So far, the only advocacy on saving the environment here is being fought on the seas by the group of Environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and the Visayan Sea Squadron. On this alone, he is encountering stiff resistance especially from the powerful, well-connected commercial fishing owners who are doing their best in destroying what little eco-diversity we have left in the epicenter of the World's Marine Diversity, which was identified in the United Nations (UN) study as the Visayan Sea Triangle.
At least in Cebu, the Provincial Government has already responded to the call of the Visayan Sea Squadron. Today, if you go around the island of Cebu you will notice a lot of signs, declaring "No Fishing allowed. Marine Sanctuary" posted by various municipalities. This is a direct result of the experiment that is the Gilutongan Island off Cordova, which has now become one of Mactan's famous tourist dive spots because marine life now thrives in that spot that was once destroyed by dynamite fishermen.
But there's a lot more that we can do to help clean up the environment and all it needs is everyone's cooperation. As far as vehicles are concerned, at least the taxi industry led by my classmate Dick Cabucos has al-ready made this shift from using gasoline to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Unfortunately, not all the taxis running around Metro Cebu has made this shift. In order to cash in on this growing shift, another good friend, Hector Almario has opened two gas stations using LPG, one from his Malaysian partner Petronas along the Panagdait road and another from his Thai partners PTT in Mactan. This is the shape of things to come!
But what about coco-diesel? Most of our jeepneys are still running on the most pollutive fuel of all, diesel fuel and so far, we haven't heard anyone giving coco-diesel a try? Here we are in the midst of a forest of coconut trees and we haven't heard a peep from the coconut industry on whether they would truly diversify into coco-diesel and supply our diesel engines with clean burning fuel? If there is anything we have an over supply of, it is coconut trees which can be found anywhere.
Here in Houston, in LA or Las Vegas, they also use a lot of buses. But their city buses only use LPG or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). As far as the buses are concerned, they have been doing this for sometime now. Again we pose the question for us back home… what about us? Why can't the Land Transportation & Regulatory Board (LTFRB) start a vigorous campaign to force the shift from diesel-fueled engines to one that uses coco-diesel, LPG or LNG?
The problem with our bureaucrats in the LTFRB, they cater more to the needs of the bus or jeepney operators rather than the taxpaying public who pay their salaries. If the LTFRB cannot come up with their plans and programs to promote a clean environment, then perhaps we should ask the President to remove those old farts who do not deserve their pay!
Turning Green isn't easy and for some it may take years. Perhaps it is time for us to hold a Green Summit at least for us in Cebu where we bring together all the players or stakeholders that would be affected by this shift towards a cleaner environment. It is time for us to draw the map on what direction we ought to be going.
For instance, we can ask the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) to adopt new plans for a green house where the roof uses solar cells to heat up the water and light up a small light. Small things like this would surely go a long way in saving energy and keeping our environment clean. If you didn't know, Cebu City has an ordinance enacted by then Councilor Ramon Quisumbing that requires new homes to have a water tank to save the rainwater rather than just throw it back to the sea.
What we need to do through this Green Summit is find solutions to problems like the two-stroke engine tricycle? This engine is already banned in many places because it is highly pollutive. So what are we going to do about this problem? Certainly we cannot keep the status quo. We must find new ways to keep our environment clean so we can renew the only planet where only humans can live in.