PNoy urged to cancel
coal plant projects

President Benigno Aquino III is being urged by environment advocate Greenpeace to take a clear stand on renewable energy and cancel all 16 coal-fired power plant proposals approved since he took office in 2010, its press release said.

Before President’s third State of the Nation Address today, the group said it is calling on Aquino to revoke all coal power plants approved during his termor he will be leaving a legacy as the president who built more coal plants than all of his predecessors combined, inflicting pollution and climate change on the Filipino people, Anna Abad, Climate and Energy Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said in their press release.

She added that communities from Bataan, Davao, Negros, Subic-Olongapo, and Zamboanga, among others, already voiced their outrage and disapproval for the coal projects of the Department of Energy.

Coal is the world’s dirtiest fossil fuel, endangers the health and livelihood of communities, and is one of the major causes of climate change. Unfortunately, PNoy’s current energy policy has opened the door to dozens of new coal-fired power plants that Greenpeace believes will effectively shut out any significant renewable energy uptake in the Philippines, the press release also said.

It added that DOE, under Secretary Jose Almendras, has approved at least 16 coal projects nationwide, with a combined output of 4,552 megawatts, that far exceeds the aggregate number of coal projects approved by previous administrations.

The Aquino administration has secured coal projects until the end of the President’s term, preventing the chances for more significant renewable energy projects to take off, the press release added.*

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Alba joining peacekeeping
mission of UN in East Timor

Another senior police commissioned officer in Negros Occidental is joining the United Nations peacekeeping force in a year-long assignment in East Timor.

Supt. Roderick Alba, chief, directorial staff of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, and 64 other police officers left Sunday midnight from Manila to replace another batch of& 70 PNP members, whose extended tour of duty in East Timor ended last week.

Police Supt. William Señoron, former manager of the Regional Special Training 6 of the PNP Training Service, is among the 70 Philippine policemen, who are returning to the country this month.

Philippine policemen are helping the government of East Timor in the stabilization of peace and order and are helping rebuild and rehabilitate the country ravaged by war and other disturbances.

The Philippines was reported to be the leading provider of police officers to UN peacekeeping operations around the world.

This only goes to show that the competency and professionalism of our officers are indeed given a high regard in the international community,” PNP chief Nicanor Bartolome said.

Filipino peacekeepers are also in UN operations in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Darfur, Georgia, Golan Heights, Haiti, Iraq, Liberia, Kashmir, Kosovo, Nepal and Sudan.

Two months ago, Supt. Arnel Arpon, former Cadiz police chief, also joined the UN peacekeeping force in Liberia.

The UN provides about $1,028 a month per soldier deployed in peacekeeping operations in troubled countries around the world.

Philippine policemen and soldiers deployed in peacekeeping missions also get their& regular salary from the Armed Forces and National Police, aside from monthly allowances from the UN.*GPB

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NONHS graduate ranks
2nd in nat’l invention tilt

A fresh graduate of the Negros Occidental National Science High School in Victorias City won second place in the National Invention Contest and Exhibits held at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia in Pasay City, recently, a press release from the school said.

The entry of Ydsan Franz Dongon, who represented Western Visayas, was his “Manually Operated Extruder Machine: A prototype in Making Leaf Briquettes” in the Sibol Award for Creative Research–High School category, the press release also said.

He also received a special award from the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.

Sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, the competition highlighted the celebration of the 2012 National Science and Technology Week from July 11 to 15, the press release added.*

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