Philippines accepts limits on greenhouse gases

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines became the 63rd member-state to submit its instrument of acceptance of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

A total of 144 member-states are needed for the Doha amendment to enter into force.

Ambassador Lourdes Yparraguirre, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations, submitted the country’s instrument of acceptance of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol to Santiago Villapando, chief of the UN Treaty Section.

The Doha Amendment sets a second commitment period from 2013 to 2020 for Annex 1 Parties to limit their greenhouse gas emissions to reduce overall emissions to at least 18 percent below 1990 levels.

The Philippines also briefed the States Parties of Amended Protocol II of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) on the work done by the Philippine government to limit improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Brig. Gen. Gerry Amante, commander of the Munitions Control Center of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said that “the Philippine government has taken steps to address the threat posed by IEDs through a joint inter-agency response, which resides within the whole of government framework.”

The framework refers to the establishment of an Inter-Agency Task Force on Counter IEDs and the enactment of  the Strategic Trade Management Act of 2015.

The Philippines also informed the States Parties of Protocol V of the Convention on CCW on the progress of the Philippines in dealing with explosive remnants of war.

The Philippines supports the CCW since it contributes to the safety and security of the country. The country has become safer with the implementation of the CCW, since it makes it harder for non-state actors to get their hands on IEDs, which are used by armed insurgents against police and military personnel.

The CCW and its related protocols aim to ban or restrict weapons that may cause suffering to combatants or to affect civilians indiscriminately, such as explosive remnants of war, incendiary weapons, blinding lasers, mines, traps and other explosive devices.

Meanwhile, Vice presidential candidate Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. called on the government to launch a massive information drive on how to cope with the extreme heat the country is currently experiencing. It is said that a heat index between 41 to 54 degrees is already considered dangerous and may cause cramps, exhaustion and even heat stroke.    – With Perseus Echeminada