birds a day—a fraction of the number three decades ago.
“In the 1980s, they would routinely count 100,000 wild Philippine ducks and mainland Asian garganays (wild ducks) in one day, just for the two species,” said Michael Lu, president of Wild Bird Club of the Philippines.
Key
Among the 50 or so wetland areas in the Philippines, the Candaba swamps—covered in reeds and water hyacinths and bisected by high earthen levees—are a key staging ground for birds ranging from huge purple herons to tiny Arctic warblers that return to continental Asia in the spring.
They had flown several thousand kilometers (miles) south months earlier, just before the winter.
But as the swamp has shrunk so too of course has the supply of fish, snails, insects and other food. What remains is hemmed in by rice paddies and communities that raise hogs and domesticated ducks.
The honking transients jostle each other on a huge fishpond owned by Candaba town mayor Jerry Pelayo, who has earned his environmental spurs by setting aside half the property for the seasonal visitors.
“This is the only place that remains as habitat for the birds,” said Carmela Espanola, a wildlife biologist at the University of the Philippines.
“A lot of the wetlands are under threat because people keep reclaiming them,” Lu said.
Titled
Since the area is all titled property, if owners drain the swamp the habitat would disappear and there is nothing the government could do, he added.
The Philippines situation is also unique in that a lot of people still hunt wild birds, Lu said.
Candaba farmhand August Sombillo used to belong to these ranks.
The 38-year-old father of six told AFP he used to hunt snipes that strayed into the six hectares of rice paddies he tends nearby. The great winter migration coincides with the only time of the year that the marshwater ebbs low enough to allow rice planting.
The meat of the pointy-beaked wading birds was a key protein source for his family who subsist on his annual share of the grain produce that adds up to less than 100 bags of unmilled rice.
Ban
But the mayor has banned the trapping of birds, unilaterally declaring the marsh a protected area and asking restaurants in surrounding towns to stop serving wildlife dishes.
Pelayo said he has also asked hog farmers upstream not to dispose of pig waste in streams that empty into the swamp.
The environment department, which conducts an annual census here, said there had been some good news with the endangered black-faced spoonbill and the rarely seen pied avocet returning this year after a three-year absence.
However the main trend is toward a decline.
“The big ones like the spot-billed pelican used to come here in Candaba,” Espanola told AFP. “There used to be cranes and woolly-necked storks, but they have been extirpated in the Philippines.”
The decline mirrors the status of birds endemic to the country—of the 593 birds found in the Philippines, 181 are indigenous. Of these, 25 are considered endangered, half of them critically.—Cecil Morella, AFP
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
Thirty years ago the marshes covered some 32,000 hectares (79,000 acres) but thanks to the spread of agriculture and urbanization just 72 hectares remain.
Valentine's 2009 blog
Today, ornithologists count some 12,000 birds a day—a fraction of the number three decades ago.
“In the 1980s, they would routinely count 100,000 wild Philippine ducks and mainland Asian garganays (wild ducks) in one day, just for the two species,” said Michael Lu, president of Wild Bird Club of the Philippines.
Key
Among the 50 or so wetland areas in the Philippines, the Candaba swamps—covered in reeds and water hyacinths and bisected by high earthen levees—are a key staging ground for birds ranging from huge purple herons to tiny Arctic warblers that return to continental Asia in the spring.
They had flown several thousand kilometers (miles) south months earlier, just before the winter.
But as the swamp has shrunk so too of course has the supply of fish, snails, insects and other food. What remains is hemmed in by rice paddies and communities that raise hogs and domesticated ducks.
The honking transients jostle each other on a huge fishpond owned by Candaba town mayor Jerry Pelayo, who has earned his environmental spurs by setting aside half the property for the seasonal visitors.
“This is the only place that remains as habitat for the birds,” said Carmela Espanola, a wildlife biologist at the University of the Philippines.
“A lot of the wetlands are under threat because people keep reclaiming them,” Lu said.
Titled
Since the area is all titled property, if owners drain the swamp the habitat would disappear and there is nothing the government could do, he added.
The Philippines situation is also unique in that a lot of people still hunt wild birds, Lu said.
Candaba farmhand August Sombillo used to belong to these ranks.
The 38-year-old father of six told AFP he used to hunt snipes that strayed into the six hectares of rice paddies he tends nearby. The great winter migration coincides with the only time of the year that the marshwater ebbs low enough to allow rice planting.
The meat of the pointy-beaked wading birds was a key protein source for his family who subsist on his annual share of the grain produce that adds up to less than 100 bags of unmilled rice.
Ban
But the mayor has banned the trapping of birds, unilaterally declaring the marsh a protected area and asking restaurants in surrounding towns to stop serving wildlife dishes.
Pelayo said he has also asked hog farmers upstream not to dispose of pig waste in streams that empty into the swamp.
The environment department, which conducts an annual census here, said there had been some good news with the endangered black-faced spoonbill and the rarely seen pied avocet returning this year after a three-year absence.
However the main trend is toward a decline.
“The big ones like the spot-billed pelican used to come here in Candaba,” Espanola told AFP. “There used to be cranes and woolly-necked storks, but they have been extirpated in the Philippines.”
The decline mirrors the status of birds endemic to the country—of the 593 birds found in the Philippines, 181 are indigenous. Of these, 25 are considered endangered, half of them critically.—Cecil Morella, AFP
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
Bigger emission cuts sought by RP
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines is hoping the United States would heed calls for significant reductions in carbon emissions when a global conference on climate change takes place in Copenhagen at the end of the year.
Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change Heherson Alvarez told Inquirer reporters and editors in a recent dinner that because of the “creeping” effects of climate change, developed countries led by the US, China and India should consider cuts of 30 to 40 percent of their present emission rates by 2018.
“We don’t know how flexible the US position will be in December, but we have some level of confidence the cuts would be substantial. And US public opinion is on our side,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez noted that the US Congress had just passed a law mandating a 17-percent cut based on 2005 rates. US President Barack Obama had also proposed an 80-percent cut when he was campaigning for the presidency, he said.
Based on past conferences, China and India were “sympathetic” to calls for deeper emission cuts, Alvarez said.
He said he hoped the issue of setting up some sort of financing scheme by developed countries for developing countries to mitigate the effects of climate change would also be ironed out in Copenhagen.
On the part of countries belonging to Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Alvarez said the member-countries were talking about calling on developed countries to make deeper cuts on greenhouse gases.
He said the Philippines was committed to reducing its carbon emissions from 1.5 tons per capita to one ton in 2018. China produces 3.5 tons of carbon per capita, and the US 10 tons, Alvarez said. Alcuin Papa
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines is hoping the United States would heed calls for significant reductions in carbon emissions when a global conference on climate change takes place in Copenhagen at the end of the year.
Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change Heherson Alvarez told Inquirer reporters and editors in a recent dinner that because of the “creeping” effects of climate change, developed countries led by the US, China and India should consider cuts of 30 to 40 percent of their present emission rates by 2018.
“We don’t know how flexible the US position will be in December, but we have some level of confidence the cuts would be substantial. And US public opinion is on our side,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez noted that the US Congress had just passed a law mandating a 17-percent cut based on 2005 rates. US President Barack Obama had also proposed an 80-percent cut when he was campaigning for the presidency, he said.
Based on past conferences, China and India were “sympathetic” to calls for deeper emission cuts, Alvarez said.
He said he hoped the issue of setting up some sort of financing scheme by developed countries for developing countries to mitigate the effects of climate change would also be ironed out in Copenhagen.
On the part of countries belonging to Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Alvarez said the member-countries were talking about calling on developed countries to make deeper cuts on greenhouse gases.
He said the Philippines was committed to reducing its carbon emissions from 1.5 tons per capita to one ton in 2018. China produces 3.5 tons of carbon per capita, and the US 10 tons, Alvarez said. Alcuin Papa
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs
RP next green nation
By Charles E. Buban
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines – While the concept of green architecture is widely practiced elsewhere in the world, the case could not be said here in the Philippines where environmental issues usually take a back seat to economic woes.
But this soon will change with the setting up of Berde.
Literally means “green” in Filipino, Berde is short for Building Ecologically Responsive Design for Excellence, a certification program that will be used to evaluate buildings based on site selection, water and energy efficiency, materials used and indoor environmental quality, including air quality.
“If you can build a high-performing structure that saves the owner money, while also being better for the environment and also better for the people using the building, it just makes sense,” said Ramon Fernando Rufino, Building Green 2009 conference chairman.
Building Green is a conference and expo series held every year by the Philippine Green Building Council to raise awareness on the several key sustainability issues that affect the country.
Higher rental
He explained that a Berde-certified building was expected to command higher rental rates as well as lower vacancy rates than comparable conventionally built buildings.
“In other countries where there is such a rating system, green buildings are found to generate 3.5 percent higher occupancy rates, 3 percent higher rental rates and have a 6.6 percent improved return on investment. Additionally, green buildings see an average increase of 7.5 percent in building values compared to conventionally constructed buildings,” explained Rufino who is also The Net Group vice president.
But even without these, PhilGBC chair Christopher dela Cruz explained that green buildings produce other returns to the building owner and/or occupants such as improved indoor environmental quality, reduced energy usage, increased employee productivity, reduced employee absenteeism and reduced impact on the building’s external environment.
“These translate into improved performance of the building and its occupants, and benefit the building owners or occupants directly,” the architect said.
The Berde project, which is expected to be finalized by the end of this year, shall be administered and implemented by a multisectoral body that the board of the PhilGBC will appoint from among its members to ensure a socially and technically balanced green building rating system.
Hesitance
United Architects of the Philippines-Green Architecture Movement chair architect Edgar Reformado lauded this development as very encouraging considering that in previous years there was a huge hesitance in the side of developers and property owners because green architecture is usually viewed as expensive.
“Yes, initially, it can be more expensive—around 15 percent higher—when compared to the traditional building practice but if you calculate the benefits, practicing green architecture actually provides more savings and return of investments because it requires less or no maintenance,” Reformado explained.
He said that although green architecture is not yet widely practiced in the country, there are already existing models that have used the concept such as the previous projects of the Ayala group, SM Mall of Asia, the RCBC Tower, and the various structures built by the The Net Group at the Bonifacio Global City.
“Some even tried to seek the certification of United States’ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. However considering the payments required—that could reach tens of millions of pesos—they realized it’s no longer cost-efficient and chose to just wait for the Berde certification program to be implemented here,” Reformado said.
Megaworld Commercial Division head Kevin Tan added that it will not only be the developers and property owners who will benefit from the launch of Berde.
“Manufacturers and distributors of building materials and those of energy- and water-efficient appliances and fixture, will benefit a lot as they will now be considered first and foremost over their nongreen counterparts,” Tan said.
Rufino added that green building strategies were good for everyone’s pocketbook, saying that these strategies to reduce maintenance, replacement requirements and utility bills, lower the overall cost of building ownership, and increasing property and resale values.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines – While the concept of green architecture is widely practiced elsewhere in the world, the case could not be said here in the Philippines where environmental issues usually take a back seat to economic woes.
But this soon will change with the setting up of Berde.
Literally means “green” in Filipino, Berde is short for Building Ecologically Responsive Design for Excellence, a certification program that will be used to evaluate buildings based on site selection, water and energy efficiency, materials used and indoor environmental quality, including air quality.
“If you can build a high-performing structure that saves the owner money, while also being better for the environment and also better for the people using the building, it just makes sense,” said Ramon Fernando Rufino, Building Green 2009 conference chairman.
Building Green is a conference and expo series held every year by the Philippine Green Building Council to raise awareness on the several key sustainability issues that affect the country.
Higher rental
He explained that a Berde-certified building was expected to command higher rental rates as well as lower vacancy rates than comparable conventionally built buildings.
“In other countries where there is such a rating system, green buildings are found to generate 3.5 percent higher occupancy rates, 3 percent higher rental rates and have a 6.6 percent improved return on investment. Additionally, green buildings see an average increase of 7.5 percent in building values compared to conventionally constructed buildings,” explained Rufino who is also The Net Group vice president.
But even without these, PhilGBC chair Christopher dela Cruz explained that green buildings produce other returns to the building owner and/or occupants such as improved indoor environmental quality, reduced energy usage, increased employee productivity, reduced employee absenteeism and reduced impact on the building’s external environment.
“These translate into improved performance of the building and its occupants, and benefit the building owners or occupants directly,” the architect said.
The Berde project, which is expected to be finalized by the end of this year, shall be administered and implemented by a multisectoral body that the board of the PhilGBC will appoint from among its members to ensure a socially and technically balanced green building rating system.
Hesitance
United Architects of the Philippines-Green Architecture Movement chair architect Edgar Reformado lauded this development as very encouraging considering that in previous years there was a huge hesitance in the side of developers and property owners because green architecture is usually viewed as expensive.
“Yes, initially, it can be more expensive—around 15 percent higher—when compared to the traditional building practice but if you calculate the benefits, practicing green architecture actually provides more savings and return of investments because it requires less or no maintenance,” Reformado explained.
He said that although green architecture is not yet widely practiced in the country, there are already existing models that have used the concept such as the previous projects of the Ayala group, SM Mall of Asia, the RCBC Tower, and the various structures built by the The Net Group at the Bonifacio Global City.
“Some even tried to seek the certification of United States’ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. However considering the payments required—that could reach tens of millions of pesos—they realized it’s no longer cost-efficient and chose to just wait for the Berde certification program to be implemented here,” Reformado said.
Megaworld Commercial Division head Kevin Tan added that it will not only be the developers and property owners who will benefit from the launch of Berde.
“Manufacturers and distributors of building materials and those of energy- and water-efficient appliances and fixture, will benefit a lot as they will now be considered first and foremost over their nongreen counterparts,” Tan said.
Rufino added that green building strategies were good for everyone’s pocketbook, saying that these strategies to reduce maintenance, replacement requirements and utility bills, lower the overall cost of building ownership, and increasing property and resale values.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs
Green Spaces for the Metropolis
By Digoy Fernandez
ONE does not have to be a genius to figure that any large city – Metro-Manila, for example – generates a huge carbon footprint by way of car and truck emissions, the generation and improper handling of waste, buildings and homes that are not green enough, and the lack of enough green spaces that can serve as carbon sinks while generating oxygen at the same time.
In the case of our own metropolis, short-sightedness on the part of many past administrators would find them making decisions on the basis of expediency rather than the consideration of the longer term suitability of the city as a habitat for man, flora, and fauna.
Thus, if a road had to be widened, any tree getting in the way would be immediately cut or destroyed, instead of seeking out a win-win solution where the road could be widened but not at the expense of such trees. Instead of encouraging the practice of separating garbage at the source in each and every single household and institution, we still have unsightly garbage dumps containing all sorts of detritus. This situation is what attracts the scavengers who seek to eke out a living by trying to salvage the recyclable or usable materials from plain garbage.
There are already too many environmental problems in the city begging for attention. For now, we will focus on the simple task of seeking empty spaces in the metropolis and converting these into green spaces.
As a example, I just have to point out what I have done within my own property and in the alleyway adjoining it. Not to mention the adjoining streets and some of the areas in our village park.
Over the years, I have taken to picking up seedlings –many of them sprouting now that the rainy season has started – and putting them in small pots or containers for future planting activities.
Lately, I have tried to obtain more balete (climbing fig) varieties, knowing that these grow very quickly and also attract all kinds of birds. I am still mourning the loss of practically all or our Aratiles trees that were cut down upon instructions by a village official because she found them messy!
Aside from disappointing many villagers, their children, and even househelp from the pleasure of picking and eating the nice sweet berry-like fruits of this tree, we also deprived a lot of birds and other living creatures that depended on this link in the food chain.
Now that I have whole banks of trees growing in my property, I can enjoy the sight and sounds of many birds that have made our place their own. My friend, the nature habitat specialist Ed de Vera, passed by one day and pointed out that my trees had a whole family of yellow orioles. I see them at various times during the day, together with other birds, frolicking near our fishpond area.
It does not take much to create a green space. Even companies get into the act. I saw this in some of the companies like Toyota that have set aside areas for mini-forests in their properties.
A green space can range from a few square meters to a few hectares. The idea is to keep the space well planted, using organic methods only, and allowing nature to take its course. That is the logic I used when we set up the mini-forest in our village. We planted the trees close together to simulate a forest environment, and then left nature to weave its magic. Pretty soon we had a combination of tall trees and small saplings in a small space of a few hundred square meters, providing an attractive base for other flora and fauna to take root in.
Unfortunately, good intentions can only go so far. A series of unenlightened do-gooders subsequently introduced “innovations” like concrete pathways and even a gazebo into the mini-forest, aside from the sacrilegious act of placing pebbles to act as a floor for the whole forest!!!! The whole purpose of keeping the area as pristine as possible went down the drain. Succeeding teams of do-gooders even used a portion of the mini-forest to “burn” fallen leaves and twigs, destroying fully a quarter of the area previously planted.
This should serve as a lesson to all concerned. Just because one has set aside a green space for plants and trees does not guarantee that it will remain that way. One will have to literally fight the attempts of others who see nothing of value in green spaces. That is why it is also important to choose potential green spaces that will not be used for other purposes. One idea is to utilize those neglected portions of the parks or similar areas that have been set aside by law for green spaces.
The area where we live has a large property owned by one of the country’s better -known families. This property was earmarked for development a few years ago, but residents of adjoining villages objected strenuously. I am hoping that the property remains as is because it has become home to countless numbers of night herons. One can see them start to take off at dusk, heading for Laguna de Bay to do their fishing and eating. They can also be seen at times making the return trip after a satisfying hunt. My friend Ed de Vera and I have been witness to this spectacle many a time, and we never tire of watching the night herons fly off to feed.
Another time, I was able to catch a glimpse of some fireflies in the same area, which means that they also made use of the stream traversing the property. There is nothing that evokes memories of days gone by than the sight of fireflies.
When the birds, butterflies, moths, bees and hornets, and even bats move in, one will know that he or she had done well with a given green space.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
ONE does not have to be a genius to figure that any large city – Metro-Manila, for example – generates a huge carbon footprint by way of car and truck emissions, the generation and improper handling of waste, buildings and homes that are not green enough, and the lack of enough green spaces that can serve as carbon sinks while generating oxygen at the same time.
In the case of our own metropolis, short-sightedness on the part of many past administrators would find them making decisions on the basis of expediency rather than the consideration of the longer term suitability of the city as a habitat for man, flora, and fauna.
Thus, if a road had to be widened, any tree getting in the way would be immediately cut or destroyed, instead of seeking out a win-win solution where the road could be widened but not at the expense of such trees. Instead of encouraging the practice of separating garbage at the source in each and every single household and institution, we still have unsightly garbage dumps containing all sorts of detritus. This situation is what attracts the scavengers who seek to eke out a living by trying to salvage the recyclable or usable materials from plain garbage.
There are already too many environmental problems in the city begging for attention. For now, we will focus on the simple task of seeking empty spaces in the metropolis and converting these into green spaces.
As a example, I just have to point out what I have done within my own property and in the alleyway adjoining it. Not to mention the adjoining streets and some of the areas in our village park.
Over the years, I have taken to picking up seedlings –many of them sprouting now that the rainy season has started – and putting them in small pots or containers for future planting activities.
Lately, I have tried to obtain more balete (climbing fig) varieties, knowing that these grow very quickly and also attract all kinds of birds. I am still mourning the loss of practically all or our Aratiles trees that were cut down upon instructions by a village official because she found them messy!
Aside from disappointing many villagers, their children, and even househelp from the pleasure of picking and eating the nice sweet berry-like fruits of this tree, we also deprived a lot of birds and other living creatures that depended on this link in the food chain.
Now that I have whole banks of trees growing in my property, I can enjoy the sight and sounds of many birds that have made our place their own. My friend, the nature habitat specialist Ed de Vera, passed by one day and pointed out that my trees had a whole family of yellow orioles. I see them at various times during the day, together with other birds, frolicking near our fishpond area.
It does not take much to create a green space. Even companies get into the act. I saw this in some of the companies like Toyota that have set aside areas for mini-forests in their properties.
A green space can range from a few square meters to a few hectares. The idea is to keep the space well planted, using organic methods only, and allowing nature to take its course. That is the logic I used when we set up the mini-forest in our village. We planted the trees close together to simulate a forest environment, and then left nature to weave its magic. Pretty soon we had a combination of tall trees and small saplings in a small space of a few hundred square meters, providing an attractive base for other flora and fauna to take root in.
Unfortunately, good intentions can only go so far. A series of unenlightened do-gooders subsequently introduced “innovations” like concrete pathways and even a gazebo into the mini-forest, aside from the sacrilegious act of placing pebbles to act as a floor for the whole forest!!!! The whole purpose of keeping the area as pristine as possible went down the drain. Succeeding teams of do-gooders even used a portion of the mini-forest to “burn” fallen leaves and twigs, destroying fully a quarter of the area previously planted.
This should serve as a lesson to all concerned. Just because one has set aside a green space for plants and trees does not guarantee that it will remain that way. One will have to literally fight the attempts of others who see nothing of value in green spaces. That is why it is also important to choose potential green spaces that will not be used for other purposes. One idea is to utilize those neglected portions of the parks or similar areas that have been set aside by law for green spaces.
The area where we live has a large property owned by one of the country’s better -known families. This property was earmarked for development a few years ago, but residents of adjoining villages objected strenuously. I am hoping that the property remains as is because it has become home to countless numbers of night herons. One can see them start to take off at dusk, heading for Laguna de Bay to do their fishing and eating. They can also be seen at times making the return trip after a satisfying hunt. My friend Ed de Vera and I have been witness to this spectacle many a time, and we never tire of watching the night herons fly off to feed.
Another time, I was able to catch a glimpse of some fireflies in the same area, which means that they also made use of the stream traversing the property. There is nothing that evokes memories of days gone by than the sight of fireflies.
When the birds, butterflies, moths, bees and hornets, and even bats move in, one will know that he or she had done well with a given green space.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
‘Best way’ to deal with trash is to convert it to energy
By Elisabeth P. Baumgart
CONVERTING waste into a stable energy source could be one of the best ways to deal with the country’s garbage problem, an environmentalist said.
“One of our biggest problems is waste management. There were so many attempts at establishing landfills but all of these turned out to be open dumpsites,” said Rene Alburo, head of the Affiliate Non-Conventional Energy Center of the University of San Carlos.
For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter
Alburo said it is about time local government units (LGUs) invested on devices to solve the problem.
“We are now looking into a ‘Biosphere.’ This is a new garbage disposal system. Out of the garbage that you put into the Biosphere, it produces energy,” said Alburo.
The Biosphere is a new garbage disposal system that is now used in the US. It converts waste into gases to be used as energy source.
“Basically, the Biosphere is a system where municipal waste can be loaded into the machine. Waste may be residual waste, and plastic and even human waste, and all of waste will be converted into gases. The gas that is produced will be used to power municipalities,” said Alburo.
The system will cost a municipality roughly $10 million.
“It’s a little expensive. But if two or three towns share the cost then that would be enough,” said Alburo.
Alburo hopes LGUs in Cebu still see the benefits of the Biosphere.
“Once LGUs see the benefits of the Biosphere, they will see a decrease in their expenses. If they set up Biosphere in their municipalities, they won’t have to spend on
landfills and all the maintenance. With the energy it produces, it can power the municipality,” said Alburo.
The smallest unit of a Biosphere can produce around eight megawatts.
“Even the whole island of Bantayan just needs three to four megawatts. Imagine what the Biosphere can do,” said Alburo.
CONVERTING waste into a stable energy source could be one of the best ways to deal with the country’s garbage problem, an environmentalist said.
“One of our biggest problems is waste management. There were so many attempts at establishing landfills but all of these turned out to be open dumpsites,” said Rene Alburo, head of the Affiliate Non-Conventional Energy Center of the University of San Carlos.
For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter
Alburo said it is about time local government units (LGUs) invested on devices to solve the problem.
“We are now looking into a ‘Biosphere.’ This is a new garbage disposal system. Out of the garbage that you put into the Biosphere, it produces energy,” said Alburo.
The Biosphere is a new garbage disposal system that is now used in the US. It converts waste into gases to be used as energy source.
“Basically, the Biosphere is a system where municipal waste can be loaded into the machine. Waste may be residual waste, and plastic and even human waste, and all of waste will be converted into gases. The gas that is produced will be used to power municipalities,” said Alburo.
The system will cost a municipality roughly $10 million.
“It’s a little expensive. But if two or three towns share the cost then that would be enough,” said Alburo.
Alburo hopes LGUs in Cebu still see the benefits of the Biosphere.
“Once LGUs see the benefits of the Biosphere, they will see a decrease in their expenses. If they set up Biosphere in their municipalities, they won’t have to spend on
landfills and all the maintenance. With the energy it produces, it can power the municipality,” said Alburo.
The smallest unit of a Biosphere can produce around eight megawatts.
“Even the whole island of Bantayan just needs three to four megawatts. Imagine what the Biosphere can do,” said Alburo.
DENR exec says too many veggies harm forests
Philippine Daily Inquirer
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources believes the Cordillera is already producing enough vegetables which should discourage farmers from further encroaching on forests and national parks.
“There is overproduction that’s why when farmers sell their produce to traders, the prices are often very low,” said Primitivo Galinato Jr., DENR regional director.
Galinato said the DENR’s bid to recover portions of the region’s national parks that have been converted into vegetable farms was stalled following a recent ruling of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) that said the DENR must go slow on forest intruders who claimed their farms were their ancestral lands.
The OSG, in a March 25 ruling, said the country’s forest laws, which prohibit squatting or encroachment on national parks, would not apply to members of cultural communities who have possessed lands since their ancestors’ time.
Respect
Even if the claimants are not members of cultural communities but have lived in the lands for at least 30 years, their possession must also be respected, the OSG said.
Galinato said while the ruling only covered Mt. Data National Park in Benguet and Mt. Province, it has far-reaching effects on other protected forests, like Mt. Pulag, the country’s second highest peak, that faced similar problems.
He said the department is now in a bind over its task of containing expanding vegetable areas since the OSG ruling had diminished the DENR’s immediate powers to confront the problem.
“The decision of the OSG, however, is still an opinion which needed to be sustained by the courts should there be a case,” Galinato said.
Compromise
The best the DENR could do, he said, is to push an alternative cropping system to be adopted by farmers as a compromise between efforts to protect the forests and respect the ancestral rights of communities in light of the OSG ruling.
He said the program would encourage farmers to plant coffee, bamboo and other agroforestry products that would still enhance forest protection instead of planting vegetables.
“It’s high time the farmers try other crops that do not demand too much use of chemical farm inputs,” he said.
The cropping system would help mitigate the destruction of the Cordillera’s watersheds while ensuring food security, he said.
Manuel Pogeyed, Mt. Province provincial environment officer, said the threat of forest destruction is sometimes underestimated.
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources believes the Cordillera is already producing enough vegetables which should discourage farmers from further encroaching on forests and national parks.
“There is overproduction that’s why when farmers sell their produce to traders, the prices are often very low,” said Primitivo Galinato Jr., DENR regional director.
Galinato said the DENR’s bid to recover portions of the region’s national parks that have been converted into vegetable farms was stalled following a recent ruling of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) that said the DENR must go slow on forest intruders who claimed their farms were their ancestral lands.
The OSG, in a March 25 ruling, said the country’s forest laws, which prohibit squatting or encroachment on national parks, would not apply to members of cultural communities who have possessed lands since their ancestors’ time.
Respect
Even if the claimants are not members of cultural communities but have lived in the lands for at least 30 years, their possession must also be respected, the OSG said.
Galinato said while the ruling only covered Mt. Data National Park in Benguet and Mt. Province, it has far-reaching effects on other protected forests, like Mt. Pulag, the country’s second highest peak, that faced similar problems.
He said the department is now in a bind over its task of containing expanding vegetable areas since the OSG ruling had diminished the DENR’s immediate powers to confront the problem.
“The decision of the OSG, however, is still an opinion which needed to be sustained by the courts should there be a case,” Galinato said.
Compromise
The best the DENR could do, he said, is to push an alternative cropping system to be adopted by farmers as a compromise between efforts to protect the forests and respect the ancestral rights of communities in light of the OSG ruling.
He said the program would encourage farmers to plant coffee, bamboo and other agroforestry products that would still enhance forest protection instead of planting vegetables.
“It’s high time the farmers try other crops that do not demand too much use of chemical farm inputs,” he said.
The cropping system would help mitigate the destruction of the Cordillera’s watersheds while ensuring food security, he said.
Manuel Pogeyed, Mt. Province provincial environment officer, said the threat of forest destruction is sometimes underestimated.
International nature park rises in Palawan
By Jessica Jalandoni-Robillos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines – An international project seeks to build friendship parks in countries bordering the Pacific Rim, an area that used to be the playground of “imperial politics.” The latest park to be put up is in Palawan, a showcase of the glories of nature.
In his “La Revolucion Filipina in the Age of Empire” (published in the Japanese Journal of American Studies, No. 18, 2007), Filipino postcolonial scholar Oscar V. Campomanes defines the geopolitical—and imperial—construct that is the Pacific Rim:
“‘Pacific Rim’ or ‘trans-Pacific’ discourse and the notion of an American ‘Pacific Century,’ as late-20th-century expressions of the American transnational, are not recent inventions, at least not in the ways 1990s critical works seem to have adverted to. US Treaty of Paris Commission negotiator Whitelaw Reid, to cite just one example among many, strenuously advocated for Philippine annexation after the 1898 Spanish-American War for American Energy to build up such a commercial marine on the Pacific Coast as should ultimately convert the Pacific Ocean into an American lake, making it far more our own than the Atlantic Ocean is now Great Britain’s. This kind of geostrategic American politics and discourse that posited the Asia-Pacific as its object of desire quickly began to operate and proliferate...”
A vision that dispels the notion of the “Imperial Pacific Rim” moved American sculptor Jim Hubbell to begin the Pacific Rim Parks Project in 1994. Its aim is to construct parks in all of the countries that border the ocean.
Coincidentally, it is through the same nations that the Ring of Fire cuts, and rather than focusing on the volcanic and seismic tumult, the parks shall be likened to “a string of pearls encircling the Pacific”—a gift from nature.
On the homepage of the project, one is welcomed to an “inspirational gateway to the Pacific rim, dedicated to all people who share this ocean, for their mutual enjoyment and education, artistically designed and developed through a spirit of cooperation, honoring the cultural richness and shared future of all.”
The project has so far completed four sites: Vladivostok in Russia; San Diego in the US; Yantai in China, and Tijuana in Mexico.
When time came to decide on the fifth location, a professor at the University of California in San Diego referred the PacRim group (as they have been fondly nicknamed) to his former student in the Philippines, Gigo Alampay, who heads the Center for Art, New Ventures, and Sustainable Development (Canvas).
Coincidentally, Canvas was organizing “Looking for Juan,” an exhibit in which artists tried to articulate in colors, lines and various media the search for Filipino identity. Salient to that search is the international project’s mission of “helping define what it means to be a member of the emergent Pacific Rim community.”
Canvas and the PacRim group then forged ties with Mayor Edward Hagedorn of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, who presented four sites to choose from, allotted P2 million, and provided board and lodging for the participants. Several groups raised funds or offered services for free to help see the park to fruition.
Canvas, with the help of Pagibig Fund, came up with a painting-to-printed banner exhibit, and construction companies in Palawan provided some materials and services for free.
After lengthy deliberation, the Palawan site was finally named the Pacific Rim Salinlahi Park and was completed in 30 days, the time table for each construction project. Overall, it actually took only one year and six months (December 1, 2007 to May 30, 2009) for the park to be realized—from the planning to its inauguration.
Regionalistic Filipinos
Kyle Bergman, architect and president of the PacRim board of directors, explained how the 30 days were usually spent. The first 10 days, he said, were used for the design process in which local culture largely figures; then the following two weeks were for building.
In the case of Palawan, he said the design took only nine days, which started with individual conceptualizations by the 27 students from Russia, China, Korea and the US and from the University of the Philippines and the Palawan State University.
Eventually, all their ideas were blended together with the guidance of Bergman, Hubbell and his son Brennan, also an artist. Ultimately, though, the final word was octogenarian Hubbell’s, for he was admirably present from inception to completion, and he was the revered pioneer.
The “fifth pearl” now lies by the shores where tourists usually go dolphin-watching, just 20 minutes away from Iwahig River where firefly-sighting may be enjoyed on rainless nights.
When asked how different Salinlahi was from the four previous parks, Bergman said that the particular challenge was Hagedorn’s request that they build and design the park to serve as an “entrance to the future Environmental Tropical Science Center,” a school to be opened at the same site.
During the opening rites, in fact, the park was “given as a gift to the citizens of the Pacific and to the sponsoring organization in the host city.”
Bergman expressed surprise at the regionalism of Filipinos. As Filipino communities in the US were asked to donate or raise funds for the project, only Palaweños responded when the location was revealed.
He explained that Italians, too, were prone to regionalism, but outside of their home country, they usually presented a united front.
Whether unique to the Filipinos or not, regionalism is a common archipelagic bane, precisely what the Pacific Rim Project wants to address in their mission “to build parks and community spaces that bridge political, cultural, environmental and spiritual boundaries.”
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines – An international project seeks to build friendship parks in countries bordering the Pacific Rim, an area that used to be the playground of “imperial politics.” The latest park to be put up is in Palawan, a showcase of the glories of nature.
In his “La Revolucion Filipina in the Age of Empire” (published in the Japanese Journal of American Studies, No. 18, 2007), Filipino postcolonial scholar Oscar V. Campomanes defines the geopolitical—and imperial—construct that is the Pacific Rim:
“‘Pacific Rim’ or ‘trans-Pacific’ discourse and the notion of an American ‘Pacific Century,’ as late-20th-century expressions of the American transnational, are not recent inventions, at least not in the ways 1990s critical works seem to have adverted to. US Treaty of Paris Commission negotiator Whitelaw Reid, to cite just one example among many, strenuously advocated for Philippine annexation after the 1898 Spanish-American War for American Energy to build up such a commercial marine on the Pacific Coast as should ultimately convert the Pacific Ocean into an American lake, making it far more our own than the Atlantic Ocean is now Great Britain’s. This kind of geostrategic American politics and discourse that posited the Asia-Pacific as its object of desire quickly began to operate and proliferate...”
A vision that dispels the notion of the “Imperial Pacific Rim” moved American sculptor Jim Hubbell to begin the Pacific Rim Parks Project in 1994. Its aim is to construct parks in all of the countries that border the ocean.
Coincidentally, it is through the same nations that the Ring of Fire cuts, and rather than focusing on the volcanic and seismic tumult, the parks shall be likened to “a string of pearls encircling the Pacific”—a gift from nature.
On the homepage of the project, one is welcomed to an “inspirational gateway to the Pacific rim, dedicated to all people who share this ocean, for their mutual enjoyment and education, artistically designed and developed through a spirit of cooperation, honoring the cultural richness and shared future of all.”
The project has so far completed four sites: Vladivostok in Russia; San Diego in the US; Yantai in China, and Tijuana in Mexico.
When time came to decide on the fifth location, a professor at the University of California in San Diego referred the PacRim group (as they have been fondly nicknamed) to his former student in the Philippines, Gigo Alampay, who heads the Center for Art, New Ventures, and Sustainable Development (Canvas).
Coincidentally, Canvas was organizing “Looking for Juan,” an exhibit in which artists tried to articulate in colors, lines and various media the search for Filipino identity. Salient to that search is the international project’s mission of “helping define what it means to be a member of the emergent Pacific Rim community.”
Canvas and the PacRim group then forged ties with Mayor Edward Hagedorn of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, who presented four sites to choose from, allotted P2 million, and provided board and lodging for the participants. Several groups raised funds or offered services for free to help see the park to fruition.
Canvas, with the help of Pagibig Fund, came up with a painting-to-printed banner exhibit, and construction companies in Palawan provided some materials and services for free.
After lengthy deliberation, the Palawan site was finally named the Pacific Rim Salinlahi Park and was completed in 30 days, the time table for each construction project. Overall, it actually took only one year and six months (December 1, 2007 to May 30, 2009) for the park to be realized—from the planning to its inauguration.
Regionalistic Filipinos
Kyle Bergman, architect and president of the PacRim board of directors, explained how the 30 days were usually spent. The first 10 days, he said, were used for the design process in which local culture largely figures; then the following two weeks were for building.
In the case of Palawan, he said the design took only nine days, which started with individual conceptualizations by the 27 students from Russia, China, Korea and the US and from the University of the Philippines and the Palawan State University.
Eventually, all their ideas were blended together with the guidance of Bergman, Hubbell and his son Brennan, also an artist. Ultimately, though, the final word was octogenarian Hubbell’s, for he was admirably present from inception to completion, and he was the revered pioneer.
The “fifth pearl” now lies by the shores where tourists usually go dolphin-watching, just 20 minutes away from Iwahig River where firefly-sighting may be enjoyed on rainless nights.
When asked how different Salinlahi was from the four previous parks, Bergman said that the particular challenge was Hagedorn’s request that they build and design the park to serve as an “entrance to the future Environmental Tropical Science Center,” a school to be opened at the same site.
During the opening rites, in fact, the park was “given as a gift to the citizens of the Pacific and to the sponsoring organization in the host city.”
Bergman expressed surprise at the regionalism of Filipinos. As Filipino communities in the US were asked to donate or raise funds for the project, only Palaweños responded when the location was revealed.
He explained that Italians, too, were prone to regionalism, but outside of their home country, they usually presented a united front.
Whether unique to the Filipinos or not, regionalism is a common archipelagic bane, precisely what the Pacific Rim Project wants to address in their mission “to build parks and community spaces that bridge political, cultural, environmental and spiritual boundaries.”
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
Ayala group in Cebu to hold recyclables fair twice a year.
By Liberty A. Pinili
FOR many companies nowadays, environmental protection is no longer a trend but a necessity.
The 12-member Ayala Business Club of Cebu Inc. (ABCCI) is among them. Recently, ABCI organized its first Recyclables Fair at the parking lot of Marriott Hotel Cebu City to add to its lineup of projects meant to protect the environment.
For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter
Marriott Hotel general manager Roy Abraham said ABCCI hopes to be able to hold the similar fair twice a year.
Although lasting only a day, the fair was projected to raise P100,000 that, Abraham said, will be used to build more houses for Habitat for Humanity, a housing project for the poor.
“(For the Ayala group), environment is a big thing. We are doing everything to conform,” said Abraham.
He said the Ayala group implements tree planting programs and energy saving measures.
The ABCCI includes Globe Telecom, Cebu Holdings Inc. (operator of Ayala Center Cebu), Isuzu Cebu Inc., Marriott Hotel, Bank of the Philippine Islands, BPI-MS Insurance, Honda Cars and eTelecare.
The recyclable materials—most of which were donated by Globe—were bought by one buyer.
Leonardo Sibbaluca, Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7 director, said he hopes other companies would follow the Ayala group.
FOR many companies nowadays, environmental protection is no longer a trend but a necessity.
The 12-member Ayala Business Club of Cebu Inc. (ABCCI) is among them. Recently, ABCI organized its first Recyclables Fair at the parking lot of Marriott Hotel Cebu City to add to its lineup of projects meant to protect the environment.
For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter
Marriott Hotel general manager Roy Abraham said ABCCI hopes to be able to hold the similar fair twice a year.
Although lasting only a day, the fair was projected to raise P100,000 that, Abraham said, will be used to build more houses for Habitat for Humanity, a housing project for the poor.
“(For the Ayala group), environment is a big thing. We are doing everything to conform,” said Abraham.
He said the Ayala group implements tree planting programs and energy saving measures.
The ABCCI includes Globe Telecom, Cebu Holdings Inc. (operator of Ayala Center Cebu), Isuzu Cebu Inc., Marriott Hotel, Bank of the Philippine Islands, BPI-MS Insurance, Honda Cars and eTelecare.
The recyclable materials—most of which were donated by Globe—were bought by one buyer.
Leonardo Sibbaluca, Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7 director, said he hopes other companies would follow the Ayala group.
Climate change seen to threaten economies
By Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—Governments worldwide will have to face head on the issue of climate change and its adverse effects, otherwise all their efforts toward development will go to waste.
“Climate change will roll back decades of hard won development gains,” unless goverments do something about it, said Antonio Hill, Oxfam senior climate change policy advisor, during the closing ceremonies of the 4th Asian Clean Energy Forum.
The reduction of gas emissions and significant increase in investments in clean technology are but some of the urgent measures being considered in the agenda to counter the effects of climate change.
Hill noted that emission reduction and large-scale financing had consistently cropped up during discussions this week and would be central to the deal in Copenhagen.
Oxfam estimated that the number of people affected by climate-related disasters would likely increase by a hefty 50 percent in six years’ time. In other words more than 375 million people will be affected by 2015.
Oxfam has turned its sights on climate change and its effects on poor communities, Hill said.
It has added its voice to the concerted effort to organize developing countries for treaty negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark to hammer out a new climate change agreement in December.
On the same note, Asian Development Bank vice president for finance and administration Bindu Lohani said critical to mitigating climate change is large-scale financing, equality and technology transfer.
Lohani said that by 2030, countries would need as much as $22 trillion for energy investments and, of this amount, $7 trillion would be needed in Asia.
To meet renewable energy targets, some $6 trillion should be secured by Asian countries.
“We need to mobilize governments, donors and developed countries,” Lohani stressed.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—Governments worldwide will have to face head on the issue of climate change and its adverse effects, otherwise all their efforts toward development will go to waste.
“Climate change will roll back decades of hard won development gains,” unless goverments do something about it, said Antonio Hill, Oxfam senior climate change policy advisor, during the closing ceremonies of the 4th Asian Clean Energy Forum.
The reduction of gas emissions and significant increase in investments in clean technology are but some of the urgent measures being considered in the agenda to counter the effects of climate change.
Hill noted that emission reduction and large-scale financing had consistently cropped up during discussions this week and would be central to the deal in Copenhagen.
Oxfam estimated that the number of people affected by climate-related disasters would likely increase by a hefty 50 percent in six years’ time. In other words more than 375 million people will be affected by 2015.
Oxfam has turned its sights on climate change and its effects on poor communities, Hill said.
It has added its voice to the concerted effort to organize developing countries for treaty negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark to hammer out a new climate change agreement in December.
On the same note, Asian Development Bank vice president for finance and administration Bindu Lohani said critical to mitigating climate change is large-scale financing, equality and technology transfer.
Lohani said that by 2030, countries would need as much as $22 trillion for energy investments and, of this amount, $7 trillion would be needed in Asia.
To meet renewable energy targets, some $6 trillion should be secured by Asian countries.
“We need to mobilize governments, donors and developed countries,” Lohani stressed.
Hole in the Ozone Layer
Four decades have passed since the discovery of the hole in the ozone layer above the Earth, but until now it is still growing bigger and bigger. We know the cause and we also know what to be done, but many still do not anticipate the gravity and consequence of the said problem.
Global warming and climate change is already the topic of so many symposia, but still the problem exist and it will take years or decades to close the said hole in outer space. So to help people understand the situation, I will try to make this blog about our environmental problems and some solutions so that at least more people would understand that we have to move fast to avoid a disastrous future to our young generation and the generations to come.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is the government agency directly involved in finding solutions to this problem. But of course, they need the help of other agencies such as the Bureau of Customs, PNP Maritime Group, Philippine Navy Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Local Government Units to implement whatever laws the government has created to address the situation.
For the past several years the DENR, the lead government agency, has been conducting symposia in various parts of the country to make the people well informed about the urgency of the need to solve the problem. In one of their symposium at the Holiday Plaza Hotel, at F. Ramos St., Cebu City on August 29 to 30, 2006, the topic was about "National Orientation on Combatting the Illegal Trade of Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS) which I will share with you today.
What is OZONE? Ozone is a gas that is naturally present in the atmosphere. It is a molecule made up of three ozone molecules. It's chemical symbol is O3.
What is OZONE LAYER? The Ozone Layer is a thin, fragile shield that envelops the entire earth which effectively and efficiently filters and screens almost all of the harmful ultraviolet rays. There are three categories of UV: UV-A is ble to reach the earth's surface. 90% of UV-B is blocked off by the ozone layer. While 100% of UV-C is blocked off by the ozone layer.
How is OZONE created and destroyed? What filters the dangerous radiation from the sun that could practically burn all life on earth is the OZONE LAYER.
OZONE CREATION. Ozone molecules are created and destroyed high above the surface of the earth, about 20-40 km above ground.
What is the OZONE HOLE? The depletion or the loss of the blocking effect of the ozone layer against ultraviolet rays is what we call the OZONE HOLE, was discovered in the early 1980's.
The largest Ozone Hole.is the size of North America. Although the ozone hole is found in the Antartica, the global ozone level throughout the stratosphere has also decreased by 3% every decade.
The largest ozone hole is found in Antartica because: ODS are present throughout the atmosphere regardless of where they are released. The symmetry of the land of Antartica affects the very cold climate. The temperature leads to chemical changes that promote the production of chemically active chlorine and bromine from ODS.
What are the effects of OZONE DEPLETION? Ozone depletion allows the entry of UV-B radiation whose effect causes: more skin cancers, more eye cataracts, weakened immune systems, reduced plant yields, damage to ocean eco-systems and and reduced fishing yields, and more damage to plastics and other building materials.
What are Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and their uses? Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) are used in refrigerators, airconditioners, spray cans, solvents, foams, other applications. While Halons are primarily used in fire extinguishers.
How can the Ozone Layer be saved? The ozone layer can be saved only by phasing out the use of ozone depleting substances.
Five (5) Things Consumers must remember to help save the Ozone Layer.
1. Check the labels of consumer goods and patronize ODS alternatives.
2. Patronize metered-dose inhalers (used by asthma patients) that do not contain CFC's.
3. Support service shops tht are classified by the DTI to ensure that their technicians are capable of handling refrigerants and are not recharging their aircons or refs with incompatible refrigerants.
4. Owners of cars with non-CFC aircon systems, do not back-convert or change your system into CFC-12 or R-12.
5. Owners of cars with R-12, retrofit or change your aircon system to an alternative system (R-134a or HC).
OZONE DEPLETION and GLOBAL WARMING. Ozone depletion and global warming are often misconceived as one and the same, but the heat generated from the two phenomena are different.
Global warming refers to an increase in the Eart's temperature causing changes in climate.
While the greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature in the Earth because greenhouse gases in the atmosphere traps energy from the sun.
Global warming and climate change is already the topic of so many symposia, but still the problem exist and it will take years or decades to close the said hole in outer space. So to help people understand the situation, I will try to make this blog about our environmental problems and some solutions so that at least more people would understand that we have to move fast to avoid a disastrous future to our young generation and the generations to come.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is the government agency directly involved in finding solutions to this problem. But of course, they need the help of other agencies such as the Bureau of Customs, PNP Maritime Group, Philippine Navy Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Local Government Units to implement whatever laws the government has created to address the situation.
For the past several years the DENR, the lead government agency, has been conducting symposia in various parts of the country to make the people well informed about the urgency of the need to solve the problem. In one of their symposium at the Holiday Plaza Hotel, at F. Ramos St., Cebu City on August 29 to 30, 2006, the topic was about "National Orientation on Combatting the Illegal Trade of Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS) which I will share with you today.
What is OZONE? Ozone is a gas that is naturally present in the atmosphere. It is a molecule made up of three ozone molecules. It's chemical symbol is O3.
What is OZONE LAYER? The Ozone Layer is a thin, fragile shield that envelops the entire earth which effectively and efficiently filters and screens almost all of the harmful ultraviolet rays. There are three categories of UV: UV-A is ble to reach the earth's surface. 90% of UV-B is blocked off by the ozone layer. While 100% of UV-C is blocked off by the ozone layer.
How is OZONE created and destroyed? What filters the dangerous radiation from the sun that could practically burn all life on earth is the OZONE LAYER.
OZONE CREATION. Ozone molecules are created and destroyed high above the surface of the earth, about 20-40 km above ground.
What is the OZONE HOLE? The depletion or the loss of the blocking effect of the ozone layer against ultraviolet rays is what we call the OZONE HOLE, was discovered in the early 1980's.
The largest Ozone Hole.is the size of North America. Although the ozone hole is found in the Antartica, the global ozone level throughout the stratosphere has also decreased by 3% every decade.
The largest ozone hole is found in Antartica because: ODS are present throughout the atmosphere regardless of where they are released. The symmetry of the land of Antartica affects the very cold climate. The temperature leads to chemical changes that promote the production of chemically active chlorine and bromine from ODS.
What are the effects of OZONE DEPLETION? Ozone depletion allows the entry of UV-B radiation whose effect causes: more skin cancers, more eye cataracts, weakened immune systems, reduced plant yields, damage to ocean eco-systems and and reduced fishing yields, and more damage to plastics and other building materials.
What are Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and their uses? Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) are used in refrigerators, airconditioners, spray cans, solvents, foams, other applications. While Halons are primarily used in fire extinguishers.
How can the Ozone Layer be saved? The ozone layer can be saved only by phasing out the use of ozone depleting substances.
Five (5) Things Consumers must remember to help save the Ozone Layer.
1. Check the labels of consumer goods and patronize ODS alternatives.
2. Patronize metered-dose inhalers (used by asthma patients) that do not contain CFC's.
3. Support service shops tht are classified by the DTI to ensure that their technicians are capable of handling refrigerants and are not recharging their aircons or refs with incompatible refrigerants.
4. Owners of cars with non-CFC aircon systems, do not back-convert or change your system into CFC-12 or R-12.
5. Owners of cars with R-12, retrofit or change your aircon system to an alternative system (R-134a or HC).
OZONE DEPLETION and GLOBAL WARMING. Ozone depletion and global warming are often misconceived as one and the same, but the heat generated from the two phenomena are different.
Global warming refers to an increase in the Eart's temperature causing changes in climate.
While the greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature in the Earth because greenhouse gases in the atmosphere traps energy from the sun.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
In poor Leyte town, plastic buys licenses
Philippine Daily Inquirer
TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines—In Tabon-tabon, a poor town in Leyte, if it’s plastic, it’s legal tender.
The town’s government started accepting plastics as payment for services, food or as barter item for financial aid in a bid to promote its recycling campaign.
Rustico Balderian, mayor of the fifth class municipality about 30 km south of here, said the town government started accepting clean plastic materials in March 2009 as payment for services from the municipal government.
Plastics such as bottles, sachets, broken parts of chairs and others are accepted as payment by the town.
If a resident has a kilogram of clean plastic materials, he could exchange this with medicines or a kilogram of rice.
Licenses, permits
Plastics, according to the mayor, are also accepted as payment for marriage licenses or business permits. Residents needing an ambulance may pay for the service with a kilogram of plastic. The use of an ambulance would otherwise cost a resident P300 for its fuel load.
The municipal government, according to Balderian, also dropped its program of dole to poor residents.
Now, any resident in need of cash may bring used plastic for cash. A kilogram of used plastic would fetch P300; 2 kg, P500; and 3 kg, P1,000.
Balderian recalled that the scheme was used in the recent boxing match of Manny Pacquiao. Residents who wanted to see the live broadcast of the fight were asked to pay in used plastics—2 kg for front seats and 1 kg for other seats.
The mayor said the recycling program worked wonders as residents learned to segregate plastics from their daily trash.
He said it also weaned away some residents from resorting to stealing during lean months—July to August—when there’s no work to do in the farms as harvests are over.
Plastic savings
Husbands who have pregnant wives start saving early clean plastic materials so they would not pay in cash for the diesel of the ambulance.
As in all programs, however, there’s a downside to Balderian’s recycling campaign.
“There is now a shortage of plastic materials in town,” Balderian said in an interview Sunday in his hometown.
The used plastics are turned into bags, slippers, bricks and tiles that are sold in markets outside town.
“This provides income to the municipality and jobs to some of our people,” said the mayor.
Workers in three-wheeled vehicles, known in the town as “pogpog,” collect the used plastics.
They are brought to a facility in the town that has a shredder, a boiler and a bioreactor (some sort of a machine) that process garbage, including the used plastic.
Aside from making recycled products, the town also produces fertilizer from organic trash that it sells for P5 per kg.
Balderian said he presented his town’s solid waste management program at the “Zero Basura” caravan held in this city last week and was attended by town mayors in the region.
“Many of them want to replicate it in their towns,” he said. Vicente Labro, Inquirer Visayas
TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines—In Tabon-tabon, a poor town in Leyte, if it’s plastic, it’s legal tender.
The town’s government started accepting plastics as payment for services, food or as barter item for financial aid in a bid to promote its recycling campaign.
Rustico Balderian, mayor of the fifth class municipality about 30 km south of here, said the town government started accepting clean plastic materials in March 2009 as payment for services from the municipal government.
Plastics such as bottles, sachets, broken parts of chairs and others are accepted as payment by the town.
If a resident has a kilogram of clean plastic materials, he could exchange this with medicines or a kilogram of rice.
Licenses, permits
Plastics, according to the mayor, are also accepted as payment for marriage licenses or business permits. Residents needing an ambulance may pay for the service with a kilogram of plastic. The use of an ambulance would otherwise cost a resident P300 for its fuel load.
The municipal government, according to Balderian, also dropped its program of dole to poor residents.
Now, any resident in need of cash may bring used plastic for cash. A kilogram of used plastic would fetch P300; 2 kg, P500; and 3 kg, P1,000.
Balderian recalled that the scheme was used in the recent boxing match of Manny Pacquiao. Residents who wanted to see the live broadcast of the fight were asked to pay in used plastics—2 kg for front seats and 1 kg for other seats.
The mayor said the recycling program worked wonders as residents learned to segregate plastics from their daily trash.
He said it also weaned away some residents from resorting to stealing during lean months—July to August—when there’s no work to do in the farms as harvests are over.
Plastic savings
Husbands who have pregnant wives start saving early clean plastic materials so they would not pay in cash for the diesel of the ambulance.
As in all programs, however, there’s a downside to Balderian’s recycling campaign.
“There is now a shortage of plastic materials in town,” Balderian said in an interview Sunday in his hometown.
The used plastics are turned into bags, slippers, bricks and tiles that are sold in markets outside town.
“This provides income to the municipality and jobs to some of our people,” said the mayor.
Workers in three-wheeled vehicles, known in the town as “pogpog,” collect the used plastics.
They are brought to a facility in the town that has a shredder, a boiler and a bioreactor (some sort of a machine) that process garbage, including the used plastic.
Aside from making recycled products, the town also produces fertilizer from organic trash that it sells for P5 per kg.
Balderian said he presented his town’s solid waste management program at the “Zero Basura” caravan held in this city last week and was attended by town mayors in the region.
“Many of them want to replicate it in their towns,” he said. Vicente Labro, Inquirer Visayas
Thousands plant trees in Davao Oriental
Philippine Daily Inquirer
BANAYBANAY, Davao Oriental, Philippines—Thousands of students, environmentalists, village officials, mothers, farmers, and fishermen in the province went out to the streets Monday morning and formed a human chain, lining up along the 266-kilometer stretch of road that connects this town and the farthest coastal town of Boston, to plant around 100,000 forest and fruit trees.
The event was part of Davao Oriental’s target to plant one million trees this year as the provincial government’s commitment to the campaign against global warming. At the end of 2011, it is hoped that the trees planted, not only along the roadsides but also in former forested areas, will reach five million.
There are at least 90 protected areas and tourist spots in Davao Oriental’s 11 towns, including Mt. Hamiguitan, known for its bonsai forest which has been declared a national park and nominated as World Heritage Site to the Unesco.
The province remains known for its thick and mineral-rich forest covers, although many of these areas—also identified either as national protected areas and ancestral domain of indigenous peoples—are now being threatened by mining and illegal logging operations. Even a portion of Mt. Hamiguitan is being eyed by foreign companies for nickel mining.
Governor Corazon Malanyaon said the tree planting event is hoped to “re-green” the entire province and to contribute to the “abatement of global warming and control of environmental degradation.”
Malanyaon recently issued Executive Order 06 that institutionalized the One Million Tree Project and declared every 22nd day of June as tree planting day for Davao Oriental.
Heherson Alvarez, presidential adviser for global warming and climate change, lauded the project as it signaled that the government’s campaign against global warming, through the Carbon Cutting Coalition versus Global Climate, is gaining headway in the provinces.
“We have to wake up as the country is extremely vulnerable (to environmental catastrophe),” said Alvarez who was here Monday as the guest speaker.
BANAYBANAY, Davao Oriental, Philippines—Thousands of students, environmentalists, village officials, mothers, farmers, and fishermen in the province went out to the streets Monday morning and formed a human chain, lining up along the 266-kilometer stretch of road that connects this town and the farthest coastal town of Boston, to plant around 100,000 forest and fruit trees.
The event was part of Davao Oriental’s target to plant one million trees this year as the provincial government’s commitment to the campaign against global warming. At the end of 2011, it is hoped that the trees planted, not only along the roadsides but also in former forested areas, will reach five million.
There are at least 90 protected areas and tourist spots in Davao Oriental’s 11 towns, including Mt. Hamiguitan, known for its bonsai forest which has been declared a national park and nominated as World Heritage Site to the Unesco.
The province remains known for its thick and mineral-rich forest covers, although many of these areas—also identified either as national protected areas and ancestral domain of indigenous peoples—are now being threatened by mining and illegal logging operations. Even a portion of Mt. Hamiguitan is being eyed by foreign companies for nickel mining.
Governor Corazon Malanyaon said the tree planting event is hoped to “re-green” the entire province and to contribute to the “abatement of global warming and control of environmental degradation.”
Malanyaon recently issued Executive Order 06 that institutionalized the One Million Tree Project and declared every 22nd day of June as tree planting day for Davao Oriental.
Heherson Alvarez, presidential adviser for global warming and climate change, lauded the project as it signaled that the government’s campaign against global warming, through the Carbon Cutting Coalition versus Global Climate, is gaining headway in the provinces.
“We have to wake up as the country is extremely vulnerable (to environmental catastrophe),” said Alvarez who was here Monday as the guest speaker.
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