Partido Kalikasan Zambales co-organizes MAYO UNO-MAYO PUNO Tree Planting, Eco-Village Tour & local Party leaders mtg on May1 in Cabangan, Zambales.

April 21 2011 Review

On the 27th, we will be celebrating the 27th year of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and a new video in Youtube reminds us that even until today; a quarter of a century after, communities around the Chernobyl site still suffer from the radioactive contamination. This is an important reminder for us; as today, the level 7 (same as Chernobyl) Fukishima-Japan ongoing nuclear disaster has continued to bring bad news. The Japanese government expanded the "no-go zone" from the plant. They also announced that it may take nine (9) months to fully contain the situation.

As debate on the problems of nuclear energy option, today we also read new reports on the potential of biofuees for supplying 27% of transport fuel by 2050. The 130M$ grant for renewable energy projects with the Department of Environment in the Philippines, together with reports on the entry of Ayala company into hydro energy

Anti-incinerator and ecowaste activists continue to oppose waste to energy technologies being positioned as climate change solutions in the Philippines.

A study from Brazil showed that sugarcane cools climate but only where it " ... is grown on areas previously occupied by crops or pastureland, and not in areas converted from natural vegetation. It is also important that other crops and pastureland do not move to natural vegetation areas, which would contribute to deforestation."

Environmentalists shun polluting technologies
Sugarcane cools climate
Chernobyl 25 Years Later: Food for Thought
IEA: Biofuels could supply 27 per cent of transport fuel by 2050
Japan's Nuclear Crisis Could Last Nine Months
UN Chief Charts Five-Step Path to Global Nuclear Safety
Bolivia Celebrates Law Granting Rights to Mother Earth
Eco groups: Mercury vapors found in Manila recycling sites
DOE to grant up to $130M for renewable energy projects
5 Innovative and Cost Effective Renewable Energy Resources
Japan makes Fukushima no-go zone
Sustainable Fruit & Vegetable Farming: 8 Practices
PNOC subsidiary allots P900M for coal mine
Slain botanists ashes lie in forest he made alive
Plastic, heal thyself: scientists invent smart polymers
Business - Ayala ventures into hydro power
Margarita Fores makes a stand-go organic
Senate OKs mandatory, free pre-school education
Secure Spratlys – Aquino
Abortion Not Allowed in RH Bill
Why PH needs a national land use code—now
Lessons from Guinsaugon: A national land use code can help prevent tragedies
Chinese firms are exploring trade and investment opportunities in the Philippines
Larger 2011 rice harvest slashes imports by half
Decreasing forest cover, dwindling water for farms
Some indicators of productive coastal areas
E-trikes mean bluer skies, cleaner cities
K-12 education scheme starts next school year
One year after spill, US Gulf Coast gets taste of recovery
Over 200 conservationists attend annual biodiversity forum
Cebu town wins UN climate change award
DENR steps up river clean up through partnership with LGUs, private sector

Japan govt now considering raising the nuclear disaster level from a 5 to a 7, same level as the Chernobyl disaster!

PK Letter to the Manila Times Editor regarding article "Aquino MTPDP proposes nuke plant"

Manila Times
To the Editor

This is a reaction to the Manila Times article entitled "Aquino MTPDP proposes nuke plant" published April 5.

I wish to play witness to two events in the process of formulating the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP 2011-2016) that we know of where the proposal for nuclear energy program was discussed.

Partido Kalikasan (Philippine Green Party), joined the National Consultation of the MTPDP. We openly opposed the formulation then of a "National Nuclear Energy Program" as one of the targets of the MTPDP. The MTPDP infrastructure planning committee where this was discussed agreed to withdraw this proposal but in the plenary presentation, they still mentioned this as part of the alternative sources of energy that should be studied.

In the inter-planning committee workshop that followed weeks after, the Civil Society representative Pastor Delbert Rice raised opposition against even the inclusion of a study on nuclear energy as an alternative source in plenary. NEDAs Paderanga who chaired this session noted this position.

Let it be known publicly that we opposed this proposal from the very beginning. The article of Mr. Amojelar; where he noted that Paderanga said this proposal was "...one of the possibilities that was mentioned during the consultation with the civil society as an alternative source of power" must be updated to also say that the civil society representative and Partido Kalikasan opposed this proposal.

Now that the MTPDP has been "approved in principle", the public can now judge the stand of this current government on nuclear energy program.

Thank you very much!

Roy Cabonegro
Secretary-General
Partido Kalikasan

Room 302 CRM Bldg, Kamias Road corner Kasing Kasing Street, Quezon City, Metro Manila Email: roycabonegro@yahoo.com Mobile Phone 0999 7541637

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http://www.manilatimes.net/business/aquino-mtpdp-proposes-nuke-plant/

Aquino MTPDP proposes nuke plant
By Darwin G. Amojelar, Senior Reporter

THE Aquino administration has proposed the establishment of a nuclear power plant in its Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) for 2011-2016, according to the country's socioeconomic planning chief.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga told reporters that the proposed nuclear plant in the draft MTPDP is just one of the possibilities that was mentioned during the consultation with the civil society as an alternative source of power.

"The assessment of the nuclear source of energy as a safe source will depend on scientific judgments which we hope Philippines society will be able to get," Paderanga said.

While the government is looking for alternatives sources of power, he however said the government has yet to secure a specific proposal for a nuclear plant.

The planning chief said the construction of a nuclear power plant will depend on the recommendation of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), which the President chairs.
"We have solar already, we have wind turbines in the north so those things actually they are projects that are proposed to do to look into those things," Paderanga said.

Earlier, non-government Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) bucked the government plan to look into nuclear power as a solution to the country's supply woes.

FDC revived its opposition after massive explosions rocked Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was damaged during last week's 8.9-magnitude earthquake and 10-meter high tsunami.

"All attempts at reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant must be quashed and the nuclear option indicated in the government's economic blueprint junked," Ric Reyes, FDC president, said.

"We should learn from Japan," Reyes said, adding that the Philippines and Japan are situated on the edges of the Pacific Ring of Fire.

According to FDC, the Aquino administration is still considering nuclear energy as reflected in the draft MTPDP, the government's economic blueprint which identifies growth sectors for the next six years.

Under Chapter 4 (2.2) of the draft MTPDP 2011-2016, the government will pursue the strategy of alternative technologies in power generation such as nuclear power

April Monthly Meeting of the Asia Pacific Greens Network (APGN) held this morning.

Re: Sierra Madre loggers defy Aquino EO

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20110402-329005/Sierra-Madre-loggers-defy-Aquino-EO

Partido Kalikasan (PK) lauds Father Pete Montallana of the Save Sierra Madre Movement (SSMN) for his courageous expose of the continuing illegal logging in Northern Quezon despite PNoy's EO 23 imposing moratorium on the cutting of logs in p...rimary and secondary forests nationwide.

While we continue to join more and more groups in pushing for the Sustainable Forest Management Bill currently pending in Congress to further institutionalize the policy gain from EO 23, we recognize that policies are only as good as they can be fully implemented.

Father Pete's expose shows that the government's current EO is being violated as early as now.

This is a clear test of the resolve and political will of the President and DENR Secretary Ramon Paje whether they are truly serious about this policy or if this was just another one of those PR stint to raise their respective ratings.

This is important now with the sudden dipping of PNoy's approval rating and Paje's need to prove himself worthy of staying at the helm of DENR with the post election political promise of DENR seemingly committed to another politician come July.

Let see how this story unfolds eventually. Do we have a government which has the political will to implement its own forest conservation policy? We will see.

Roy Cabonegro
Secretary General
Partido Kalikasan (Philippine Green Party)
Email: roycabonegro@yahoo.com
PK Website: http://partidokalikasan.grouply.com