PGMA to sign Climate Change law by end-October
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to sign into law the Climate Change Act of 2009 on Oct. 30, after the Legislative-Executive Development and Advisory Council (LEDAC) agreed that one of the effective tools to face the global challenge of climate change must be institutionalized.
The President today convened LEDAC, which is the advisory and consultative body to the President and the Legislature on various socioeconomic issues, to discuss effective climate change measures.
The law, the first of its kind in
The CCC will be headed by the President. It will be composed of three Commissioners, one of whom shall be the vice-chairperson.
The Commission is mandated to formulate “a framework strategy on climate change, which will serve as the basis for a program for climate change planning, research and development, extension, and monitoring of activities to protect vulnerable communities.
Local government units (LGUs) will be the frontline agencies in the formulation, planning and implementation of climate change action plans in their respective areas.
Meanwhile, Congress committed to pass the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act when it resumes its sessions after the All Saints’ Day recess.
The measure seeks to strengthen the country’s disaster risk management capability by establishing the National Disaster Risk Management Plan.
The Press Secretary said the bicameral committee will meet with stakeholders and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to fine tune the provisions of the measure based on the recent experiences on typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng.”
In the same meeting, the President expressed her gratitude to Congress for approving last night the P12 billion supplemental calamity fund.
“They did it in time for today’s meeting,” he said.
The LEDAC also agreed to further strengthen government’s information dissemination on climate change so the “people will understand.”
The Office of the Press Secretary will handle the task.
Other measures suggested include the creation of a river basin council and more green jobs.
PGMA visits
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is going to
Upon arrival at the
From the auditorium, the convoy will motor to Binalbagan (Bagacay) Bridge) and then to
The 70-lineal meter, 732 meters-wide, two-span Guintubhan (Bagroy) Bridge cost P52.36 million. The final phase of the bridge was completed in September this year although the first phase was completed in September 2000.
While in Bagroy, the President will be briefed on the Bago River Irrigation System by Administrator Carlos Salazar of the National Irrigation Administration. Afterwards, she will lead a ceremonial preparation of seedbeds in Dapog and talk with the farmer beneficiaries during snacks with them.
Later, the President will motor to the Pedro Yulo Sports and
Her convoy will proceed to and inspect the
UNDP cites RP's need for a "Disaster Czar"
MANILA, Oct. 15 (PNA) -– The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has cited the need for the Philippines to have its own specialized disaster management agency and a highly competent “Disaster Czar” to attend to disaster risk mitigation.
Various sectors, including Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, called for the creation of such agency following the recent onslaughts by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng whose heavy rains and strong winds wrought havoc in Metro Manila and the rest of northern
The two natural disasters left some 700 casualties in their wakes and put to serious question country’s national disaster preparedness program.
Noting the number and frequency of natural disasters spawned by weather disturbances in the country, UNDP Country Director Renaud Meyer said the
A recent newspaper report quoted Meyer as having pointed to Presidential Economic Adviser and Albay Governor Joey Salceda as the man most fit to run such agency, being “one of the country’s models to be emulated for having actually built up preparedness among every level of Albay society and government personnel.”
Meyer pointed out that Salceda has, in fact, developed Albay, his province, as one “that is best prepared to meet contingencies before they happen.”
“A measure of Salceda’s and other Albay officials’ success (in this regard) is the annual decline in casualties, deaths and property damage” from various natural disasters in his province, he added.
Meyer noted that the Albay provincial government and its people not only manage the disaster when it comes and do a good job of doing rescue and relief work, but have also carefully mapped the vulnerable areas of the province and do actual year-round preparedness seminars and drills.
Aside from his key role as Presidential economic adviser, Salceda is also an active campaigner on climate change adaptation. He has pioneered and coined the term “preemptive evacuation” which means “moving people out of disaster path before the actual danger occurs.” It is now an adopted disaster standard operating procedure nationwide.
Salceda’s target – ‘zero’ casualty – in every natural disaster has been the guiding rule for the local disaster councils in Albay, as well as the crisis managers and the private sector groups that support him, who have all put premium value on human life above all.
Helping the
2 Chinese mining firms to invest in RP
Two of
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza, and Chen Jinghe, chairman of Zijin Mining Group Company, Ltd. and Jerry Angping, president of Nihao Mineral Resources International following the courtesy call of the mining officials on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday morning. Also present was Philippine National Railways Commissioner Mike Defensor
In an interview, Atienza said the two firms want to invest in gold and copper exploration despite the country’s “strict mining laws”.
He added that they are prepared to spend US$1-billion in five years.
These investments would include gold and copper explorations in “potential areas” in the
According to Jose Francisco Miranda, chief operations officer of Nihao Mineral Resources International, gold prices are on the rise, and his company is fully aware of the fact.
Nihao’s expertise lies in exploration, development and operation of mineral properties, metallic and non-metallic.
It is in mining, milling, concentrating, converting, smelting, preparing for market, manufacturing, buying, selling, exchanging and otherwise producing and dealing in gold, silver, copper, lead and all kinds of ores, metal, minerals and by-products.
On the other hand, Zijin is a large mining group primarily engaged in exploration and development of gold and base metals in many countries.
Irish priest's abductors identified by AFP
Four of the six gunmen that kudnapped Irish priest Fr. Michael Sinnott were already identified, a military official disclosed Thursday.
Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mohammad Dolorfino told the investigators that have have already completed the artist sketch of the three suspects based on the testimonies of some witnesses.
Sinnott,
Dolorfino, in the meantime, would not reveal the identities of the identified suspects as well as their group affiliation since investigation continue to identify the rest of the suspects.
He disclosed that the suspects are hiding Sinnott in the hinterlands of Lanao del Norte province.
He said they have strengthened the “containment operation” to prevent the abductors from transferring the hostage to another location.
Dolorfino meanwhile said that the Crisis Management Committee, concerned of the priest's health condition, have printed fliers and were distributed in Lanao areas.
“Written in the fliers are contact numbers and the names of persons to call so that medicines could be sent for Fr. Sinnott,” he said.
Sinnott, a native of Bartntown, Co. Wexford in
