Anti-pollution Measure in the Philippines

The government is letting loose P500M to advance its anti-pollution measure, reveals Presidential Management Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. during a press conference in Panglao. 

The fund, which is from the collected national road safety tax, Esperon said, can be availed by transport groups to help fund the drivers switch from the pollution prone fossil fuels to the cleaner liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). 

According to him, the money could be accessed by transport cooperatives through the Philippine Postal and Savings Bank and it would basically be used to fund for the conversion of engines. 

Through this, the government hopes to enhance its climate change activities, he said. 

Esperon also claimed that the government is now getting more and more serious about the care for the environment added that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has designated Fridays in her schedules as a day for the environment. 

Many also see the move as a way to slowly shake off from a heavy dependence on imported oil amidst the unpredictable price fluctuations in the global markets. 

Over this, Bohol transport groups who could probably avail of such fund may seek details of the credit window at the Philippine Postal Bank. 

While it was not yet certain if LPG works in a terrain which is more harsh than the flat lands of Manila, putting up LPG on taxi units may soon de-clog gas stations, noted several observers. 

Esperon, who was then the Armed Forces Chief said the programmed switch to LPG is also in line with the government's policy on cleaner energy use to mitigate the effects of climate change. 

Government sources also revealed recently that in the remaining days of President Arroyo would be focused on investing in education, economy and the environment. (PIA)  

Donation for Jagna, Bohol

July 3, 2009 was a day of another remarkable accomplishment of DU EK SAM.

In time for the SY 2009-2010 opening, a furnished one-classroom school building was turned over last July 3 to the school officials of Mayana Elementary School of barangay Mayana, Jagna town.  

This one is its third contribution for the development of Jagna town's educational facilities.

In June 2007 and June 2008, Du Ek Sam shared its blessings to Odiong Elementary School and Tubod Monte Elementary School both of Jagna town.

Jagna town holds a special part of Du Ek Sam's matriarch Melecia Uy Du, the reason why the town received the first downpour of the blessings.

Du Ek Sam, Inc. your trusted motorcycle and appliance dealer believes in upholding the importance of education for every child through generations. 

Climate Change in the Philippines

In possibly one of the most advanced strategic response to mitigate climate change in the country, the Department of Agriculture has crafted three of its sector groups to exhaust measures to adopt to the changing climate patterns here.

The sectors on crops, fishery and research and development would soon start drafting mitigating measures to be included in the DA action plans, said Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Jesus Emmanuel Paras.

He said most of the sectors would seem to be most affected by it, reasoned Secretary Arthur Yap after a UN Commissioned team of climate experts briefed the DA to help strengthen the Philippines institutional capacity to adapt to climate change.

Now the created climate change adaptation teams are in response to the climate change mitigating actions pointed out by the UN team.

The teams would come out with their climate change adaptation plans for their sectors. 

The UN sees the DA as key implementors of mitigating programs to respond to the ill effect of the changing climate patterns affecting the country.

However, the DA sought UN help to fast track release of information on climate change so they could also appraise farm officials the lead time to adjust their production programs to new situations especially on the various climate affects for each region.

Yap stressed that is important to upgrade advanced technology to capacitate forecasting and monitoring of erratic climate changes and weather patterns.

During a briefing, UN consultant Lourdes V. Tibig informed the top DA officials that warming up of the climate in the Philippines is going to pour more rains in provinces that experience the southeast monsoon season from June to October, which means more floods and landslides in wide swatches of Luzon and the Visayas.

The dry season in monsoon season affected provinces will get longer, Tibig said. The same phenomenon is also expected to spawn more droughts in Mindanao.

The "unequivocal" climate change, the retired PAGASA official said, has been seen to hit the agriculture and fishery sector hard with bad effects on productivity, the spread of old and new plant and animal diseases. 

Without adequate preparations, countries like the Philippines may see its farm and fishery productivity drastically go down, the climate experts warned. (PIA) 

President Gloria Arroyo's Expensive Goodbye at New York

By Eye Opener

Sunday Post Newspaper

What an expensive good bye.

 The meeting in Washington DC between President Barack Obama and President Gloria Macapagal was an expensive good bye. Quite frankly, President Gloria did not get anything from the meeting. No fund releases whatsoever

 But what did this admini8stration spend? They spent for the tickets and hotel of the 65 men and women contingent. For their stay in New Work it was at the famous and expensive Waldorf Astoria Hotel, all of them including cabinet secretaries and bodyguards

 And now this controversial news about these expensive dinners at La Cirque in New York and a famous steakhouse in Washington DC

 Obviously, it would appear now that two congressmen, very rich at that paid for the dinner bills. Rep Martin Romualdez of Leyte paid  $20,000 for the dinner at La Cirque and Congressman Danilo Suarez for the Washington dinner at $15,000. In early interviews with Congressman Suarez he never admitted at first that he paid for the bills. President Arroyo now set the tone of her administration that indeed some affluent people could pick up the bills of her food expenses. 

The Death of Cory Aquino

By Eye Opener, Sunday Post

Cory is dead but her spirit is still alive  

 Now that Cory is dead, her death lost a major critic of the Arroyo administration. It is least worry for President Gloria Macapagal.

 To the ordinary observer, it might be so. But to the many deep bench analysts, the death of Cory Aquino was a reincarnation  of the very strong ideals and visions that the Aquino couple left as a legacy to this country.

 The tremendous and spontaneous turnout of people (hindi hakot ha) during her burial, estimated at about 500,000 common people was a very firm demonstration that the ideals of Ninoy and Cory are still very much alive in this country, something that can easily be utilized in the event some people may think to prolong their rule in this country.

 People obviously are getting sick and tired of this Arroyo administration. But what is more sickening even are the attempts of a big number of congressmen to change the Constitution so that from the present presidential form it will be converted into a parliamentary form of government and under this scenario, President Gloria Arroyo will run as a member of Parliament in Pampanga and could easily become Prime Minister Gloria. What a fine plan.

 But there are roadblocks along the way. Once the ConAss is called or assembled, the Senators who are not participants will raise the issue to the Supreme Court, Let us assume that the Supreme Court which is now loaded with Arroyo appointees will declare the Assembly constitutional and let us say that they will finish the work, what about the plebiscite this will need money to fund it. The money measure will pass thru the House of Representatives and the Senate. Of course, the Senate will not pass the measure. So the proposed changes will stall and it will be an exercise in futility

 Even with Cory's death, there some fresh developments

 At the Aquino residence, all the flowers, streamers, candles and bouquet have been removed. Traffic has normalized again.

 The old house will give way to a new edifice. The new house will be built by Kris the more affluent sibling of Cory Aquino for Noynoy and it would appear that they would start building this month.

 Now, a group has also endorsed Ninoy Aquino as president 

The Death and Martyrdom of Ninoy Aquino Jr

      On Friday, it will be 26 years after the shameless killing of Ninoy Aquino at the tarmac. More than anything else, Ninoy's assassination is the fuse that lit the people's collective anger against the Marcos dictatorship.

      To this day, there are many questions that remain – chief among them the brains behind the killing. From a legal viewpoint, all those who could be charged with the crime had been convicted and served their respective sentences, the biggest part of the puzzle continues to be elusive.

      One reason why Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino refuses to break bread with the convicts is his contention that they have not been forthright as far as the mastermind of the killing is concerned. It is amazing how they continue to profess innocence to this day not only as far as the actual shooting is concerned but what they knew of the murder.

      Indeed, if admission of guilt is the first step to repentance, then they continue to be unrepentant to this day. Aside from the guilt arising from the commission of the crime, they continue to be liable for the wholesale deception of a nation.

      The unanswered question notwithstanding, the killing was the one single answer to the quest for democracy then. Although democracy did not come on a silver platter, and certainly not in the days after the crime, it came less than six years later.

      It should be worthy to note that the nation marks the 26th anniversary of the killing just as the fears of another dictatorship loom large and real. In spite of Malacañang's denial to the contrary, there are fresh revelations of the present tenant's expressed intention to resort to military rule.

      This administration's flirtation with dictatorship is not difficult to believe given its propensity to disregard legal, moral and ethical rules whenever it fears for its survival. Power is always an attractive proposition to those who wield it.

      If there is any lesson that the Aquino assassination taught the power-mad, it is the frightening fury of a people who have had enough. It should be a constant reminder to all those who entertain illusions that they can be the exceptions.

      At the same time however, Ninoy's assassination should likewise be a reminder that lessons need to be learned not only by those who went through the experience but all those who are in danger of going through it all over again.

      The tragedy of learning from experience is never learning from it at all. In this regard, it should serve Filipinos in good stead to revisit the lesson lest we forget.

      Yesterday's ghosts are just as real today as they were then. - Editorial, Bohol Sunday Post