Naturally

Contributed by Heherson Juego
University of the Philippines
Los Baños, Laguna

Just recently, I’ve heard the news about the Greenpeace flagship “Rainbow Warrior” blocking a coal shipment in Quezon Province. It was a part of an environmental crusade against the use of coal which, apparently, besieged a power plant run by Team Energy Philippines in Pagbilao. At the end of it all, the vessel lifted its anchor and sailed away. That was, of course, after the group understood that they have already sent their message across. The ‘damage’ has been done, as it can be said. No need to rub more salt on wound.

One thing I find interesting about that part of the environmental group’s crusade is that it was willing to go the extra mile, literally and figuratively, in nailing the message they brought with them to those who need a good hammering the most. It was quite literal in the sense that, instead of sailing straight to Manila, the group and its ship took the extra route of heading to Quezon. It, too, was quite figurative in the sense that they resisted the limits imposed by the law on any cruising naval vessel in this nation by squatting, or floating, whichever way you call it, on a region of our waters without heeding first the demands of the law. Yet the most interesting thing about this is that neither the enforcers of the law nor the security enforcers of the power plant were perfectly able to drive the group away.

It was the group’s volition or their own understanding that they have already been able to accomplish their mission that prompted them to lift the anchor, and so the voyage back to the open arms of the sea.

Which altogether makes me wonder: must we resort to going beyond the dictates of the law just to preserve the environment, or at least to temporarily awaken the sleeping senses of both authorities and civilians in the face of the monumental environmental degradations that stare us straight in the eye?

Of course, it does not take an Einstein to figure that going beyond the dictates of the laws of man is illegal, is proscribed, and warrants sanctions in more ways than one. That is founded on the idea that the laws of man, let alone our laws, perfectly fit the mold. It assumes that our laws have not grown irrelevant in this modern or post-modern time as some people will call it. It assumes that our laws have not been reduced to obscurity by the struggles of the generations here and now, and there and before — or perhaps not yet, given a few decades to a full blown century.

“Must we resort to going beyond the dictates of the law just to preserve the environment, or at least to temporarily awaken the sleeping senses?”

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: what counts as legal may not necessarily amount to what is just. This is why laws have to be amended, or revised—or are threatened to being seized like a golden opportunity for a perpetual regime to thrive—every now and then even if “every now and then” translates to every change in the presidency. There, too, are cases which make you think if the drive to amend what needs to be amended or to change what needs to be changed with the laws that we have is fueled by that ingredient of justice or the lack thereof. Sometimes it becomes suspect of politicking, of a palpable and grotesque way of bending the law so as to achieve political perpetuity. Like Marcos. Like Ramos. Like Gloria. That goes without saying that fitting the mold on the cast is not only absurd. More than that, it is insane.

And more than any of those, it is one of the worst signs of injustice. Which takes us back to the basic question: must we go beyond the law just to capture that slice of justice for once and for all, if not for once or for all?

Well, for the part of Greenpeace and its flagship Rainbow Warrior, they did. They went beyond the fences of the law, striding by leaps and bounds, if only to remind us of that slice of environmental justice hanging above our noses like carrot on stick. You don’t get to see that every day, especially in a nation obsessed with power, both political and electric. You don’t get to see that every day, especially in these times of calamitous circumstances calculated with pinpoint accuracy by the wrath of nature. You only get to see Congressmen, a huge number of them, scuttling and fighting over the pieces of legal papers that they raise in the plenary hall.

Yet the legal crusade to protect the environment is not one which has seen its better days. For all we know, it is yet to see its better days. Well beyond the legal aspect of it, the ‘justice’ crusade is yet to ripen and reach its maturity. In some parts of the country, you can tell that both law and justice preserve their environment like a fragile mirror—environment reflects the kind of society that they have, let alone the kind of people that they are. In quite a larger part of this world, you can tell that either law or justice is depriving the people of their natural resources precisely because these resources either have trickled down to anorexic volumes or have vanished altogether. Worse comes to worst, one can only begin to imagine what the absence of both law and justice can do.

And worst comes to exceedingly unimaginable, the absence of people testing and braving the tricky waters of preserving what is left of us and for us is, well, exceedingly unimaginable.

I’ve always believed that nature is big enough to give everything and big enough to take away everything. With a sweeping moment without warning, us unable to take notice of whatever fateful way nature decides to roll its sleeves and play its tricks on us, we are literally at the mercy of nature’s kindness and nature’s wrath.

Must we resort to extra-legal measures in order to raise heaven on what has become hell for some people? Hell indeed, if it takes a thousand Rainbow Warriors just to give us more reasons to live and to breathe the kind of air that we all need instead of giving us more reasons to breathe our own intestinal flatulence apart from the smoke from metal pipes, then amen to that. What good are laws when it promotes injustice in horrendous proportions? What good are lawmakers when they rub more salt on wound, set apart from the rest of human civility by their own doing of not walking the talk? Indeed, it makes us rethink of who is doing more injustice: those who brave the law and suspend it by their own hands for a taste of environmental justice, or those who enact laws and live a life quite differently from what they preach, not knowing what is left from is right, or with what is left, or remaining, of the environment from what is the right thing to do?

Your guess is as good as mine.

NEWS Feature: YPEC’s Participation in City Legislation

By Joseph Benedict

In lieu of the global concern of saving our environment, the City Government of Legazpi, consistent with its program as a developing city, promulgates some measures to join such concerns.

In connection with this, the Young Professional Environmental Club, as a duly organized body with the objective of helping also abides with such concern. To help the city where this organization was founded, YPEC seeks to help the Legazpi City Council promulgate an ordinance with the purpose of reducing the waste production throughout the city.

In doing so, YPEC Officers in coordination with Hon. City Councilor Rolly E. Rosal, Chairman for the Committee of Environment, Legazpi City Council have suggested that the proposed ordinance be scrutinized by the club. This would allow the club officers to suggest some things for the improvement of the said ordinance. Here are some of the recommendations/suggestions:

a. the proposed City Ordinance entitled AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE DISPOSAL OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL EXCRETA AND EGESTA, CLINICAL, AND OTHER WASTES FROM HOSPITALS, CLINICS AND OTHER SIMILAR ESTABLISHMENTS, OBSTRUCTION OF WATERWAYS AND DUMPING INTO BODIES OF WATER, REQUIRING CERTAIN PERSONS, INSTITUTIONS, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, LAND, AIR AND SEA TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE UTILITY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE GARBAGE RECEPTACLES FOR REFFUSE AND THROWING LITTER AND GARBAGE OUT OF MOVING PRIVATE AND PUBLIC UTILITY VEHICLES, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES should have an alternative title Anti-Littering Ordinance or Solid Waste Management Ordinance.

b. Section 2:21-22 of the proposed City Ordinance should also include the delegation of duties to Environmental Organizations, Public Safety Personnel, and Policemen.

c. Section 3 of the said City Ordinance should also state the budget, its source and its management for the implementation of this legislation.

d. Section 8 should impose higher fines in case of violations of the discussed Ordinance.

e. Also for uniformity of fines, the Ordinance should make the computation of fines 10% of the monthly income for big establishments. Furthermore, this Section should state also how many times a violator should do such violative acts before the punishment of Non-Renewal of Business Permit could be implemented.

f. Section 10 should include where the cost for rehabilitation of a particular affected area will come from.

g. Things like information dissemination should be clearly stated in the ordinance as well as the inclusion of NGOs in such undertaking.

On April 29, 2008, a Public Hearing was held at the Sangguniang Panglusod Session Hall, Legazpi City Hall Complex with attendees that included community health practitioners, hospital administrators, mall and restaurant managers, officials from different barangays, youth, CENRO, NGOs, media practitioners, academe, city veterinarian, and PNP. The following recommendations were presented and discussed:

a. Apprehension – citizen arrest can be applied and the person caught will be subjected to payment of fines and/or seminar.

b. Garbage receptacles should be increased in numbers throughout the city.

c. Billboards and signages should be used in terms of information dissemination.

d. The City Government should do separate collection of hospital wastes and other toxic elements.

e. The Committee on Education should include in their program massive information dissemination about this proposed City Ordinance.

f. The conduct of Seminars or community service on violators of this Ordinance.

g. Improved garbage collection – garbage trucks should have covers in order not to add to pollution.

h. In case a minor is apprehended for violation of this Ordinance, he/she shall be referred to DSWD for proper guidance.

Simple Ways to Reduce Wastes

by Naysan Albaytar

1. Minimize the use of paper napkins. If possible, go for cloth napkins or handkerchiefs for daily use.

2. Prefer the use of rechargeable and refillable materials instead of disposable ones. This applies to products like batteries and pentel pens. Not only will they give savings but will also help in waste reduction.

3. Buy in bulk. Prefer products that are packed together in a single package than those that are still packed individually in plastic wrappers before being included in the package. There’ll be a lot of savings on plastic wastes.

4. Compost biodegradable wastes.

5. Recycle. It does not actually require a complicated process all the time. You can simply reuse clean plastic bags instead of throwing them away. Use biscuit containers or cans, even shoe boxes, as storage materials. The back portion of papers can still be used as scratch sheets if still unwritten. As simple as those are of great help.

6. Give to the needy. Instead of throwing old clothes away, give them to those who need them. If you can’t find a charitable institution, find the right neighbor who will appreciate them.

7. Learn crafts. Learn how to sew; they’ll reduce instances of having to throw away clothes because of damage. Learn the art of making cards out of used paper; you wont have to buy cards for your loved ones during important occasions. Besides, your effort will make things more meaningful. Learn more crafts, reduce wastes, and feel fulfilled with your new knowledge. And if you’ve learned enough, you can even probably earn money.

8. Find the right persons. There are establishments that buy used things like plastic bottles and cans. There are those who manually roam around to buy and collect them. Find one, give them your wastes, and get your money.

9. Share. Educate your younger siblings about what you know – recycling, reusing, conserving. The more the people in action, the better.

10. Practice sentimental value at its peak. Remember those days when you had your favorite school shoes already worn-out but you were so stubborn and wouldn’t want to replace them because you loved them so much? That even when your mom already bought you a new pair you wouldn’t wear them and refused to part with the old pair? That would be of great use here. Every damage in your things should not be a sign to get replacements. If the damage can still be repaired and the repair is not that expensive, go for it. You will not only save money but will also reduce wastes that could have been brought by throwing away damaged stuff.

NEWS Feature: Round Table Conference on Climate Change

YPEC was given the opportunity to become part of the organizing committee of the recently concluded round table conference on climate change. The said activity was held at the Pacific Mall convention hall, Legazpi City last April 17-18, 2008. It was the first time that YPEC participated in an event of national significance. The event was covered by the national tri-media. Correspondents from major media groups, such as Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN, Radio Veritas, and Bombo radio, were present.

The said conference was officially dubbed: “1st Scientists and Community Developments Practitioners on Climate Risk Reduction/Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Round Table Discussion.” It was attended by the eminent scientists of the country, including Dr. William Pandolina (IRRI chief and former DOST secretary), Dr. Angel Alcala (marine biologist and former DENR secretary), and Dr. Rosa Perez (PAGASA climate change expert). The said activity was also attended by some of the top leaders of the country, including Sec. Angelo Reyes of the Department of Energy and Hon. Richard Gordon, Philippine senator and president of the Philippine National Red Cross. Local chief executives, various NGO’s, and church leaders were also among the delegates. The academe sector was represented by the president of Xavier University, the Chancellor of UPLB, the president of Siliman University, and professors from Bicol University.

The conference was the initiative of the provincial government of Albay under the leadership of Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda. However, the actual planning and execution of the said conference were administered by CIRCA (Center for Initiatives and Research on Climate Change). One of the commendable things about the conference was the minimal expense incurred by the provincial government. Majority of the funding came from various corporate and NGO sponsors.

Although majority of the delegates were from the province of Abay, the output of the said conference will be applied to the 76 provinces of the Philippines. Among the accomplishments of the conference were the signing of various MOA’s and MOU’s. One significant MOA was signed between the province of Albay and UPLB. The said MOA tackles the streamlining of the education curricula from the elementary to the tertiary level. Climate change adaptation concepts and findings will be integrated into the various subjects of all school levels. Albay will serve as the pilot province. The conference also rallied the delegates to contribute to the drafting of a senate bill regarding climate change. On the other hand, the local chief executives were expected to integrate the presented scientific findings in the local development plans of their respective localities.

Mountain Climbing

WHO:

Interested YPEC Members

WHAT:

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING AND CLEANUP DRIVE

WHEN:

Briefing/Orientation: April 19 (Saturday), 5:00 – 5:30 after work
Climb: April 27-28 (Sunday and Monday)

WHERE:

Camp 1, Mount Mayon

NOTE:

Sa gabos pong interesado mag-iba, post na lang po nindo an comment igdi para po maaraman mi kun pera talaga. Salamat po saindo. For more details, please contact Mr. Ryan Baliza (YM ID: ryan_baliza).