Loren commends Negros Oriental

Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on climate change,  has  commended local government units (LGUs) that have committed to pursuing resilient and sustainable development by shifting to the use of clean and renewable energy sources.

She made the declaration following the declaration of the local government of Negros Oriental that it will go coal-free and pursue to be an environment-friendly and clean energy province.

Through Executive Order 9, the provincial government declared that it “will cease in the use of coal as an energy source due to the posing impacts of its high carbon emissions on health and global climate.” This means that the local government of Negros Oriental will not issue any permit, authorization, or endorsements that support development and operation of coal-fired power plants. This is also in support of the national government’s commitments in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

“I laud the local government officials of Negros Oriental for choosing the sustainable path and for taking a huge step toward ensuring that the country meets its commitments in line with the Paris Agreement. But more than our international commitment, going coal-free means ensuring livable communities today and for the future,” said Legarda, UNISDR Global Champion for Resilience and UNFCCC National Adaptation Plan Champion.

The senator’s media office  noted that Negros Oriental now joins other LGUs who are coal-free or have expressed commitment to be coal-free, such as Guimaras, which has a long history of resistance against fossil fuels and is now home to a 54-megawatt wind farm, the first in the Visayas; Ilocos Norte, which has long developed wind energy and now has hydroelectric power plant and solar farms; and Sorsogon, which also recently approved a provincial resolution prohibiting all offices and local government instrumentalities to issue any permit, authorization, endorsement or support the development of any coal-fired power plants in the province.

“Our accession to the Paris Agreement was a vital step toward our climate resilience efforts and equally crucial is the level of action that local governments will undertake.”

“Choosing to go coal-free and shifting to clean and renewable energy sources is not just compliance with the Paris Agreement but also ensuring that our communities use energy sources that are more reliable, efficient and cheaper,” she added.

 Aside from going low-carbon, Legarda urged LGUs to craft their respective local climate change action plans (LCCAP) and adopt the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit goal in doing so. Doing so means “the survival of the present and future generations through decisions and actions that we take today,” Legarda concluded.

* * *

Senator Legarda led the Philippine delegation to the 138th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. She actively participated in the Standing Committee of the IPU on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade. In this committee she promoted the Philippine position on climate change.

At the meeting, she highlighted the importance of the Paris Agreement, which was agreed upon in 2015, regarding the lowering of temperatures to 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels.  “With all the disasters and impacts of climate change in different parts of the world, we may face the complete annihilation of the world’s coral reefs, the migration of tens of millions within countries and, even outside our borders, the inundation  of islands, coastal cities, nations and communities. We face the collapse of agriculture and ecosystems  on which each of us depend for livelihood, food, jobs and industry.”

* * *

 School teachers looking for best buys at prices within their means are excited  as they go shopping at Merry Season, a unique department store on the second floor of Xentro Mall in Malate, Manila. The mall is just above the  San Andres fruit stalls. 

 By “unique,” I’m referring to the “informal” arrangement of goods inside the mall. While there are definite racks for  men’s pants, shoe wear (from leather to athletic rubber shoes to high heels for the daring, sandals and slippers, and blouses and dresses from China and Thailand, t-shirts, blouses  and men and women’s underwear ) – the other stuff are laid on the floor in an organized jumble –  toys, books,  kitchen ware (pots and pans, cutlery, strainers and kettles), ladies  and school bags,  garments,  fruit juices, motor and car accessories, rat killers, pharmaceutical items, cosmetics, and gift wrappers, and what have you.  It’s like going to Divisoria for bargains, but without the buyer’s weaving through traffic, vendors and pedestrians. 

This is the same Merry Season once located at the Plaza Fair and Fair Center  in Makati – alongside the controversial Mile-Long commercial center that is the subject of court litigation. Merry Season owner Danny Velasco decided to move to San Andres, with the same bargain prices, and, importantly, the determination of an entrepreneur to overcome the disappointing hostility of relatives who years ago had him confined in an “institution.” Upon his release by a court order made possible by “a guardian angel,” he  went into what he says “the only thing I know “ – retailing – and put up  Merry Season at Plaza Fair and Fair Center.

Danny’s experience as a retailer began when he was still a young boy helping his father run two huge department stores in Sta. Cruz and Carriedo. As he had to spend long hours at the stores, he was not able to finish college. His father, now deceased, had other loves, Danny says – writing and reading – and he had written a book on philosophy whose publication rests on Danny’s shoulders today. 

Danny feels blessed that his gentle and lovely daughter, Danielle, is helping him run Merry Season. The job gets in the way of her finishing the medical course, but she’s not complaining, seeing how happy her dad is, as well as her marketing job gives her  the opportunity to design blouses and other garments. She says she looks at magazines and  sometimes travels to Hong Kong and Bangkok for the latest fashion  crazes, and has seamstresses sewing her designs. She proudly shows off   embroidered and sequined “barong” blouses that are a hit with  vacationing OFWs.

To Danny and Danielle, thanks  for gifting me with a pair of  rubber shoes, sandals, and classy chemise.

* * *

Email: [email protected]