by Klaus Doring
One of my favorite topics and main concerns has been, and still is, the environment and the protection of our Mother Earth and nature. Since living in the Philippines for good, many times have I asked the question: Is there really still a green future for this wonderful country?
I am glad to find more and more examples of Filipino people whose concern is to protect the Philippines’ environment. Years before typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng taught us a more than bitter lesson about preserving our environment, the first Philippine Industrial Park in Sto. Tomas and Tanuan, Batangas was working already hard at protecting the environment.
Kudos to its president and general manager, Hector Dimacali, who says all corporations within the 350-hectare property must abide by the industrial park’s environment policy or face sanctions. The managers have a monitoring system that makes sure the companies comply with environmental policies, like proper waste disposal and others. The companies’ water need to be checked out. If they’re beyond the park’s water capacity, they have to be evaluated first.
Yes, not everything is about profit! Water is a resource that should always rank first place in our priorities. Not only Dimacali’s Industrial Park!
Dimacali had been a scholar of the American Field Service (AFS). AFS is an international voluntary non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop knowledge, skills and understanding needed for a more just and peaceful world.
AFS Intercultural Programs Philippines is part of the global network of AFS worldwide. In the Philippines, more than 1,600 students have been sent and over 600 students have been hosted here. I miss news about AFS in Mindanao.
Fact is: there is no turning back for the Philippines in taking to task rich nations over the issue of global warming and climate change, as Albay governor Joey Salceda said several weeks ago. We all learned that the Philippines has become a real victim of climate change. Climate change adoption mechanism can really help Filipinos cope with the increasing frequency and ferocity of typhoons. Natural calamities surely will increase. On the other hand, we are looking for a greener future in the Philippines. Deeds are required — not only empty words and phrases… .
Postskriptum: The combined economy of the European Union grew in the 3rd quarter of 2009. However, it was the first growth in five quarters, while the economies of Spain and the United Kingdom kept on shrinking.
Feel free to email me to doringklaus@gmail.com or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or follow me in Facebook.
