LEGAZPI CITY – The headquarters of the United Nations Green Climate Fund (UNGCF) formally opened today at the G-Tower, Songdo, Incheon City in South Korea in anticipation of the operationalization of the Fund next year.
Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda joined other dignitaries like co-chair of the UNGCF, joined co-chair Manfred Konukiewitz; Hela Cheikhrouhou, GCF executive director; Jim Yong Kim, World Bank Group president; Christine Lagarde, International Monetary Fund managing director; Christiana Figueres, UNFCCC executive secretary; Oh-Seok Hyun, Finance Deputy Minister of the Republic of Korea; and Mayor Song Young Gil of Incheon Metropolitan City in gracing the occasion.
The inauguration of the UNGCF headquarters coincided with the observance of “Climate Finance Week” during the first week of December this year as designated by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance of the Republic of Korea.
The Republic of Korea also hosts within the week the Global Forum on Using Country Systems to Manage Climate Change Finance and the Climate Finance, and the Private Sector: Investing in New Opportunities Conference.
UNGCF was established by the conference of the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2011 which intends to make a significant and ambitious contribution to the global efforts towards attaining the goals set by the international community to combat the challenges and implications of climate change, especially among developing countries.
The Fund will contribute to the achievement of the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in the context of sustainable development.
The Fund will promote the paradigm shift towards the low-emission and climate-resilient development pathways in providing support to developing countries to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emission and to adapt to the impacts of climate change, taking into account the needs of those developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
It can be recalled that Salceda was elected co-chair of the US$ 100-billion GCF during its fifth meeting held in Paris, France, on Oct. 7-10, 2013 with the unanimous support of representatives from developing countries.
Salceda said the 24-member GCF board oversees the operation of the Fund, which has pledges of US$ 100 billion by 2020, and approves the funding of projects in line with the Fund’s principles, criteria, modalities, policies and programs.
He said the Fund should prompt positive consequences in the lives of ordinary people.
Salceda furthered that some developed nations such as Germany, Norway, Sweden, Austria and United Kingdom have the possibilities of remitting a total of more or less US$ 14 billion as part of their pledges the US$ 100-billion to the United Nations’ Green Climate Fund (GCF) next year.
With 2014 as the target for the operationalization of the Fund, Salceda set the goal to make the Fund work for developing countries, including small islands, developing states, least developed countries, Africa and highly vulnerable communities in countries like the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
UN Green Climate Fund opens HQ in South Korea
FORUM@PIA tackles HIV-AIDS awareness drive
By ANA-LIZA S. MACATANGAY
NAGA CITY - Camarines Sur with 50 cases, now ranked first as the province in the Bicol Region with the highest registered case of HIV-AIDS, grabbing the post from Albay who have kept the said records during the past years.
This was based on the HIV AIDS situationer sent by Albay AIDS Council Focal Person Mike Dela Rama coming from the presentation of Dr. Alan Lucanas, Head of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Cluster from the Department of Heath Regional Health Office. The said data was supported by Naga City Health Office Medical Technologist Grace Guevara during the FORUM@PIA held Thursday (Dec. 5) at the Radyo ng Bayan Building, here.
Dr. Wilfredo Baniqued, OIC Provincial Health Officer of the Camarines Sur Provincial Health Office who was also invited during the FORUM@PIA as one of the resource speakers also said that the numbers speak for themselves. The data he said was released from the DOH’s Philippine HIV and AIDS registry.
From January to June of 2013, Camarines Sur occupied the first spot with a total of 50 cases while Albay with 48 cases. In other Bicol provinces, the island province of Masbate ranked 3rd with 12 cases of HIV-AIDS, Sorsogon with 11, Camarines Norte with 7 and Catanduanes with 3 cases, coming out with a total of 131 cases for the entire region.
Guevara stated that in Camarines Sur, Naga City ranked first in terms of cities/municipalities with the highest prevalence of HIV–AIDS cases.
“From January to December last year, we have recorded 11 cases here in Naga. From January to October this year, we have 15, plus 3 other cases which I have just submitted in Manila for confirmation,” Guevara added.
Guevara said that the numbers represent blank faces as they are just basing it on the codes of the individuals who have submitted themselves to voluntary testing. Article III of Republic Act 8504 which contains the salient provisions on the prohibition of compulsory testing, kept the medical practitioner on the waiting end of who will voluntary submit themselves for HIV testing.
FORUM@PIA resource persons both agreed that the simple practice of ABCDE will keep the people away from the life threatening effects of HIV-AIDS. A stands for Abstinence, B for Be Faithful which calls for a monogamous relationship and fidelity, C for the proper and consistent use of condom as one of the best protections, D for saying NO to drugs and E for education.
In the reported mode of HIV-AIDS transmission, the highest percentage of affected sectors was traced on men having sex with men or MSM. Cumulative data from the Philippines HIV AIDS Registry from January 1984 to July 2013, shows that from 2007 there has been a shift in the predominant trend of sexual transmission from heterosexual contact to males having sex with other males.
In Bicol, 57 percent of the total reported cases went out to Bisexuals and homosexuals with a combined 75 infected individuals out of the 131 total number of People with HIV-AIDS.
Dela Rama of Albay Provincial AIDS council said that by the end of 2015, the goal is to have zero local transmission.
“The level of knowledge of Bicolanos when it comes to prevention and control about HIV and STI is evidently high, however practice and the determination to abide by the ABCDEs and taking the precautions is very low. This is one of the behavioral aspects that we have to directly deal with if we want to achieve a zero local transmission here in
the region,”Dela Rama added.
Naga Council creates committee on renewable energy development
NAGA CITY --- The city council here has formed a Renewable Energy Development Committee (REDC) to undertake studies and recommend actions on possible alternative sources of electricity for Naga as a result of the inefficient and unsatisfactory delivery of electric power services by the Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative II (CASURECO II) .
Hoping to take advantage of the Open Access provision in Republic Act No. 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), the Naga Sangguniang Panglunsod passed Resolution No. 2013-307 to establish the REDC that will be tasked to explore possibilities of harvesting and developing renewable sources of energy. The resolution was introduced by City Councilor Mila Raquid-Arroyo, a known advocate of the CASURECO II Consumers Group.
“The effectivity of the open access provision in the EPIRA has opened an opportunity for electric power consumers to explore and develop their own sources of energy in order that they will not be forever under the mercy of the inefficiencies of existing distribution utilities such as the CASURECO II,” Raquid-Arroyo said.
“[This] is not only for purposes of self-sufficiency but [will] also [open opportunities for Naga] as a possible electric power supplier to CASURECO II member-consumers,” she added.
The REDC will be headed by Councilor Joaquin Perez Jr. being the head of the SP Committee on Energy and will be co-chaired by Councilor Raquid-Arroyo as chairperson of the SP Committee on Public Utilities. Members of the REDC are the respective heads of City Planning Development Office, City Treasurer’s Office, City Budget Office, Solid Waste Management Office, Building Maintenance Office, City Engineering Office, and representatives from the Naga City People’s Council and the Liga ng mga Barangay.
It can be recalled that there is a present rift between the CASURECO II and the city government of Naga, especially on the alleged mismanagement and overstaying in power of the board directors of the power cooperative.
The city council earlier declared CASURECO II Eddie Adlao persona non granta for failure to attend a meeting with the CASURECO II Consumers Group and the city officials, while Mayor John G. Bongat called the Board of Directors “super kapal” (shameless) after seven of the BODs filed a case in court insisting for their right to a hold-over capacity even as the National Electrification Administration (NEA) already declared their seats vacant due to the failure of the district elections last August. - Paul John F. Barrosa
Bicol pushes for abaca commercialization
By JOSEPH JOHN J. PEREZ
LEGAZPI CITY – The Bicol Consortium for Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (BCARRD) spearheaded the Abaca Fiesta on November 28, at the Embarcadero de Legazpi here to push for the commercialization of science and technology-based products from abaca fiber.
BCARRD director Ninfa Pelea said the Abaca FIESTA (Farmers Industry Encounter through the Science and Technology Agenda) intends to showcase the various abaca products and emerging opportunities with science and technology playing a significant role in the development of products and the whole industry as well.
"The event will also highlight success stories of enterprising persons and communities who have turned opportunities to business and livelihoods from the industry," Pelea added.
With the theme, “Celebrating Bicol’s Amazing Abaca: Fiesta na, Pasko Pa,” the two-day event features techno-business forum, fashion show, photography contest and e-marketing training among others.
Abaca is considered as one of the earliest export products of the Bicol region. During the Spanish era particularly during Galleon Trade, abaca hemp were loaded in Magallanes town in Sorsogon as the galleon from Manila was checked for its sea-worthiness to sail the Pacific ocean. It was tagged as the “manila hemp” due to the fact that merchandize coming from the Philippines were presumed as “Manila” products when it reached Acapulco, Mexico.
In the early 1900s abaca fiber found high value from its use in the manufacture of cordage, in response for the need for a material which retains its strength when wet.
The second period of abaca-based development led to the surge of the abaca handicraft industry, especially for the Bicol region, although some historical accounts mention the Filipinos using cloth, footwear and other crafts from abaca before the Spanish period.
According to Pelea, one challenge to the abaca industry came with technological developments which led to the production of synthetic substitutes to abaca. This adversely affected the demand for the natural products from the plant. Problems on pests and diseases of abaca like corm weevil, stem rot, dry sheath rot, slug caterpillar, buncy top and mosaic also contributed to the down trend of the abaca industry.
Now, the abaca industry is gaining resurgence. There is a growing preference among Japanese consumers for quality bags made of natural products, adds Pelea.
The present and emerging development of abaca industry capture opportunities from the demand for en-vironmentally responsible or “green” production systems and products, such as interior goods, bags and giftware that are made from natural materials like abaca and other natural materials like silk, cotton, Pelea told the PIA.
The abaca FIESTA aims to present the emerging opportunities, new uses/products,e.g. abaca pulp as raw material for currency notes and other products, fibers for denim production and improved technologies on fiber production, on dying, weaving, which with appropriate product design, could once again place the Philippine abaca in the world map, Pelea said.
The abaca FIESTA is a joint endeavor of BCARRD, PCARRD, the private sector, and several regional offi ces of line agencies, the organization of SMEs, Orgullo Kan Bicol (OK Bicol), the Fiber Industry Development Authority V, Department of Trade and Industry 5 the Department of Science and Technology Region 5, and the local government units.