PIA Dispatch - Friday, April 17, 2009

New ‘green’ coalition to find solutions to climate change impact

A multi-sectoral coalition has been formed to help reduce climate change impact and reverse global warming.

The launching of Carbon Cutting Coalition, led by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at the Quezon City Controlled Disposal Facility at Barangay Payatas Friday morning, was part of the weeklong Earth Day celebrations from April 19 to 25 with the theme, “Earth Survival: Climate Change Solutions.” 

“We are at war, fighting for the survival of the Earth,” Presidential Adviser on Climate Change Heherson Alvarez said, “the coalition was formed to find solutions to the pressing problem of global warming and climate change” 
 
The Earth Day activities are implemented by Alvarez’ s Office of the Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change (OPACC) and by the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PTFCC). 

The coalition is composed of members of the 17 task groups under the PTFCC with each task force headed by a Cabinet secretary. 

The President heads the task force with the OPACC as secretariat and implementing arm.

Alvarez hoped that all local leaders, like the President, will stand up to wage war against garbage, methane, climate change and global warming.


Tirades vs PGMA fail to stop Philippines from earning trust

Heavy criticisms against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will stop the country from gaining prosperity, a ranking Palace official said today.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said no matter what critics think of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her administration, the country will still earn international approval and public trust.  
  
Remonde took note of the recent Pulse Asia Survey where the number of optimistic Filipinos has increased despite global recession and world wide job displacements.
 
International Market survey organization Synovate, on the other hand, reported that optimism is more pronounced in Mega Manila than elsewhere.
 
Even in corruption records of the Hong Kong based consultancy firm PERC, the Philippines has improved, moving up from the bottom to the sixth place.
 
“In the face of public approval, it is no wonder that that people who do not love this administration may have becoming frantic and illogical in their endless tirades and bombardments against the President,” said Remonde.


Palace assures proper investigation on the Trina Etong Shooting 

Malacanang expressed confidence that the Trinidad Etong case will be resolved properly.  

“The investigative process is underway: it should be allowed to proceed to its appropriate conclusion…without the involvement of unfounded speculation or the exercises of personal biases,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said, “the Vice President has gone out his way to remind the authorities involved to continue to conduct the investigation at the highest levels of professionalism.” 

Remonde was reacting to complaints of some sectors that the police were not handling the case appropriately.

“If we allow our institutions to work as were they meant to do, we remain confident that in the end, justice will ultimately be served,” said Remonde 

Meanwhile, the Internal Affairs services of the Philippines National Police will look into alleged abuses in the arrest of relatives of Ted Failon in connection with the Trina Etong Case.

PNP spokesperson Nicanor Bartolome said Internal Affairs will form a fact finding team that will do a separate investigation from those of the Quezon City Police District. 

Bartolome warned that those will be found guilty of abuses will face suspension or demotion.

Earlier, the Philippine National Police – National Capital Region has relieved the investigating team that was involved in the arrest of the Etong’s relatives and household helpers.

This team is the group that was implicated in an incident at the New Era Hospital Thursday night.

PNP NCR Director Roberto Rosales said they found evidence of lapses in the manner of apprehending suspects which could be used as basis of filing charges.  

Likewise, the Commission on Human Rights would also be dipping its hands on the Trina Etong Case. 

CHR Chair Leila De Lima said some members of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit have made objectional gestures while inviting the Etong household.


Palace welcomes all help to free ICRC volunteers held hostage by Abu Sayyaf 

Malacanang said Friday that it welcomes all support – both local and foreign – to the ongoing efforts to secure the safe release of the two foreign volunteers of the International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) held hostage by Abu Sayyaf bandits.

But Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the government stands pat on its decision that such assistance will take the cue from the Local Crisis Management Committee (LCMC) headed by Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan.

In his regular Friday media briefing in Malacanang, Remonde said Malacanang remains optimistic that with the help of the “Muslim Bishop-Ulamas (religious leaders) Conference “we can see the successful end of this crisis.”

He said the “entry of no less than Muslim religious leaders in these negotiations is definitely welcome. We are optimistic that they will be a big help, Muslim spiritual leaders that they are.”

“Our policy is that the LCMC is the one designated to work things on the ground with the Abu Sayyaf Group and the police and Armed Forces will just take the cue from the LCMC,” Remonde said.

“Everybody is welcome to help us as long as they will work hand-in-hand with the LCMC,” he added.

The United States, through Deputy Envoy and Political Affairs Counselor Thomas Gibbons, has reportedly expressed its willingness to help free the two ASG hostages. 

Asked if the Palace would support the pronouncement of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno that the police may yield to the ASG’s demand to pull out from some areas of Sulu, Remonde said, “We have designated him as the national government’s representative on the ground. He has the right to make such a decision.”

On the move by the international community to pay ransom for the release of the two foreign hostages for humanitarian reasons, Remonde said, “we will stand pat on our no ransom policy. Otherwise, we will be like Somalia, where hostaging has become a lucrative business.”


PSALM completes sale for decommissioned Bataan thermal plant

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) again found gold in scrap as it successfully privatized the decommissioned 225-megawatt Bataan Thermal Power Plant (BTPP) through a negotiated sale transaction that PSALM completed at its Makati office last Thursday, 16 April.

The BTPP is the third decommissioned plant successfully bid out by the power privatization firm. 

PSALM concluded negotiations with Rubenori Inc., the lone bidder that submitted its bid documents at the deadline set for the submission of bids. 

With an offer of USD2.859 million, Rubenori met the reserve price set by the PSALM Board for the decommissioned power asset located in Limay, Bataan. The sale covers the structures, plant equipment, auxiliaries and accessories, but not the underlying land.

Rubenori is primarily engaged in the trading of scrap metals for both the domestic and the foreign markets. It acquires scrap materials, especially from non-operational power plants, sugar and paper mills, mining, and other industrial machineries. In pursuing its business objectives, the company maintains a strategic relationship with the Japanese firm Sato & Co. Ltd., which has almost 50 years experience in recovering and recycling iron and non-ferrous metals. 

PSALM will declare Rubenori as the winning bidder for the BTPP after it has verified the accuracy, authenticity, and completeness of all the submitted bid documents. The Notice of Award will then be issued to Rubenori, formally declaring the company as the new owner of the retired power plant.

PSALM decided to conduct negotiations after the third round of bidding for the BTPP held on 20 February 2009 failed because the only compliant bidder did not meet the reserve price set by the government. 

The BTPP was first auctioned off on 20 April 2005, but the bidding was declared a failure because only one bidder showed up. The second round of bidding held on 30 September 2005 also failed for the same reason.

Aside from the BTPP, PSALM successfully bid out the 200-MW Manila Thermal Plant on 25 April 2008 and the 54-MW Cebu II on 22 January 2009. The other decommissioned assets slated to be sold this year include the 104-MW Aplaya Power Plant, the 22.3-MW General Santos Diesel Power Plant, and the 850-MW Sucat Thermal Power Plant.