Arroyo: RP needs to be more active vs climate change
While the Philippines cannot be considered a “villain" in climate change, it must be more active in reducing greenhouse gas while adapting to climate change, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Friday night. Speaking at the 5th Global Filipino Networking Convention in Sydney, Mrs Arroyo said Filipinos must learn and adapt the technology, policies and economic tools that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “Countries like the Philippines contribute less than 1% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. So we are not a villain as far as climate change is concerned," Mrs Arroyo said. “They call our kind of country a climate taker rather than a climate maker. So domestically for us more than working to reduce greenhouse gas, what’s important for us is how to adapt to the climate change," she said. She added: “And that is adaptation strategies, and that is what we need. It’s more important than reduction. Still, reduction is important to the extent that we can contribute." On the other hand, she said that since the Philippines is the second largest producer of geothermal energy in the world after the US, it can also contribute by sharing its experience in developing clean alternative energy sources like geothermal power. Australian drought The President also warned of security implications of climate change, citing the drought in Australia that has affected its milk exports. “Australia is already suffering from climate change. Milk production has gone down by 10 percent. Therefore, the price of milk in the Philippines has gone up. So we have adverse affects of climate change and we have to deal with them," she said. In the Philippines, Mrs Arroyo said the government embraces sustainable development with aggressive efforts to create a Green Philippines by reducing reliance on fossil fuels with biofuels, wind and solar efforts and geothermal programs. She said the government welcomes Australia’s initiative to discuss climate change at the APEC “because there’s need for concerted international action to address the global challenges of climate change." But she said that while the Kyoto Protocol allowed developing countries like the Philippines to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions through private sector initiatives, there is need for expansion. “There’s a need for greater levels of international cooperation and financial support to promote strategies to adapt to climate change, capacity development and technology transfer to avert security implications of the adverse effects of climate change," she said. Arroyo trumpets gains Mrs Arroyo said APEC remains a central pillar of global engagement and dialogue, and that it is one of the most important bridges for the Philippines to actively engage in local, regional and global affairs. She also reiterated poverty alleviation is the number one most important part of the government’s agenda. She boasted that under her watch, the government cracked down on tax cheats and brought down the budget deficit and prepaid its debts. “Hinarap natin ang hamon: walang nakaakalang makakakuha tayo ng mas malaking buwis and cut down on tax cheats. And no one thought we could bring our budget deficit under control, pre-pay our debts and raise employment, ngunit nagawa natin ito (We faced the challenges. No one thought we could raise taxes and cut down on tax cheats. No one thought we could bring our budget deficit under control, prepay our debts and raise employment. But we did it)," she said. She said the next step now is to spend on education, health and training, and on attracting more investments and jobs. “And we not only want to have infrastructure - human and physical infrastructure, we also want to make the environment friendly to business by reducing red tape and corruption," she said. On the other hand, she dismissed charges of corruption as “perceptions" that" cloud the reality of our progress in reducing corruption and red tape in the Philippines." “The fact is that we have undertaken the effort to curb graft through criminal justice, through administrative controls and through procedural reforms. This effort is focused on the revenue agencies, that’s why they have improved their performance in recent years and agencies that are in the frontline of day-to-day public services," she said. “We take this issue very seriously. And we believe perception will match reality in a few years. However, this is a problem that has plagued the Philippines and other countries for generations and, as experience has shown, it won’t necessarily be eliminated overnight but progress is being made," she added. She also cited an article in the Wall Street Journal where the government’s “harsh measures are paying off with our growth rate." Mrs Arroyo told her audience the government is working to further improve implementation of the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003 to encourage more Filipinos overseas to register and vote. The government also strengthened the Balik-Scientist Program by increasing the incentives for Filipinos to share their scientific and technological expertise for nation-building in the Philippines, she added. - GMANews.TV