PRESIDENTIAL BETS URGED TO ADDRESS WASTE PROBLEM
MANILA, JANUARY 27, 2010 (STAR) Environmental advocates under the EcoWaste Coalition are urging presidential candidates to champion the cause of zero waste and the implementation of the Solid Waste Management Act.“We hope that the next president will prioritize the enforcement of RA 9003, inspire the nation to embrace zero waste and halt the wasteful, climate-damaging and costly practice of littering, dumping and burning discards,” said Rei Panaligan, coordinator of EcoWaste.
“The next president should see to it that the 1,234 dumpsites all over the country will be closed, cleaned up, rehabilitated and replaced with community-centered ecology centers or materials recovery facilities,” said Romy Hidalgo, head of the coalition’s task force on dumps/landfills.
EcoWaste volunteers wore masks of the 10 presidential hopefuls in an action outside the Department of Environment and Natural Resources compound yesterday to mark the 9th anniversary of the signing of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
The advocates urged candidates “to lead the country out of wastefulness by putting into action a national strategy based on zero waste.”
This concept, the advocates said, “seeks to eliminate wasting and ensure the full and beneficial use of resources in order to restore ecological balance and provide for the needs of all people.”
The group explained that this is “anchored on waste prevention, volume and toxicity elimination or reduction, segregation at source, reusing, recycling and composting, and not on costly and polluting landfills and incinerators.”
The advocates cited the waste situation in the country manifested by low public awareness (27 percent) of Republic Act 9003; the existence of 838 open dumps and 396 controlled dumps in the country based on 2009 data; having only 6,141 materials recovery facilities in the country; and the positioning of sanitary landfills in watersheds and protected areas. –Reinir Padua
Liberal Party launches campaign pitch By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) Updated January 27, 2010 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The Liberal Party (LP) launched yesterday its “Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap” campaign to solicit more support from the people as the elections draw near.
During LP’s 64th anniversary celebration at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan, LP standard bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and running mate Sen. Manuel Roxas II led the signing of the “manifesto of hope” where they pledged to fight corruption in government, social and political conflict, and poverty.
The campaign also pushes for proper education, affordable health services, and a greener environment.
More than 700 LP candidates in the local and national levels attended the event.
In his speech, Aquino said President Arroyo had promised to end corruption and patronage politics but failed to deliver.
“But what happened? Corruption worsened, when before they ask for percentage from certain projects, the projects are now the ones getting percentage from commissions or tongpats,” Aquino said, referring to “patong” or insertions in a government project’s contract price to accommodate commissions.
“This is the challenge before us and that is why the message is and has to be – corruption denies our people, especially the poor, access to basic services such as food, health, basic education, jobs and livelihood which in turn make them poorer and more vulnerable,” Aquino said.
In his speech, Roxas said one of the strengths of the LP is its line up of young and idealistic leaders that had joined them for “new politics.”
Aquino and Roxas acknowledged some of them who were present, including Quezon City vice mayoral candidate Joy Belmonte-Alimurung.
“We have new faces: young, dynamic, new leaders who could have chosen other parties. Some say, join us, we have the money, we will buy this and that. The others say, be with us, we are the ones in power and we will be the ones to dictate. But these leaders - young and idealistic - chose to join us,” Roxas said.
SLAMAT LORD
LP has also come up with SLAMAT LORD, an acronym that serves as a mnemonic for its senatorial candidates.
The acronym stands for Sonia Roco, the widow of the late senator Raul Roco; detained Brig. Gen. Danny Lim; former Bukidnon Rep. Neric Acosta; doctor Martin Bautista; lawyer Alex Lacson; Bukidnon Rep. TG Guingona; Muslim women’s rights activist Yasmin Busran-Lao; former Sen. Sergio Osmena III; Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon; former Sen. Ralph Recto; Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros; and former Senate President Franklin Drilon.
Teodoro vows to strengthen maritime security (The Philippine Star) Updated January 27, 2010 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro vowed to strengthen maritime security agreements with neighboring states since the Philippine Navy still has no capability to patrol and secure the country’s southern backdoor.
Teodoro was referring to Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines-East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) security agreement, which would help secure the country’s borders.
He called for border patrol agreements involving the BIMP-EAGA nations, saying that “our weakness in this area can be compensated for by our allies.”
“This is a sensible option,” Teodoro told a press briefing in Davao City where he said that the Navy is seven years away from securing a truly modern ship.
At present, the Navy is dependent on Coast Watch South, a security scheme supported by the US and Australia to monitor maritime activities in the Southern Philippines.
Teodoro said the Navy’s small fleet could not totally protect our maritime borders from poachers and smugglers.
He pointed out that security agreements with the BIMP-EAGA nations would help bring peace and stability to the region, because the joint border patrols could curb piracy, smuggling of narcotics and weapons, and even cross-border terrorism.
The BIMP-EAGA promotes trade and investments in the region through information exchange by the private sector and identifies business opportunities in the area.
Teodoro said he envisions the Philippines becoming the “fullest and purest functioning democracy” in the region and eventually leading its neighbors in global competitiveness and economic prosperity.
Bello wants lasting peace
Cabinet Secretary and two-time former Justice secretary Silvestre Bello III vowed to continue working and negotiating with the National Democratic Front to attain lasting peace in the country.
Bello, who is included in the Lakas-Kampi-CMD senatorial lineup, issued this promise in a press conference at his headquarters in Quezon City the other day.
He said he had always been at the forefront of the campaign for justice during the martial law years and had even worked in various capacities at the Department of Justice and as solicitor general after 1986.
“I have also taken to heart my role as peace negotiator for 10 years and cut a number of agreements to push the peace forward since 1992. This engagement has enriched my knowledge about the depth and intensity of poverty nationwide,” he said.
Bello expressed optimism that while a final agreement with the NDF is elusive, the process would continue in earnest. – Jaime Laude
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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