THE NATIONALIST PEOPLE’S COALITION ON SUNDAY NIGHT STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE “BLACK PROPAGANDA” BEING WAGED AGAINST SEN. LOREN LEGARDA, THE NPC-NP CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT, AS “UNWARRANTED, BLATANTLY FALSE AND SCURRILOUS.”
Valenzuela City Rep. Rex Gatchalian, NPC spokesman, referred to text messages being circulated by anonymous sources claiming that Senator Legarda had filed a bill seeking to reduce the salaries of public school teachers and military personnel.
“Nothing could be farther from the truth,” Gatchalian said. “On the contrary, Senator Legarda had filed a bill precisely seeking to increase the salaries and upgrade the positions of teachers and she also co-authored a resolution seeking the same for uniformed military personnel and civilian employees of the Department of National Defense.”
Gatchalian said that Loren had filed Senate Bill No. 1611, titled “An Act Upgrading the Minimum Salary Grade Level of Teachers from Salary Grade 10 to 19.”
He also disclosed that Loren was also one of the authors and co-signors of Senate Resolution No. 26, entitled “Joint Resolution Authorizing the President of the Philippines to modify the position classification system of civilian personnel and the base pay schedule of the military and uniformed personnel in the government, and to implement the same initially effective July 1, 2009, and for other purposes.”
“This is on the record and is known to everybody who has followed up Loren’s activities in the Senate,” said Gatchalian. “Apparently those who are disseminating this manifestly false information are desperate that Senator Legarda is bound to win the vice presidential race. This disinformation is a disservice to our electorate who deserve to be told the truth.”
Gatchalian said that in budget deliberations,Loren had always moved for the increase in salaries and benefits of government employees, especially teachers and health workers, as well as military personnel, to uplift their living standards in view of the continuing rise in cost of living expenses.
Gatchalian pointed out that Loren had special concern for members of the military, having herself obtained a degree in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines, graduating at the top of her class. She is now a reserve officer in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
“Senator Legarda has always demonstrated her compassion and concern for the rank-and-file employees of government, including civilian, military and police, teachers and health workers, because she believes that they are usually overworked and underpaid, considering the continuing rise in the cost of living,” said Gatchalian.
“In her two terms in the Senate, Loren has filed bills and supported legislation that would improve the economic security and future of our public servants, and ensure for them a decent standard of living,” Gatchalian added. “She also supported and pushed for larger appropriations in the budget for increase of salaries and benefits for government employees and officials.”
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Loren to push green advocacy even more passionately this time
SEN. LOREN LEGARDA WILL TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN PUSHING HER ADVOCACY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MORE GREEN TECHNOLOGY WITH THE ADVENT OF THE NEW YEAR.
As her New Year’s resolution, Loren said she would pursue her climate change advocacy “more passionately and bring it to the grassroots to show how it directly affects food and hunger.
Loren said she would also “try to convince business and industry to adopt green technology.”
“I will do these with even more fervor because time is not on our side,” Loren said.
In her New Year’s message, Loren said: “With a year of difficult crises and challenges behind us now, we embark anew not only on another calendar year but also on a new decade that could be the most daunting ever to humanity.”
Loren urged world leaders to “transcend territorial boundaries and unite to save the environment and protect the poor who suffer most from its destruction.”
The industrialized nations, Loren said, should “lead major progress on clean energy and climate protection and to provide the most vulnerable populations the resources and means to avoid, minimize and cope with the impact of the changing climate..”
At the same time, she called on national leaders to “accelerate action to improve urban governance, enhance rural livelihood and protect ecosystems to arrest the vicious cycle of disasters and poverty.”
Loren, who attended the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, pointed out: “The climate challenge prevails. The climate crisis persists. We cannot afford to be complacent. We need to act now.”
The senator, who is running as vice presidential candidate of the Nationalist People’s Coalition under the banner of the Nacionalista Party, said 2010 should “be a time for everyone to be the voices for change, in the choices we make and in the decisions we take” and usher in “a decade of empowered leaders, ready to take up the cudgels and fight for our future.”
Source: The Official Website of Loren Legarda
As her New Year’s resolution, Loren said she would pursue her climate change advocacy “more passionately and bring it to the grassroots to show how it directly affects food and hunger.
Loren said she would also “try to convince business and industry to adopt green technology.”
“I will do these with even more fervor because time is not on our side,” Loren said.
In her New Year’s message, Loren said: “With a year of difficult crises and challenges behind us now, we embark anew not only on another calendar year but also on a new decade that could be the most daunting ever to humanity.”
Loren urged world leaders to “transcend territorial boundaries and unite to save the environment and protect the poor who suffer most from its destruction.”
The industrialized nations, Loren said, should “lead major progress on clean energy and climate protection and to provide the most vulnerable populations the resources and means to avoid, minimize and cope with the impact of the changing climate..”
At the same time, she called on national leaders to “accelerate action to improve urban governance, enhance rural livelihood and protect ecosystems to arrest the vicious cycle of disasters and poverty.”
Loren, who attended the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, pointed out: “The climate challenge prevails. The climate crisis persists. We cannot afford to be complacent. We need to act now.”
The senator, who is running as vice presidential candidate of the Nationalist People’s Coalition under the banner of the Nacionalista Party, said 2010 should “be a time for everyone to be the voices for change, in the choices we make and in the decisions we take” and usher in “a decade of empowered leaders, ready to take up the cudgels and fight for our future.”
Source: The Official Website of Loren Legarda
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The ‘formidable’ duo
by Nestor Mata
Malaya.com.ph
10 December 2009
‘Manny Villar and Loren Legarda have emerged as the team to beat.’
ELECTION DAY is still six months away, and already some presidential wannabes are already throwing partisan bombs, staging pep rallies and holding photo-ops instead of more serious gravitas-building appearances and statements about policies, goals and programs.
Of all the would-be presidents numbering over --- believe it or not! ---91, only two presidential and vice presidential teams have announced their platforms. They are Manny Villar and Loren Legarda of the Nacionalista Party and Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas of the Liberal Party.
And they are considered the frontrunners in the electoral race to replace Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who has been the temporary resident of Malacañang where she has squatted for nine long years of a faux presidency.
Unlike the Villar-Legarda tandem, who publicly announced their clear-cut platform of government during their proclamation as NP standard-bearers in Moriones, Tondo in Manila, however, Aquino and Roxas merely published theirs in paid newspaper ads in Manila newspapers. And the Aquino-Roxas platform contained nothing but an abundance of superfluous words and phrases which sounded very much like the time-worn mantras of politicos.
It was during that NP proclamation in Tondo, where he was born, that Villar urged the public and party supporters to join him and Legarda in pursuing a "new revolution" to fight poverty and "free our countrymen from the dire circumstances in their lives."
This, one political pundit has commented, was Villar’s "battlecry" to solve poverty and hunger that has beset millions of poor Filipinos under the present administration of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Indeed, as revealed by a recent public opinion survey, Filipinos are now looking at Manny Villar as "the one" who will take care of the poor and who can create more jobs for the unemployed. And it also reported that the respondents saw Villar as the leader who’s most accessible and really cares for the poor.
Of course, Villar is not alone in his crusade to uplift the poor. Former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada, too, has voiced his concern for them. But, unlike Villar, who was born poor in Tondo, Estrada was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, whose parents belonged to the moneyed class of society.
Villar knows how to help the poor because he well knows how it feels to be poor, unlike Aquino and Roxas who are not only scions of rich families but also grandees of political dynasties.
On the issue of change, which both the Villar-Legarda and the Aquino-Roxas camps have raised, Villar warned the people that not all those who trumpet change in government offer real change.
"What kind of change would they bring?" he asked. "Do they really understand the plight of the poor? Or are they just referring to change who is in power?"
One can’t help but be impressed by the pledge of Villar and Legarda never to engage in "personalities" or "personal attacks." That is, in dirty, name-calling, smearing campaign as practiced by politicos on their rivals during the campaign for the presidency.
Indeed, Villar and Legarda really don’t have to engage themselves in such dishonorable and old practice of dirty politics. They have already publicly revealed their program and policies of government, their dedication to fight against poverty and the greening of the environment. These are issues which have long been blithely neglected and ignored by past administrations since the time of Cory Cojuangco Aquino up to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
The Villar-Legarda tandem, as a matter of fact, is considered "formidable" in letters to the editors if Manila’s mainstream newspapers.
One such letter called Villar and Legarda "a balanced tandem" and dubbed it the "Double E Team" for their shared advocacy for economics and environment.
"Our past and present presidents were all born rich and what happened?" another asked. "If we want to have a meaningful change, we should now have a leader who was born poor and knows how it is to be poor."
Quite remarkably, these unsolicited views reflected Manny Villar’s own vision of a new kind of presidency.
In his recent public statements he envisioned a presidency, far, far, different from past and present presidencies. "It’s a real change," to quote his own words, "…It’s not merely change in the presidency. It’s enriching the lives of millions of poor Filipinos."
Source: http://www.malaya.com.ph/12102009/edmata.html
Malaya.com.ph
10 December 2009
‘Manny Villar and Loren Legarda have emerged as the team to beat.’
ELECTION DAY is still six months away, and already some presidential wannabes are already throwing partisan bombs, staging pep rallies and holding photo-ops instead of more serious gravitas-building appearances and statements about policies, goals and programs.
Of all the would-be presidents numbering over --- believe it or not! ---91, only two presidential and vice presidential teams have announced their platforms. They are Manny Villar and Loren Legarda of the Nacionalista Party and Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas of the Liberal Party.
And they are considered the frontrunners in the electoral race to replace Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who has been the temporary resident of Malacañang where she has squatted for nine long years of a faux presidency.
Unlike the Villar-Legarda tandem, who publicly announced their clear-cut platform of government during their proclamation as NP standard-bearers in Moriones, Tondo in Manila, however, Aquino and Roxas merely published theirs in paid newspaper ads in Manila newspapers. And the Aquino-Roxas platform contained nothing but an abundance of superfluous words and phrases which sounded very much like the time-worn mantras of politicos.
It was during that NP proclamation in Tondo, where he was born, that Villar urged the public and party supporters to join him and Legarda in pursuing a "new revolution" to fight poverty and "free our countrymen from the dire circumstances in their lives."
This, one political pundit has commented, was Villar’s "battlecry" to solve poverty and hunger that has beset millions of poor Filipinos under the present administration of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Indeed, as revealed by a recent public opinion survey, Filipinos are now looking at Manny Villar as "the one" who will take care of the poor and who can create more jobs for the unemployed. And it also reported that the respondents saw Villar as the leader who’s most accessible and really cares for the poor.
Of course, Villar is not alone in his crusade to uplift the poor. Former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada, too, has voiced his concern for them. But, unlike Villar, who was born poor in Tondo, Estrada was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, whose parents belonged to the moneyed class of society.
Villar knows how to help the poor because he well knows how it feels to be poor, unlike Aquino and Roxas who are not only scions of rich families but also grandees of political dynasties.
On the issue of change, which both the Villar-Legarda and the Aquino-Roxas camps have raised, Villar warned the people that not all those who trumpet change in government offer real change.
"What kind of change would they bring?" he asked. "Do they really understand the plight of the poor? Or are they just referring to change who is in power?"
One can’t help but be impressed by the pledge of Villar and Legarda never to engage in "personalities" or "personal attacks." That is, in dirty, name-calling, smearing campaign as practiced by politicos on their rivals during the campaign for the presidency.
Indeed, Villar and Legarda really don’t have to engage themselves in such dishonorable and old practice of dirty politics. They have already publicly revealed their program and policies of government, their dedication to fight against poverty and the greening of the environment. These are issues which have long been blithely neglected and ignored by past administrations since the time of Cory Cojuangco Aquino up to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
The Villar-Legarda tandem, as a matter of fact, is considered "formidable" in letters to the editors if Manila’s mainstream newspapers.
One such letter called Villar and Legarda "a balanced tandem" and dubbed it the "Double E Team" for their shared advocacy for economics and environment.
"Our past and present presidents were all born rich and what happened?" another asked. "If we want to have a meaningful change, we should now have a leader who was born poor and knows how it is to be poor."
Quite remarkably, these unsolicited views reflected Manny Villar’s own vision of a new kind of presidency.
In his recent public statements he envisioned a presidency, far, far, different from past and present presidencies. "It’s a real change," to quote his own words, "…It’s not merely change in the presidency. It’s enriching the lives of millions of poor Filipinos."
Source: http://www.malaya.com.ph/12102009/edmata.html
Monday, November 16, 2009
SLL Statement on the Disqualification of AngLadlad Party for the 2010 Elections
As citizen and Senator of the Republic, I question the recent rejection of AngLadlad Party to be a duly registered sectoral party by the Commission on Elections(COMELEC) because of allegations of ‘immorality.’ TheComelec invoked passages from the Holy Bible and the sacred Qu’ran to justify their decision on Ang Ladlad’s petition for party registration.
The Republic of the Philippines is a secular state, and as such, we must ensure the clear separation of church and state in our civil and political affairs, as enshrined in the Philippine Constitution, Article II, Section 6. Invoking justifications from sacred texts should not stand in the way of our secular and liberal democratic principles and the rights for political representation of all well-meaning Filipino citizens.
Every Filipino, regardless of sexual orientation, can exercise the fundamental right to be represented in the country’s political affairs, including the right to run for public office as political parties and individuals, and to present their platform to the Filipino electorate. There should be no room for discrimination and bigotry against any group representing gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation from within the ranks of our government.
We are now at a historic time when nation after nation hasbegun to decisively dismantle the barriers of the past – such as those that denied groups and individualsfrom being rightfully considered as equals. Many of these barriers were premised on differences based on gender, race and sexual orientation. While more and more countries have been embracing deserving homosexuals asstate leaders (e.g., Iceland ), as ministers (e.g., France), and as regular members of their armed forces (e.g., USA ), by its recent decision, our COMELEC isdangerouslyinstitutionalizing social exclusion and intolerance, and degradinga party like AngLadlad as political pariah.
A fair and honest election, fundamentally presupposes that every legal individual and party group aspiring for public office should be treated with respect, without bias, and with equality, irrespective of their religion, race, ethnicity, class and sexual orientation.
The Republic of the Philippines is a secular state, and as such, we must ensure the clear separation of church and state in our civil and political affairs, as enshrined in the Philippine Constitution, Article II, Section 6. Invoking justifications from sacred texts should not stand in the way of our secular and liberal democratic principles and the rights for political representation of all well-meaning Filipino citizens.
Every Filipino, regardless of sexual orientation, can exercise the fundamental right to be represented in the country’s political affairs, including the right to run for public office as political parties and individuals, and to present their platform to the Filipino electorate. There should be no room for discrimination and bigotry against any group representing gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation from within the ranks of our government.
We are now at a historic time when nation after nation hasbegun to decisively dismantle the barriers of the past – such as those that denied groups and individualsfrom being rightfully considered as equals. Many of these barriers were premised on differences based on gender, race and sexual orientation. While more and more countries have been embracing deserving homosexuals asstate leaders (e.g., Iceland ), as ministers (e.g., France), and as regular members of their armed forces (e.g., USA ), by its recent decision, our COMELEC isdangerouslyinstitutionalizing social exclusion and intolerance, and degradinga party like AngLadlad as political pariah.
A fair and honest election, fundamentally presupposes that every legal individual and party group aspiring for public office should be treated with respect, without bias, and with equality, irrespective of their religion, race, ethnicity, class and sexual orientation.
Loren issues debate challenge on ‘apocalyptic’ climate change
Senator Loren Legarda yesterday challenged presidential and vice presidential candidates in next year’s elections to a debate on their environmental platforms and “on what they intend to do to address the apocalyptic effects of climate change.”
Loren warned that climate change threatens the very survival of man, as can be seen from the recent natural catastrophes such as the storms and floods in the Philippines and Maldives and the earthquakes in Indonesia.
“Thus, no candidate for 2010 cannot be without a platform and clear-cut solutions to environmental problems,” said the chair of the Senate Oversight Committee on Climate Change who is running for vice president.
Loren said that a candidate who has no platform of government dealing with environmental issues “has no right to lead.”
“Only 19 percent of our forest cover remains, resulting to erosion of about 50 percent of our mountains’ top soil. Where does the top soil goes? It buries villages at the foot of mountains while contributing to the siltation of our river systems,” she said.
The United Nations Champion for Climate Change Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction for the Asia-Pacific region, Loren said that the loss of the country’s forest cover results to animals losing their habitats, ultimately affecting forest biodiversity or the number of species thriving in any given area.
She said that with mountains being left bare of trees, low-lying communities are left to the mercy of cascading floodwater and landslides, citing as example the province or Rizal which went underwater during the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy.
Ondoy dumped on Metro Manila a record 340 milliliters of water in a few hours, the equivalent of the average total rainfall for the month, swamping the province of Rizal, and the cities of Marikina and Pasig, among others.
Loren lamented that the pollution of inland waters has been so wanton that, at present, only 36 percent of the country’s river systems can be used as water source, in itself a looming crisis as the supply of potable water diminishes.
The senator explained that global warming increases water evaporation and the volume of rainfall, even as it raises sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps.
She echoed the warning of ecological experts that a rise by one meter in sea levels would result to the flooding of 28 of the about 80 provinces of the country.
Loren said that environmental disasters have the potential of becoming humanitarian crises, especially when a nation’s leaders do not prioritize climate change mitigation and disaster risk-reduction in their platforms and policies.
Source: http://www.lorenlegarda.com.ph/article-1258349375.html
Loren warned that climate change threatens the very survival of man, as can be seen from the recent natural catastrophes such as the storms and floods in the Philippines and Maldives and the earthquakes in Indonesia.
“Thus, no candidate for 2010 cannot be without a platform and clear-cut solutions to environmental problems,” said the chair of the Senate Oversight Committee on Climate Change who is running for vice president.
Loren said that a candidate who has no platform of government dealing with environmental issues “has no right to lead.”
“Only 19 percent of our forest cover remains, resulting to erosion of about 50 percent of our mountains’ top soil. Where does the top soil goes? It buries villages at the foot of mountains while contributing to the siltation of our river systems,” she said.
The United Nations Champion for Climate Change Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction for the Asia-Pacific region, Loren said that the loss of the country’s forest cover results to animals losing their habitats, ultimately affecting forest biodiversity or the number of species thriving in any given area.
She said that with mountains being left bare of trees, low-lying communities are left to the mercy of cascading floodwater and landslides, citing as example the province or Rizal which went underwater during the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy.
Ondoy dumped on Metro Manila a record 340 milliliters of water in a few hours, the equivalent of the average total rainfall for the month, swamping the province of Rizal, and the cities of Marikina and Pasig, among others.
Loren lamented that the pollution of inland waters has been so wanton that, at present, only 36 percent of the country’s river systems can be used as water source, in itself a looming crisis as the supply of potable water diminishes.
The senator explained that global warming increases water evaporation and the volume of rainfall, even as it raises sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps.
She echoed the warning of ecological experts that a rise by one meter in sea levels would result to the flooding of 28 of the about 80 provinces of the country.
Loren said that environmental disasters have the potential of becoming humanitarian crises, especially when a nation’s leaders do not prioritize climate change mitigation and disaster risk-reduction in their platforms and policies.
Source: http://www.lorenlegarda.com.ph/article-1258349375.html
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Loren Warns Of Environmental Apocalypse
ILIGAN CITY, Nov. 14 – Sen. Loren Legarda today warned of an environmental apocalypse in the Philippines unless the government and people act determinedly to reverse the current environmental deterioration.
Addressing a conference of the Philippine Society for the Study of Nature in this city, Loren said that “the state of the Philippine environment has deteriorated from a silent spring into the next stage, an apocalyptic one.
“All around us we are witnessing the birth of death, the refusal of life forms to flourish and to thrive, the black curtains that hang over former enclaves of bio-diversity.
She warned that “Only after the last tree has been felled, the last river poisoned, and the last fish caught, will man know that he cannot eat money.
“We have to reverse the onslaught to life, to usher in an environmental springtime, the surge of new life forms, the resurrection of forested mountains, clean air, clear rivers and bountiful seas.”
During the conference, Loren received a “Kalikasan award” from the society for her “valuable efforts” in saving and promoting the environment. For the past many years, Loren had planted over two million trees in the country through her foundation, Luntiang Pilipinas.
The foremost advocate of a green environment in the country, Loren declared that climate change has amplified the threat of catastrophic disasters arising from the steady deterioration of the environment in the Philippines over the past many years.
“We have seen what happened when the floods came. Communities that used to be impervious to floodwaters were inundated. Months after Ondoy and Pepeng, we still see the effects on the lakeshore municipalities of Laguna,” said Loren, who is the UN regional champion for climate change adaptation in Asia-Pacific, and chair of the Senate committee on climate change.
In describing the state of the Philippine environment, Loren pointed out that only 19 percent of the Philippines land area remain forested, while erosion has wiped away 50 percent of the soil’s fertile top layer in just over 10 years.
“Excavation, dredging, and coastal conversion for coastal zone development damage the marine environment, especially to coral reefs, mangroves, and sea-grasses.
“Only about 36% of the country’s river systems are classified as sources of public water supply.
“Agriculture encroachment into forestlands continues to threaten the stability of the whole forest ecosystem including the watershed areas.
“The Philippines has a 2.3% annual population growth rate and the projected total population is expected to reach 91 million. There is rapid urbanization and poor environmental governance and corruption.
“Because of overpopulation, the demand for water also rises. At least 30 million Filipinos have no access to potable water through water supply and distribution operations. Water demand nationwide is expected to grow from 43 million cubic meters per year in 2000 to 88 million cubic meters by 2025.”
While new legislation like the Climate Change Act, which she sponsored, have been passed, said Loren, the efforts to revert the trend would fail without total cooperation between government and people.
She called “for a new development thinking, a more holistic development philosophy. .. founded on sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, ecosystems protection, cultural resilience, and good governance”.
The Philippine Strategic Framework on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and the Philippine Climate Change Adaptation Action Agenda would serve as the basis for the program for climate change planning, research and development, extension and monitoring of activities on climate change.
“In line with the framework and action agenda, each local government unit shall formulate its own local climate change action plan. Local government units will be in the frontline in the formulation, planning and implementation of climate change action plans in their respective areas.
“Meanwhile, the national government shall extend technical and financial assistance to local government units for the accomplishment of their climate change action plans. They can also appropriate and use their funds from their Internal Revenue Allotment to implement their local plans. “
Addressing a conference of the Philippine Society for the Study of Nature in this city, Loren said that “the state of the Philippine environment has deteriorated from a silent spring into the next stage, an apocalyptic one.
“All around us we are witnessing the birth of death, the refusal of life forms to flourish and to thrive, the black curtains that hang over former enclaves of bio-diversity.
She warned that “Only after the last tree has been felled, the last river poisoned, and the last fish caught, will man know that he cannot eat money.
“We have to reverse the onslaught to life, to usher in an environmental springtime, the surge of new life forms, the resurrection of forested mountains, clean air, clear rivers and bountiful seas.”
During the conference, Loren received a “Kalikasan award” from the society for her “valuable efforts” in saving and promoting the environment. For the past many years, Loren had planted over two million trees in the country through her foundation, Luntiang Pilipinas.
The foremost advocate of a green environment in the country, Loren declared that climate change has amplified the threat of catastrophic disasters arising from the steady deterioration of the environment in the Philippines over the past many years.
“We have seen what happened when the floods came. Communities that used to be impervious to floodwaters were inundated. Months after Ondoy and Pepeng, we still see the effects on the lakeshore municipalities of Laguna,” said Loren, who is the UN regional champion for climate change adaptation in Asia-Pacific, and chair of the Senate committee on climate change.
In describing the state of the Philippine environment, Loren pointed out that only 19 percent of the Philippines land area remain forested, while erosion has wiped away 50 percent of the soil’s fertile top layer in just over 10 years.
“Excavation, dredging, and coastal conversion for coastal zone development damage the marine environment, especially to coral reefs, mangroves, and sea-grasses.
“Only about 36% of the country’s river systems are classified as sources of public water supply.
“Agriculture encroachment into forestlands continues to threaten the stability of the whole forest ecosystem including the watershed areas.
“The Philippines has a 2.3% annual population growth rate and the projected total population is expected to reach 91 million. There is rapid urbanization and poor environmental governance and corruption.
“Because of overpopulation, the demand for water also rises. At least 30 million Filipinos have no access to potable water through water supply and distribution operations. Water demand nationwide is expected to grow from 43 million cubic meters per year in 2000 to 88 million cubic meters by 2025.”
While new legislation like the Climate Change Act, which she sponsored, have been passed, said Loren, the efforts to revert the trend would fail without total cooperation between government and people.
She called “for a new development thinking, a more holistic development philosophy. .. founded on sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, ecosystems protection, cultural resilience, and good governance”.
The Philippine Strategic Framework on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and the Philippine Climate Change Adaptation Action Agenda would serve as the basis for the program for climate change planning, research and development, extension and monitoring of activities on climate change.
“In line with the framework and action agenda, each local government unit shall formulate its own local climate change action plan. Local government units will be in the frontline in the formulation, planning and implementation of climate change action plans in their respective areas.
“Meanwhile, the national government shall extend technical and financial assistance to local government units for the accomplishment of their climate change action plans. They can also appropriate and use their funds from their Internal Revenue Allotment to implement their local plans. “
Friday, November 13, 2009
Greening of the Philippines: Issues and Concerns 9th Philippine Society for the Study of Nature Iligan City,November 14, 2009 - SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA
(GREETINGS)
I think we all agree that after Ondoy and Pepeng, Filipinos are not the same anymore. The people are more than ever conscious of the impact of climate change. We all have our own stories from our families, if not from our own experience with Ondoy or Pepeng. The lesson is simple. If we do not do protect the environment, our lives will just get harder and harder as weather conditions get more erratic and more extreme.
We have seen what happened when the floods came. Communities that used to be impervious to floodwaters were inundated. Months after Ondoy and Pepeng, we still see the effects on the lakeshore municipalities of Laguna. Water is claiming the land that used to accommodate long-standing communities.
Let us examine what the government has done in the past.
From 2005 to 2009, little progress was made in controlling environmental and natural resource degradation despite comprehensive legal and regulatory regime for environmental and natural resources management and the use of some advanced strategies.
There are new environmental challenges that have emerged from new development directions pursued by the government such as its active promotion of mining, agribusiness and bio-fuels production.
There is also devolution of responsibilities to local governments, but without additional financial resources.
The public resources for conservation and protection is still very low.
Climate change has gained recognition in policy circles, although this interest has not yet been sufficiently translated into actions.
At present, an estimated 19% of the country's land area remains forested. Deforestation has made many poor communities more vulnerable to natural calamities such as landslides.
Soil erosion has accelerated dramatically with an estimated loss of 50% of the fertile top layer in the last 10 years.
Excavation, dredging, and coastal conversion for coastal zone development damage the marine environment, especially to coral reefs, mangroves, and sea-grasses.
Only about 36% of the country’s river systems are classified as sources of public water supply.
The water resource concerns include recurring seasonal problem of access to clean water in many areas, water pollution, wasteful, inefficient water use, saltwater intrusion, pipe leaks, illegal connections, and continued denudation of forest cover in watersheds.
Agriculture encroachment into forestlands continues to threaten the stability of the whole forest ecosystem including the watershed areas.
While there are positive trends in efforts to curb illegal logging, provide better watershed and promote the use of renewable energy sources, these are offset by the pressure of overpopulation.
The Philippines has a 2.3% annual population growth rate and the projected total population is expected to reach 91 million. There is rapid urbanization and poor environmental governance and corruption.
There are likewise new challenges such as the promotion of bio-fuels and agribusiness and mining policies that may aggravate the condition of natural resources.
Because of overpopulation, the demand for water also rises. At least 30 million Filipinos have no access to potable water through water supply and distribution operations. Water demand nationwide is expected to grow from 43 million cubic meters per year in 2000 to 88 million cubic meters by 2025.
While programs and projects to make the Philippines more green are necessary, the work to mitigate, if not arrest climate change requires an all-encompassing effort.
We need to change our over-all ways. Many of our actions have been inappropriate and are doomed to failure because they are founded on the traditional notion that economic activities alone matter for development.
I have called for a new development thinking, a more holistic development philosophy. This kind of development is founded on sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, ecosystems protection, cultural resilience, and good governance, all of which must be adopted by world leaders in order to address growing disaster risks.
The Climate Change Act of 2009, a bill that I have authored in the Senate, is one of laws that are cognizant of the need to come up with new adaptation needs and strategies across various sectors and themes.
This law ensures the mainstreaming of climate change in various phases of policy formulation, development plans, poverty reduction strategies and other development tools and techniques by all government agencies.
It provides a Climate Change Commission with the President as the chairperson, three Commissioners who are experts in climate change by virtue of their training and experience.
There is also an advisory board, the Secretaries of different government agencies, the President of the League of Cities, Municipalities and Barangay, and representatives from the academe, business sector, non-governmental organizations and civil society.
The commission will ensure the mainstreaming of climate change in synergy with disaster risk reduction into the national, sectoral and local development plans and programs.
The Philippine Strategic Framework on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and the Philippine Climate Change Adaptation Action Agenda will serve as the basis for the program for climate change planning, research and development, extension and monitoring of activities on climate change.
In line with the framework and action agenda, each local government unit shall formulate its own local climate change action plan.
Local government units will be in the frontline in the formulation, planning and implementation of climate change action plans in their respective areas.
Meanwhile, the national government shall extend technical and financial assistance to local government units for the accomplishment of their climate change action plans. They can also appropriate and use their funds from their Internal Revenue Allotment to implement their local plans.
I would like to mention another one of my proposals in the Senate. This is the Disaster Risk Reduction, Management, and Recovery Bill, which was recently passed in the Senate on third reading.
The bill seeks to formulate a comprehensive all-hazards, multi-sectoral, inter-agency, and community-based approach to disaster risk reduction, management and recovery through the formulation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Recovery Framework.
The sad reality is that Climate change will continue to put additional stress on already heavily stressed watersheds, which in turn will affect downstream and coastal areas.
As the environment is exacerbated by population growth, poverty, weak policies, deforestation, urbanization and industrialization, we can expect to experience more extreme weather events, temperature rise, and excessive rainfall.
Climate change may also exacerbate water pollution and water stress due to increasing demand from population growth and economic development.
Moreover, risks on sea level rise and saltwater intrusion to groundwater may increase significantly.
What else must be done? We need policy changes in the allocation of resources, food production, livelihoods, and land use.
There is a need to clarify rules governing roles of various stakeholders in the water sector.
Decentralization and building capacity of local agencies must be supported. Watershed related research and technology development must be prioritized.
Water use efficiency must be enhanced by improving technologies and crop varieties, reducing of transmission losses thru regular maintenance of system, monitoring and auditing of irrigation systems performance, and improving water pricing and cost recovery.
For demand management, public education programs, recycling, and economic valuation of water must be implemented.
Planning and decision making must be improved through enhancing data collection and management, gathering of more aggressive information, technology generation, mainstreaming of water resource conservation in the national and local development planning, and formulating watershed-based local development planning.
Through watershed-based local development planning, the interlinked concerns on climate change, poverty, biodiversity, and water may be addressed.
Clearly, the work to stop climate change does not end in policy. We must practice what we preach. There is the constant need to follow through in implementation.
As early as 1998, I have established Luntiang Pilipinas as a nationwide urban forestry program, to promote public awareness on various environmental issues and to enjoin multi-sectoral participation in helping address such concerns.
Ten years after, Luntiang Pilipinas remains committed in doing its share in saving the environment, with the launch of 10@10: The 10 Million Trees Campaign.
The latest project is an online campaign to plant 10 million trees to encourage the “valuable contribution of individuals, private corporations and businesses, and national and local government agencies in planting 10 million trees by year 2011.
Those who want to participate can enter pledges to plant as many trees as they can online through www.luntiangpilipinas.com.ph.
Those who made pledges must actually plant the trees. Those who were responsible for the actual tree planting at their chosen locations are encouraged to send in photos or videos to document their activities.
Registered pledges are acknowledged in the form of a ‘pledge of commitment card’ to be issued in the participant’s name.
These pledge cards also serve as discount cards in selected establishments, courtesy of Luntiang Pilipinas merchant partners.
Let me tell you a story about how a grandson spent in just ten days what took his grandfather 82 years to accumulate, to show how we, as a people, intend to destroy what took billions of years to form, unless we change our mindset and undertake a paradigm shift on the environment.
A grandfather died intestate and left his only grandson 100 million pesos as inheritance.
Prior to his death, he told his grandson to spend only the income of his inheritance and preserve the capital of P100 million.
However, contrary to his grandfather's wishes, the grandson gambled and spent 10 million a day on losses. Thus, by the end of the tenth day, the whole inheritance was gone.
But instead of treating this as a loss, the grandson asked that the money he spent for gambling be reported by his accountant as losses that are allowable deductions on his gross income.
This story demonstrates how we treat the environment. The Earth has taken 4.5 billion years to put together; Man, 1 million years, and Civilization, 6,000-7,000 years.
Ladies and gentlemen, the state of the Philippine environment has deteriorated from a gloomy silent spring into the next stage, an apocalyptic one. All around us we are witnessing the birth of death, the refusal of life forms to flourish and to thrive, the black curtains that hang over former enclaves of bio-diversity.
Only after the last tree has been felled, the last river poisoned, and the last fish caught, will man know that he cannot eat money.
We have to reverse the onslaught to life, to usher in an environmental springtime, the surge of new life forms, the explosion of forested mountains, clean air, clear rivers and bountiful seas.
Let it be said that in our time and during our watch, while gifted with intelligence and insight, with privilege and position, with the wealth of wisdom, and with the freedom and power of the human will, let it be said that we did our share.
And maybe, just maybe, we will make a little difference.
Thank you very much and good afternoon.
Source: http://www.lorenlegarda.com.ph/article-1258167241.html
I think we all agree that after Ondoy and Pepeng, Filipinos are not the same anymore. The people are more than ever conscious of the impact of climate change. We all have our own stories from our families, if not from our own experience with Ondoy or Pepeng. The lesson is simple. If we do not do protect the environment, our lives will just get harder and harder as weather conditions get more erratic and more extreme.
We have seen what happened when the floods came. Communities that used to be impervious to floodwaters were inundated. Months after Ondoy and Pepeng, we still see the effects on the lakeshore municipalities of Laguna. Water is claiming the land that used to accommodate long-standing communities.
Let us examine what the government has done in the past.
From 2005 to 2009, little progress was made in controlling environmental and natural resource degradation despite comprehensive legal and regulatory regime for environmental and natural resources management and the use of some advanced strategies.
There are new environmental challenges that have emerged from new development directions pursued by the government such as its active promotion of mining, agribusiness and bio-fuels production.
There is also devolution of responsibilities to local governments, but without additional financial resources.
The public resources for conservation and protection is still very low.
Climate change has gained recognition in policy circles, although this interest has not yet been sufficiently translated into actions.
At present, an estimated 19% of the country's land area remains forested. Deforestation has made many poor communities more vulnerable to natural calamities such as landslides.
Soil erosion has accelerated dramatically with an estimated loss of 50% of the fertile top layer in the last 10 years.
Excavation, dredging, and coastal conversion for coastal zone development damage the marine environment, especially to coral reefs, mangroves, and sea-grasses.
Only about 36% of the country’s river systems are classified as sources of public water supply.
The water resource concerns include recurring seasonal problem of access to clean water in many areas, water pollution, wasteful, inefficient water use, saltwater intrusion, pipe leaks, illegal connections, and continued denudation of forest cover in watersheds.
Agriculture encroachment into forestlands continues to threaten the stability of the whole forest ecosystem including the watershed areas.
While there are positive trends in efforts to curb illegal logging, provide better watershed and promote the use of renewable energy sources, these are offset by the pressure of overpopulation.
The Philippines has a 2.3% annual population growth rate and the projected total population is expected to reach 91 million. There is rapid urbanization and poor environmental governance and corruption.
There are likewise new challenges such as the promotion of bio-fuels and agribusiness and mining policies that may aggravate the condition of natural resources.
Because of overpopulation, the demand for water also rises. At least 30 million Filipinos have no access to potable water through water supply and distribution operations. Water demand nationwide is expected to grow from 43 million cubic meters per year in 2000 to 88 million cubic meters by 2025.
While programs and projects to make the Philippines more green are necessary, the work to mitigate, if not arrest climate change requires an all-encompassing effort.
We need to change our over-all ways. Many of our actions have been inappropriate and are doomed to failure because they are founded on the traditional notion that economic activities alone matter for development.
I have called for a new development thinking, a more holistic development philosophy. This kind of development is founded on sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, ecosystems protection, cultural resilience, and good governance, all of which must be adopted by world leaders in order to address growing disaster risks.
The Climate Change Act of 2009, a bill that I have authored in the Senate, is one of laws that are cognizant of the need to come up with new adaptation needs and strategies across various sectors and themes.
This law ensures the mainstreaming of climate change in various phases of policy formulation, development plans, poverty reduction strategies and other development tools and techniques by all government agencies.
It provides a Climate Change Commission with the President as the chairperson, three Commissioners who are experts in climate change by virtue of their training and experience.
There is also an advisory board, the Secretaries of different government agencies, the President of the League of Cities, Municipalities and Barangay, and representatives from the academe, business sector, non-governmental organizations and civil society.
The commission will ensure the mainstreaming of climate change in synergy with disaster risk reduction into the national, sectoral and local development plans and programs.
The Philippine Strategic Framework on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and the Philippine Climate Change Adaptation Action Agenda will serve as the basis for the program for climate change planning, research and development, extension and monitoring of activities on climate change.
In line with the framework and action agenda, each local government unit shall formulate its own local climate change action plan.
Local government units will be in the frontline in the formulation, planning and implementation of climate change action plans in their respective areas.
Meanwhile, the national government shall extend technical and financial assistance to local government units for the accomplishment of their climate change action plans. They can also appropriate and use their funds from their Internal Revenue Allotment to implement their local plans.
I would like to mention another one of my proposals in the Senate. This is the Disaster Risk Reduction, Management, and Recovery Bill, which was recently passed in the Senate on third reading.
The bill seeks to formulate a comprehensive all-hazards, multi-sectoral, inter-agency, and community-based approach to disaster risk reduction, management and recovery through the formulation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Recovery Framework.
The sad reality is that Climate change will continue to put additional stress on already heavily stressed watersheds, which in turn will affect downstream and coastal areas.
As the environment is exacerbated by population growth, poverty, weak policies, deforestation, urbanization and industrialization, we can expect to experience more extreme weather events, temperature rise, and excessive rainfall.
Climate change may also exacerbate water pollution and water stress due to increasing demand from population growth and economic development.
Moreover, risks on sea level rise and saltwater intrusion to groundwater may increase significantly.
What else must be done? We need policy changes in the allocation of resources, food production, livelihoods, and land use.
There is a need to clarify rules governing roles of various stakeholders in the water sector.
Decentralization and building capacity of local agencies must be supported. Watershed related research and technology development must be prioritized.
Water use efficiency must be enhanced by improving technologies and crop varieties, reducing of transmission losses thru regular maintenance of system, monitoring and auditing of irrigation systems performance, and improving water pricing and cost recovery.
For demand management, public education programs, recycling, and economic valuation of water must be implemented.
Planning and decision making must be improved through enhancing data collection and management, gathering of more aggressive information, technology generation, mainstreaming of water resource conservation in the national and local development planning, and formulating watershed-based local development planning.
Through watershed-based local development planning, the interlinked concerns on climate change, poverty, biodiversity, and water may be addressed.
Clearly, the work to stop climate change does not end in policy. We must practice what we preach. There is the constant need to follow through in implementation.
As early as 1998, I have established Luntiang Pilipinas as a nationwide urban forestry program, to promote public awareness on various environmental issues and to enjoin multi-sectoral participation in helping address such concerns.
Ten years after, Luntiang Pilipinas remains committed in doing its share in saving the environment, with the launch of 10@10: The 10 Million Trees Campaign.
The latest project is an online campaign to plant 10 million trees to encourage the “valuable contribution of individuals, private corporations and businesses, and national and local government agencies in planting 10 million trees by year 2011.
Those who want to participate can enter pledges to plant as many trees as they can online through www.luntiangpilipinas.com.ph.
Those who made pledges must actually plant the trees. Those who were responsible for the actual tree planting at their chosen locations are encouraged to send in photos or videos to document their activities.
Registered pledges are acknowledged in the form of a ‘pledge of commitment card’ to be issued in the participant’s name.
These pledge cards also serve as discount cards in selected establishments, courtesy of Luntiang Pilipinas merchant partners.
Let me tell you a story about how a grandson spent in just ten days what took his grandfather 82 years to accumulate, to show how we, as a people, intend to destroy what took billions of years to form, unless we change our mindset and undertake a paradigm shift on the environment.
A grandfather died intestate and left his only grandson 100 million pesos as inheritance.
Prior to his death, he told his grandson to spend only the income of his inheritance and preserve the capital of P100 million.
However, contrary to his grandfather's wishes, the grandson gambled and spent 10 million a day on losses. Thus, by the end of the tenth day, the whole inheritance was gone.
But instead of treating this as a loss, the grandson asked that the money he spent for gambling be reported by his accountant as losses that are allowable deductions on his gross income.
This story demonstrates how we treat the environment. The Earth has taken 4.5 billion years to put together; Man, 1 million years, and Civilization, 6,000-7,000 years.
Ladies and gentlemen, the state of the Philippine environment has deteriorated from a gloomy silent spring into the next stage, an apocalyptic one. All around us we are witnessing the birth of death, the refusal of life forms to flourish and to thrive, the black curtains that hang over former enclaves of bio-diversity.
Only after the last tree has been felled, the last river poisoned, and the last fish caught, will man know that he cannot eat money.
We have to reverse the onslaught to life, to usher in an environmental springtime, the surge of new life forms, the explosion of forested mountains, clean air, clear rivers and bountiful seas.
Let it be said that in our time and during our watch, while gifted with intelligence and insight, with privilege and position, with the wealth of wisdom, and with the freedom and power of the human will, let it be said that we did our share.
And maybe, just maybe, we will make a little difference.
Thank you very much and good afternoon.
Source: http://www.lorenlegarda.com.ph/article-1258167241.html
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