Coloma underscores Aquino government’s active participation in addressing effects of climate change
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. underscored the government’s efforts in pushing for a sustainable environment to mitigate the effects of climate change which is part of the roadmap towards the country’s progress and development as embodied in the Aquino government’s Philippine Development Plan.
In keynoting the GP3 Conference dubbed as “Strategies for A Green Economy: Facing Climate Change and Achieving Sustainable Growth” at the SMX Convention Center of the Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Friday, Coloma stressed the active participation of President Benigno S. Aquino III in addressing the global issue of climate change.
He noted its inclusion in the five cabinet clusters that were tasked to focus on various projects towards sustainable development.
“Ang Pangulo mismo ang chairman ng Climate Change Commission. Ang Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation ay isa sa five Cabinet Clusters dahil sa kahalagahan nitong paksang ito, kasama ito dun sa ating Philippine Development Plan na siyang roadmap para sa kaunlaran ng ating bansa kaya napakataas ng prayoridad ng ating pamahalaan para sa paglikha ng isang sustainable environment at sa pagtugon sa mga hamon na dulot ng climate change,” Coloma said.
The PCOO chief also bared the importance of information dissemination and public education concerning the effects of climate change.
“Awareness, consciousness then action… mahalaga kasi malaman ng ating mga kababayan yung kahalagahan ng konsepto ng sustainable development in the midst of the many challenges posted by climate change,” Coloma said.
“With awareness, sana ay lumalim din yung kamulatan or consciousness… kapag may kaalaman na at kamulatan nagkakaroon din ng kakayahan for taking proper action that will positively influence the improvement of the environment,” he added.
When asked on the specific participation of the business sector in protecting the environment, Coloma disclosed their important role of business in pushing for the cause.
“Mahalaga ang maitutulong ng business sector sapagkat sila ang gumagawa ng mga produkto, sila ang nagdi-distribute ng mga kino-consume natin sa araw-araw na buhay kaya’t kung sila ay magiging involved sa green marketing, green products, malaki ang ambag nila doon sa paglikha ng sustainable development environment,” Coloma said as he welcomed the business sector’s awareness of the global phenomenon.
“Lahat naman sila ay nagpapakita ng kamulatan hinggil dito sa isyu na ito dahil sa katotohanan na kapag environmental-friendly ang mga produkto, mas desirable at mas competitive ang mga ito, at sa maraming lugar mas cost-competitive din sila kasi mas efficient yung kanilang mga proseso.” Coloma said.
Organized by the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Enrionment Inc. in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the biennial two-day event is an integral part of the Green Philippine International Total Green Movement Exhibition and Conference showcasing the country’s green construction, green manufacturing, green energy and green living initiatives.
The event was attended by business leaders, chief executive officers and high-ranking government officials, as well as top management officers and decision makers.(PCOO)
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. underscored the government’s efforts in pushing for a sustainable environment to mitigate the effects of climate change which is part of the roadmap towards the country’s progress and development as embodied in the Aquino government’s Philippine Development Plan.
In keynoting the GP3 Conference dubbed as “Strategies for A Green Economy: Facing Climate Change and Achieving Sustainable Growth” at the SMX Convention Center of the Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Friday, Coloma stressed the active participation of President Benigno S. Aquino III in addressing the global issue of climate change.
He noted its inclusion in the five cabinet clusters that were tasked to focus on various projects towards sustainable development.
“Ang Pangulo mismo ang chairman ng Climate Change Commission. Ang Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation ay isa sa five Cabinet Clusters dahil sa kahalagahan nitong paksang ito, kasama ito dun sa ating Philippine Development Plan na siyang roadmap para sa kaunlaran ng ating bansa kaya napakataas ng prayoridad ng ating pamahalaan para sa paglikha ng isang sustainable environment at sa pagtugon sa mga hamon na dulot ng climate change,” Coloma said.
The PCOO chief also bared the importance of information dissemination and public education concerning the effects of climate change.
“Awareness, consciousness then action… mahalaga kasi malaman ng ating mga kababayan yung kahalagahan ng konsepto ng sustainable development in the midst of the many challenges posted by climate change,” Coloma said.
“With awareness, sana ay lumalim din yung kamulatan or consciousness… kapag may kaalaman na at kamulatan nagkakaroon din ng kakayahan for taking proper action that will positively influence the improvement of the environment,” he added.
When asked on the specific participation of the business sector in protecting the environment, Coloma disclosed their important role of business in pushing for the cause.
“Mahalaga ang maitutulong ng business sector sapagkat sila ang gumagawa ng mga produkto, sila ang nagdi-distribute ng mga kino-consume natin sa araw-araw na buhay kaya’t kung sila ay magiging involved sa green marketing, green products, malaki ang ambag nila doon sa paglikha ng sustainable development environment,” Coloma said as he welcomed the business sector’s awareness of the global phenomenon.
“Lahat naman sila ay nagpapakita ng kamulatan hinggil dito sa isyu na ito dahil sa katotohanan na kapag environmental-friendly ang mga produkto, mas desirable at mas competitive ang mga ito, at sa maraming lugar mas cost-competitive din sila kasi mas efficient yung kanilang mga proseso.” Coloma said.
Organized by the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Enrionment Inc. in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the biennial two-day event is an integral part of the Green Philippine International Total Green Movement Exhibition and Conference showcasing the country’s green construction, green manufacturing, green energy and green living initiatives.
The event was attended by business leaders, chief executive officers and high-ranking government officials, as well as top management officers and decision makers.(PCOO)
Malacanang says Aquino government will help finance rapid laboratory test of indigent dengue victims
The Aquino government will help finance the rapid laboratory test of indigent dengue victims as it assured that the Department of Health (DOH) is on top of the situation in dealing the dengue outbreaks in the country.
In a regular press briefing in Malacanang on Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Malacanang will discuss the finding with Health Secretary Enrique Ona to ensure that his department has sufficient funds help dengue patients get free rapid test.
Aside from the help being provided by the PCSO, Lacierda assured that the national government though the DOH, will also help in providing funds for the test.
He also allayed fears that the dengue situation is getting worse stressing that the number of dengue cases has actually decreased.
“We are just stating the actual status of cases all over the Philippines- a decrease in dengue cases. But there is a peculiar increase this time on those affected areas but it does not mean that the DOH is not on top of the situation,” he said.
Earlier, the Aquino government has enjoined local government units (LGUs) to help spread out the dengue traps in a bid to decrease the number of dengue cases in the country.
According to Lacierda, the government is encouraging the LGUs and the communities to get dengue traps (Mosquito Ovicidal/Larvicidal trap or the OL Trap) from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
“It is actually very cheap and the dengue trap that the DOST developed has been proven to be effective,” he said.
The OL Trap is a simple device that helps reduce the number of the dengue-carrying female Aedes aegypti mosquito by attracting mosquitoes and killing their eggs trapped in the kit.
Lacierda said the LGUs have an important role in the successful deployment of the technology as he acknowledged the effectiveness of the DOST-developed OL Trap based on previous tests.(PCOO)
Aquino appoints Reyes as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed former Court of Appeals Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
The Chief Executive signed the appointment papers of Reyes on August 16, 2011.
Prior to his appointment, Reyes worked as vice president for Legal and Corporate Affairs of R.C. Silverio Group of Companies from 1975 to 1981.
He was a founder of a Makati-based law firm, Reyes Daway Lim Bernardo Lindo and Rosales.
Reyes also served as chairman, director, president and/or corporate secretary of various corporations. He was also the board secretary of National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation and chairman of the Board of Celebrity Sports Plaza.
The newly appointed Supreme Court associate justice was also a finalist in the 1997 Awards for Judicial Excellence.(PCOO)
Aquino says gov’t remains relentless in its fight against dengue
BAGUIO CITY: President Benigno Aquino III said the government remains relentless in its fight against dengue by doing educational campaigns and deployment of mosquito traps to control the disease.
In an interview in Camp John Hay here on Friday, the President said the Department of Health reported declining of dengue cases in the country—from more than 60,000 cases in 2010 to around 40,000 cases this year.
The DOH says there are areas that had spiking number of cases but nationwide there is a reduction from 20 to 25 percent, according to the President.
At the same time, the President said, he instructed concerned government agencies to deploy more mosquito traps developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to fight dengue.
Each trap cost P10 and each household requires four traps, the President said. The trap kills 80 percent of the larvae and reduces the life of the remaining 20 percent to half.
Currently, the government was able to distribute 250,000 units which are good for about 60,000 houses, he said.
The deployment took some time as the government conducts invitation to bid, crafts rules of bidding and pre-qualification and does the actual bidding for the contractors.
President Aquino said he already asked the chairman of the Commission on Audit to look into the processes involved to speed up the deployment of the traps, noting that if they are not deployed on time it may affect the ability of government to fight dengue.
In the case of congested hospitals, the President said there could be double reporting of cases because patients from other places are being brought to the National Capital Region (NCR) for treatment.
Aside from the traps, the President said there is also a vaccine that is being developed which will be effective against all four dengue strains although it is yet to be approved before actual use, he said.(PCOO)
