Legarda Renews Call for Protection of Oceans and Marine Resources

Senator Loren Legarda today reiterated her support to policies that will protect oceans and marine resources as she underscored the important role of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) in the sustainable development of coastal areas in the country.

Speaking at the 20^th anniversary celebration of PEMSEA, Legarda said that the Philippines, being an archipelago, benefits from the abundance of marine resources but also faces the increasing threats of climate change such as sea level rise and weather in extremes.

“This challenge should be addressed with the legislative and executive branches’ partnership in finding ways to protect and conserve the country’s marine resources and prevent illegal activities that destroy the ecosystem,” she said.

Legarda also said that the worsening state of the country’s marine ecosystems, including the restoration of the damaged portion of the Tubbataha Reef, should be immediately addressed, noting that only five percent of the country’s coral reefs remain in good condition according to the UP Marine Science Institute.

Furthermore, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines a typical square kilometer of healthy coral reef can produce up to 40 metric tons of seafood every year. The Tubbataha Reef generates over 200 metric tons of seafood annually.

“The Philippines is located within the Coral Triangle, home to 76 percent of the world’s coral species and over 2,000 marine species. The destruction of our marine ecosystems will not only lead to the extinction of thousands of species but will also be detrimental to tourism, food supply, and sustenance and livelihood of our fisherfolk. This makes our responsibility over protecting our oceans even greater,” said Legarda.

“PEMSEA has been actively pushing for countries in East Asia to adopt the integrated coastal management (ICM) concept. We aim to develop a national ICM program through legislation,” she added.

Among the priority bills filed by Legarda at the start of the 16th Congress is the Integrated Coastal Management Act, which will develop a national ICM program that shall provide direction, support, and guidance to the local government units in the development of their respective programs in effectively managing coastal resources.

“The degradation of our coastal areas has long ceased to be merely an environmental issue as it pushes poverty deeper in the coastal communities through loss of livelihood, vulnerability to natural hazards, hunger and even health problems,” said Legarda.

“Through a national ICM program and a systematic and comprehensive approach in implementing the same, we will be able to realize our country’s goal of achieving food security, sustainable livelihood, poverty alleviation, and resilience to natural hazards while preserving ecological integrity,” she stressed.

Drilon says government committed to bring down smoking incidence in the country

Saying that efforts to reduce smoking incidence in the country need to be sustained, Sen. Franklin M. Drilon, an anti-smoking advocate, vowed to look into every possible means to discourage Filipinos from smoking, which will include a legislation that will require that cigarette packages carry a large graphic warning label depicting the dangers of smoking.

Drilon has filed Senate Bill No. 499 that will mandate tobacco companies to show picture-based health warnings on cigarette packages “in order to strengthen the government’s efforts to discourage smoking.”

The proposed “Picture-Based Health Warning Act of 2013” is aimed at increasing the awareness of the cigarette consumers on the harmful effects of smoking,” said Drilon, who was instrumental in the passage of the controversial Sin Tax Reform Act.

Drilon was recently awarded the Medal of Honor by the World Health Organization-Western Pacific Regional Office for his role in the passage of the said Act.

“Studies indicate that textual health warnings are not effective. While present smokers understand that tobacco use is harmful, studies point that most are not completely aware of its true risk,” said Drilon.

“Other studies however have shown that the use of graphic images on packets have a significantly wider reach than mere text warnings, as images produce effects not just on the smoker, but on the people around him,” explained Drilon, “it has also been apparent that these images have a significant effect on those who have difficulty in reading and writing.”

He notes, for instance, a study by the Center For Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, showed that from 2008 to 2010, more than 25 percent of people in the 14 countries surveyed were affected by warning labels, while the use of prominent pictorial warnings was considered to be the most effective medium in communicating the health hazards associated with smoking.

“By strategically placing meaningful graphic images along with text warnings to cigarette cartons and other tobacco products, we hope to effectively deter smoking in the same way that other countries where this system have been set in place were able to reduce the incidence of smoking in their respective jurisdictions,” stressed Drilon.

Under the bill, the graphic warning shall have a measurement of not less than 2475 square millimeters regardless of the type of tobacco package and it be printed on at least 60 percent of the principal display surfaces of any tobacco package and shall be located at the upper portions of the cigarette pack.

The bill also requires that a minimum of eight variations of graphic warnings be printed simultaneously. They shall be rotated periodically, not just for each brand family but also for each brand within the family for each package size.

The text warning, written in both English and Filipino on the front and back panels, that accompanies the graphic must be written in such a manner that an ordinary layman will understand what the picture is all about and what are the ill-effects of smoking.

No cigarette packs or other tobacco product packages shall contain information that may imply that one variant or brand is safer than the other, such as, but not limited to, statements indicating that the tobacco product contains “reduced levels” of contents, substances, and emissions, the bill said.

Failure to follow the provisions of the Act will result in a fine ranging from P1 million to P20 million and/or imprisonment of not more than five years.

Drilon reiterated that Philippine registers one of the highest smoking incidences in the Western Pacific Region. Citing various studies including the 2009 Philippine Global Adult Tobacco Survey, Drilon emphasized that more than 17 million of the population aged 15 years and above currently smoke, on the average, 10.7 sticks of cigarettes a day.

Legarda Pushes for Improved Magna Carta for Public School Teachers

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today said that Filipino teachers should receive remuneration and benefits commensurate to the demands of their job.

Legarda filed anew the proposed amendments to the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers stressing that public school teachers are among the lowest paid government workers considering the nature and importance of the services they render.

“Aside from educating our children, teachers are constantly called to assist in various civic activities which contribute to the welfare of the community and the country, most notable of which is when they perform their functions as members of the Board of Election Inspectors during election period, and when they assist the National Statistics Office in gathering data from households in all parts of the country. Despite these duties, our public school teachers do not receive sufficient salary. This has resulted in an exodus of our competent teachers who find higher paying jobs and better terms of employment abroad,” she said.

Legarda has filed Senate Bill No. 8 to provide for security of tenure to teachers, payment of the salaries of both teaching and non-teaching personnel on a monthly basis regardless of semestral or summer vacations, annual salary increase or adjustment to mitigate the effects of inflation, among other measures that will protect the rights and promote the welfare of public school teachers.

The proposed measure will also provide for gratuity benefit for teachers and non-teaching personnel who choose to retire before reaching the compulsory retirement age of 60 and have rendered not less than two years service; guarantee the right to self-organization, collective bargaining and to negotiate directly with school owners and administrators.

“To attract the most competent and efficient to the teaching profession, it is imperative for the government to provide compensation and benefits commensurate to the work that teachers perform and the contribution they make to the society. Furthermore, the State owes absolute fidelity to the protection of the rights and promotion of welfare of teachers,” Legarda concluded.

Ecija mayor’s resignation joke scares wits out of subordinates

PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija – “If you have fears that I will fire you, then forget it. I’m just waiting for your resignation.”

          With this one-liner, neophyte Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas gave department heads of the city government here a big scare as she outlined her priority agenda in the first 100 days of her fledgling administration.

          In her first meeting with the various department heads at City Hall here Tuesday, Cuevas, who won by landslide over former three-term congressman Pacifico Fajardo, asked her official family not to judge her for being testy, outspoken and frank.

          “Give me the benefit of the doubt,” she told over a dozen department heads as she presided over the meeting.

          The feisty Cuevas continuously ribbed some of the department heads, including one believed to be fiercely loyal to her rival. She also took a dig at the chief of the city’s emergency hospital, likening the facility into a Christmas light that occasionally closes and opens.

          Then in a one-liner that nearly made everybody fell off their seats, Cuevas blurted out : “if you have fears that I will fire you, don’t worry, I am waiting for you to resign.”

          Her statement came like a bombshell to her audience who fell silent.

          But Cuevas later clarified that there would be no reorganization of City Hall personnel. She said, however, that officials whose contracts are co-terminus with their appointing authority and casuals will have to go.

          As to the firing of some of the department heads, she said she has not issued an official statement nor instruction to this effect, hinting her one-liner issued earlier was just a joke.

          “Of course, there will be a performance audit of the various department heads but remove them? I won’t do it,” she said. (Manny Galvez)      

Nangel may be a villain to P-Noy but to NIA people, he’s a hero

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija–Former National Irrigation Administration chief Antonio Nangel may be a villain and a disappointment to President Aquino but to most people in NIA, he is a hero, hailed as the “best administrator” NIA ever had, believe it or not.

          NIA sources told The STAR that Nangel was one of the most hard-working administrators who visited various provinces and implemented several programs and projects that changed the face of NIA and the lives of farmers.

          “President Aquino may have a different perspective of Administrator Nangel but he must be looking elsewhere. He does not know him personally. He just relied on some informants,” one of the source said.

          Nangel is a Novo Ecijano who worked his way up the ladder. He first broke into prominence as operations manager of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems, the country’s largest national irrigation system that runs the giant Pantabangan Dam.

          It was during his stint as UPRIIS when it finally became viable in year 2000 after 24 years.

          The sources made the statement after Mr. Aquino did not renew Nangel’s appointment over the latter’s supposed failures and questionable fund use. He said he could not understand why NIA never met its target to irrigate new areas of farmlands when it has been getting 100 percent of its budget allocation every year.

          The source said it was during Nangel’s watch when most NIA offices, the central office included, underwent a physical make-over and when morale of rank-and-file employees were at their highest. Additionally, all regional offices became viable, the first time it happened in 50 years. “They can say the worst things against him, but the people of NIA know the truth,” the source said.

          The source added that when the Chief Executive publicly scolded Nangel last week, the former NIA chief was flooded with expressions of support from officials and employees in various regions. “Many of them even cried. Administrator Nangel was so loved by the people at NIA,” she said.  

          Others said Nangel devoted much of his time coordinating NIA projects with the various regional and operations managers and barely had time with his family.

          Sources said the public scolding of Nangel last week, which precipitated his relief was “stage-managed” and was really meant to embarrass him to justify his departure.

          What hurts, they said, was that Nangel was actually due to retire on his 65^th birthday last February 14 but was asked to stay on owing his “outstanding performance” as NIA chief.

          “In the first place, why would he be extended beyond his retirement if he was not performing well,” one of the sources asked.

          “He was never given a graceful exit or the courtesy of allowing him to retire quietly without any controversy,” he added. (Manny Galvez)

2.3 Million Filipino Students to Benefit from Legarda’s Pantawid Tuition

MANILA-At least 2.3 million indigent Filipino high school graduates will be able to pursue tertiary education with Senator Loren Legarda’s proposed Pantawid Tuition Program.

Legarda said that Senate Bill No. 6, or the proposed Government Scholarship to Students for University and Technical Vocational Education Act, will be a complementing policy of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

“This will establish a college scholarship program for high school graduates from household beneficiaries of 4Ps who have satisfactorily completed the requirements and conditions set by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),” she said.

“A tuition fee supplement worth at least P5,000 will be provided to the student beneficiaries to be released every start of the semester. The amount may be increased upon approval of the Commission on Higher Education,” Legarda added.

As of 2012, there are now an estimated 2.3 million households currently benefitting from the 4Ps, which is seen as the biggest and most comprehensive poverty reduction tool by the government as it seeks to improve human capital investments by linking up the receipt of cash grant on the basis of meeting certain conditions and requirements set by the DSWD.

“It is important that the early gains of the 4Ps will be preserved and complemented thru the provision of a college scholarship program for high school graduates from the same household beneficiaries,” she said.

“This will enable families to have a better chance of improving their financial standing by ensuring that at least one family member will graduate from college or from a technical-vocational institution to improve his or her job prospects upon entering the labor market,” Legarda concluded.

JINGGOY BATS FOR WORKERS’ WELFARE IN FIRST SET OF BILLS

MANILA-Acting Senate President Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada prioritizes workers’ welfare in his initial set of legislative proposals filed on Monday.

 

During the first day of First Regular Session of the Sixteenth Congress, Sen. Estrada introduced 15 priority measures – 10 of which focus on and seek to address varied concerns of government employees, overseas workers, child laborers, self-employed workers and call center agents.

 

Among the first bills filed include proposed laws creating Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers, instituting a new OWWA Charter, and providing Magna Carta for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Workers.

 

Sen. Estrada also seeks to amend certain sections of the Labor Code to strengthen worker’s right to self-organization, and to strengthen the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).

 

Moreover, Jinggoy proposes to increase Personnel Economic Relief Assistance (PERA) to government employees to 4,000 pesos, and to provide additional support, benefits and compensation for barangay officials.

 

Sen. Estrada is also pushing for the establishment of regulatory standards for trainings and employment of apprentices to provide the youth with skills and access to employment, and for the protection and enhancement of welfare of self-employed workers and craftsmen.

 

Sen. Estrada served as Chairman of the Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development during the previous Congress. He concurrently chaired the Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment and Congressional Oversight Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs.

 

Also included in his list of priority measures are bills providing special protection of children in armed conflict, amending the Domestic Adoption Act and the Cooperative Code, and transferring the supervision of the police academy and training institute from the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

 

Sen. Estrada is also set to introduce more innovative legislative measures in the coming days and to re-file bills which were not passed into law during the last Congress.

Legarda’s First Bills: On Education, Disaster Resilience, Poverty Alleviation, Cultural Preservation

On the first day of the 16^th Congress, Senator Loren Legarda set out her legislative priorities as she filed proposed measures on education, poverty alleviation, natural resources management, disaster preparedness, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation.

The first five bills that Legarda filed are the following:

·      Senate Bill No. (SBN) 6 - Government Scholarship to Students for University and Technical Vocational Education Act

·      SBN 7 – National Land Use Act

·      SBN 8 – Amending the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers

·      SBN 9 – Philippine River Basin System Administration Act

·      SBN 10 – PAGASA Modernization Act

She will also submit today the following priority measures:

·      Water Sector Reform Act

·      National Food Authority Reorganization Act

·      Micro-Enterprise Development Institution Act

·      Child Nutrition Law

·      Students’ Rights and Welfare Act

·      Malunggay Development Act

·      Integrated Coastal Management Act

·      Land Administration Reform Act

·      Barangay Health Workers Act

·      An Act Creating Folk Art Museums in Every Province

“We aim to support the government’s poverty reduction programs through legislation that will make the lives of Filipinos better and build a more humane society. Education is an important poverty alleviation tool and it should reach the poorest sector. Along with that, we must also look after the welfare of our teachers,” she explained.

The proposed Government Scholarship to Students for University and Technical Vocational Education Act will provide college scholarships to students who are members of households that benefit from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Meanwhile, amendments to the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers will be proposed to further protect the rights of teachers including providing them with security of tenure, ensuring the timely payment of monthly salaries, annual salary adjustment, and retirement benefits.

On the other hand, Legarda filed measures related to building the country’s disaster resilience, stressing that preparing the nation for the onslaught of natural hazards will help reduce poverty.

“The bleak reality is that the poor is hit hardest by disasters. Thus, we must strengthen our defenses against disasters and build community resilience,” she said.

The proposed National Land Use Act will reduce the impacts of disasters to the lives of people and communities by mandating the formulation of a national policy, as well as the complementing policy of local government units, for land use to ensure proper land management and avoid placing urban areas, communities and agricultural areas in fault lines and known path of floods and typhoons.

The creation of a Philippine River Basin System Administration is another legislation on disaster mitigation because it will create an institutional framework on river water management and a comprehensive river administration system for flood control, water use and environmental conservation.

Meanwhile, Legarda said she hopes that the 16^th Congress will see the passage of the bill on the long overdue modernization of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The proposed measure addresses the need to upgrade the capacity of PAGASA to perform its mandate, which is vital in providing the necessary informational requirement and warning systems to minimize the vulnerability of people, environment and economy to natural hazards.

Illegal logging syndicate tagged behind gun attack on Ecija forester

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija –  A syndicate engaged in llegal logging in identified “hot spots” in Nueva Ecija has been tagged for the twin assassination attempts on a forester of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the province.

          Leovino Ignacio, DENR provincial  DENR provincial environment and natural resources officer, said a syndicate operating in Bongabon town could be behind the gun attack on Edgardo Luna.

          De Luna, 49, of Barangay Bantug Bulalo here suffered a gunshot wound at the back of his neck after he was shot by a motorcycle-riding gunman Friday at Purok Camalig, Barangay Bangad.

          De Luna was driving his motorcycle on his way home when shot from close range by the gunman who was riding in tandem with a companion.

          It was the second slay attempt on De Luna who was also shot by a lone gunman on May 23 by a gunman while he was aboard a XLT passenger jeep in Barangay Bitas also in this city.

          Ignacio said De Luna may have angered members of the syndicate operating in Bongabon town following a series of successful anti-illegal logging operations there.

“This is a big syndicate,” he said, adding many were hurt by the DENR’s campaign against illegal logging of which De Luna is in the forefront, particularly  in Bongabon.

          Ignacio said the intensified campaign against illegal loggers was earlier ordered by DENR regional executive director Maximo Dichoso targeting Bongabon and the other “hot spots” such as the towns of  Carranglan, Gabaldon, Gen. Tinio, Laur and Pantabangan.

          Earlier, De Luna led a DENR team in confiscating 1,000 board feet of wood from the owner of a furniture shop in Barangay Antipolo in Bongabon.

Ignacio called on local government officials in the “hot spots” areas to help out in the anti-illegal logging campaign. “If they would just help us, I see no reason why our campaign won’t succeed,” he said.

Juan Fernandez Jr., DENR community environment and natural resources officer for central Nueva Ecija based in Talavera town has asked Ignacio to arm forest rangers in their fight against illegal loggers. (Manny Galvez) 

Legarda’s First Bills: On Education, Disaster Resilience, Poverty Alleviation, Cultural Preservation

On the first day of the 16^th Congress, Senator Loren Legarda set out her legislative priorities as she filed proposed measures on education, poverty alleviation, natural resources management, disaster preparedness, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation.

The first five bills that Legarda filed are the following:

·      Senate Bill No. (SBN) 6 - Government Scholarship to Students for University and Technical Vocational Education Act

·      SBN 7 – National Land Use Act

·      SBN 8 – Amending the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers

·      SBN 9 – Philippine River Basin System Administration Act

·      SBN 10 – PAGASA Modernization Act

She will also submit today the following priority measures:

·      Water Sector Reform Act

·      National Food Authority Reorganization Act

·      Micro-Enterprise Development Institution Act

·      Child Nutrition Law

·      Students’ Rights and Welfare Act

·      Malunggay Development Act

·      Integrated Coastal Management Act

·      Land Administration Reform Act

·      Barangay Health Workers Act

·      An Act Creating Folk Art Museums in Every Province

“We aim to support the government’s poverty reduction programs through legislation that will make the lives of Filipinos better and build a more humane society. Education is an important poverty alleviation tool and it should reach the poorest sector. Along with that, we must also look after the welfare of our teachers,” she explained.

The proposed Government Scholarship to Students for University and Technical Vocational Education Act will provide college scholarships to students who are members of households that benefit from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Meanwhile, amendments to the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers will be proposed to further protect the rights of teachers including providing them with security of tenure, ensuring the timely payment of monthly salaries, annual salary adjustment, and retirement benefits.

On the other hand, Legarda filed measures related to building the country’s disaster resilience, stressing that preparing the nation for the onslaught of natural hazards will help reduce poverty.

“The bleak reality is that the poor is hit hardest by disasters. Thus, we must strengthen our defenses against disasters and build community resilience,” she said.

The proposed National Land Use Act will reduce the impacts of disasters to the lives of people and communities by mandating the formulation of a national policy, as well as the complementing policy of local government units, for land use to ensure proper land management and avoid placing urban areas, communities and agricultural areas in fault lines and known path of floods and typhoons.

The creation of a Philippine River Basin System Administration is another legislation on disaster mitigation because it will create an institutional framework on river water management and a comprehensive river administration system for flood control, water use and environmental conservation.

Meanwhile, Legarda said she hopes that the 16^th Congress will see the passage of the bill on the long overdue modernization of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The proposed measure addresses the need to upgrade the capacity of PAGASA to perform its mandate, which is vital in providing the necessary informational requirement and warning systems to minimize the vulnerability of people, environment and economy to natural hazards.

Legarda Congratulates Direk Brillante for French Honor

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today congratulated Director Brillante Mendoza  for being conferred the title Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Artes et  Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French
 Ministry of Culture.
 “I am proud of Direk Brillante’s continuing success. He has been  bringing honor to our country with his internationally-acclaimed films  that raise people’s awareness on the realities in our society,” said  Legarda.
 “He is an artist who uses his talent not only for his individual growth and success but also for the benefit of other people as he usesfilmmaking to support worthwhile causes. He directed the two most recent documentaries on climate change that I produced—Buhos and Ligtas. Direk Brillante is truly deserving of this honor given to him by the French government and I hope more Filipinos would also appreciate him and his works of art,” she added.
 Acknowledging Mendoza’s expertise in his field, Legarda chose him to direct “Buhos”, a documentary that explains the science of climate change and its impact on everyday lives, and the soon-to-be launched “Ligtas”, an instructional video on disaster preparedness.
 Legarda also supported Mendoza in promoting his films including the most recent “Thy Womb”, which already earned numerous awards, both local and international. Last March, the Senator sponsored a special screening of the film that was attended by government officials, diplomats, members of the academe, and student leaders.

Legarda: Political Resolve Needed to Address Climate Crisis

United Nations champion for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation Senator Loren Legarda today called on the executive department to strictly enforce climate change, environmental, sustainable energy legislations passed by Congress over the past decade to mitigate and help the country adapt to the impacts of the warming climate.

Legarda issued the call following two notable facts—United States President Barack Obama’s action plan to confront climate change and a World Bank report showing that at least 23 Philippine provinces are vulnerable to disaster risks that are magnified by climate change.  

“President Obama has made it clear that he is determined to save the future of Americans by taking that needed push to cut down greenhouse gas emissions and increase investments on renewable energy. This path that the United States has taken will benefit a developing nation like the Philippines, which is a low emitter of greenhouse gases but is greatly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, particularly extreme weather events. But we also need to take bold actions to address our weaknesses,” she said.

“We have tons of legislation, adopted over the past decade, that sought to mitigate and address the adverse effects of climate change.  More than a decade after these laws were passed, we continue to be faced with grim scenarios of cities submerged in floods, families buried by landslides, people forced out of their homes due to floods, thousands of students stuck in flooded streets, and economic destruction in massive scale. Amidst these scenarios is the bleak reality that the poor is hit hardest by these disasters,” she added.

Legarda, author of the Climate Change Law, said that the National Climate Change Action Plan speaks of the need for convergence among government agencies in responding to the impacts of climate change. 

“We need to know whether we are indeed leading towards the path of convergence in the plans and programs of government, both at the national and local levels. Regrettably, such convergence is not evident in the energy programs as we see more and more coal-fired power facilities being put up at the expense of renewable energy,” she said. 

Data from the Department of Energy as of March 2013 show that committed and indicative coal-fired power projects has a total rated capacity of 7,189 megawatts against only 1,248.8 megawatts for renewable energy. 

The Senator noted that renewable energy projects can generate jobs that are badly needed given the country’s high unemployment rate.  A study by the Greenpeace shows that 650,000 jobs have been generated by renewable energy in Europe alone.

“We need to match our policies on renewable energy with action. Adaptation measures also need to be vigorously pursued.  The mere fact that people continue to live along waterways, notwithstanding legislations that say they cannot do that, is symptomatic not just of failure in the implementation of laws, but of the absence of development in other parts of the country that would offer better housing and employment opportunities to them,” she said.

“We also need to strengthen our preparedness in ways that will not only involve government, but also communities.  Preparedness starts from every household,” she added.

Legarda said that one of her priorities in the 16th Congress is the conduct of an environmental audit to determine the state of implementation and enforcement of policies. 

“The intent is not to create more laws, but improve existing ones where weakness is determined; and to ensure enforcement in ways that people and institutions will comply not so much because there is a law that penalizes non-compliance but because they understand that they have a personal stake in the enforcement of these measures,” Legarda concluded.