miniZibaldone

Sun.Star Cebu's  Carvajal: "How long?" WITH the onset of heavy rains, we can declare victory over a long and nasty drought. But the remarkable thing is we survived it in spite of the absence of pro-activeness in our political leaders. We survived it by pure luck or, as the bishops might want to claim, by God’s answer to their oratio imperata. Local officials did nothing but declare a state of emergency (which causes no water to spring from the ground) and distribute free water containers. But how crazy is it to give people water-containers when there simply is no water to put in them?  Yet, previous to this drought, they had a water summit. People were glad then to hear that, in addition to declaring a state of emergency and distributing water-containers, they will build water impounding systems and reservoirs. But the rains came and water impounding systems were nowhere to be found. Hence, the last drought was even worse (for water) than the previous one they had a su...

Philippine Star  "Green energy" Clean energy can require a substantial amount of initial investment, and most developing countries are not ready to be weaned from cheap coal. But technology is  rapidly catching up with aspirations for green energy. Wind power is gaining popularity and investments continue to expand in geothermal power and natural gas. If  the price of solar panels can be brought down, many Filipino households are sure to invest in the items that can mean significant reductions in their electricity  bills. There’s a big market for green products; environmental awareness has increased worldwide and consumers want to do their part in saving energy. The private  sector has stepped in to meet the demand, and the government must provide all the necessary support.   [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  "Promising the moon" ENVIRONMENTALISTS are doing the right thing when they launched recently the Sugboanong Nagpakabana sa Kalikupan (SNK) to remin...

Inquirer  on climate change accord UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described the global consensus [climate change accord in Paris] as a “defining moment on a long journey,” a historic passage from  contentious debate to communal action meant to save this planet we all call home. [...]  While the accord may be imperfect, it provides a helpful precedent for future efforts, US President Barack Obama said, adding that “The Paris agreement establishes  the enduring framework the world needs to solve the climate crisis.” [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  on Duterte and controversy DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who is running for president in 2016, continues to be a magnet for controversies in this electoral joust. The latest one is when he  responded to Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Mar Roxas, who refuted his claim that Davao is the safest city in the country. [...]  This is not the first time that Duterte responded wildly to a criticism. After ...

Inquirer  on labor dispute A study by the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) International Court of Arbitration in Singapore showed the Philippines as not far behind more developed  economies in terms of the number of arbitration cases, especially in the past five years. [...]  At the rate private companies are locked in disagreements with the state on important projects, there is an urgent need for both the government and the private sector  to look with favor on dispute settlement mechanisms and arbitration. [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  on human trafficking and slavery Changes in mores and lifestyles increase the risks of falling victim to not just the modern-day slavery of sex trafficking but also rape and other forms of violence,  abuse and exploitation.  For instance, from newspaper reports of recent rapes emerge a pattern of the victim encountering the perpetrator while drinking alone, with friends or with strangers  in a park...

Inquirer  on  micro, small and medium-sized enterprises Thanks to the Philippines’ hosting of the 2015 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, governments in the region have finally recognized the plight of MSMEs  (micro, small and medium-sized enterprises) and are moving to bring them into the economic mainstream. [...]  The Philippines has promised to continue mainstreaming MSMEs in the so-called global value chains (by linking them with conglomerates that operate in different countries) or developing them as direct exporters of finished goods and services. [full text] Sun.Star Cebu about Bonifacio Day Nov. 30, the 150th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio, challenges the public to seek the significance of the man behind the long weekend they are enjoying. [...]  The Katipunan that Bonifacio formed and led had two important beliefs: independence from Spanish colonizers and the internal divisions that split Filipinos as a  nation, pointed ...