ikeseneres

  INCINERATION DISGUISED AS PYROLYSIS I read some reports about the discussion of Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Silliman University, during the Waste-to-Energy Summit held on April 30, 2026, at Golden Peak Hotel. His discussion of Dumaguete City’s experience with waste-processing equipment purchased from Suki Trading Corporation deserves the attention of every local government unit (LGU). In May 2021, Dumaguete City awarded Suki Trading a contract worth ₱21.9 million for a pyrolysis-gasification system and other equipment intended to convert waste into useful products, including hollow blocks, pavers and organic fertilizer. By October 2021, the city was testing machines intended to process garbage into construction materials. Official city reports described an ambitious attempt to solve a longstanding waste-disposal problem. But what happened afterward? In July 2025, Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria ordered the pyrolysis unit, plastic ...

IS FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR INDIGENTS FINALLY BECOMING A REALITY IN THE PHILIPPINES? To put it mildly, providing free legal assistance to indigent Filipinos is easier said than done. Our Constitution guarantees that poverty should not deprive anyone of access to the courts and adequate legal assistance. But how many poor Filipinos can actually obtain a lawyer when they need one? Fortunately, there is reason to hope. The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) does its best to provide free legal representation, but the problem is one of supply and demand. Public attorneys handle heavy caseloads, and their offices cannot always accommodate everyone who needs help. A judge may appoint a lawyer to assist an accused person, but where will that lawyer come from if everyone is already busy? There are nongovernment organizations, law school legal aid clinics and volunteer lawyers doing commendable work. However, their services are not always available in every community, especially in remote areas. No...

LET’S REGULATE LAB-GROWN MEAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE I do not want to sound like an alarmist, but lab-grown meat is no longer science fiction. It is already a commercial reality in some countries, and I believe it is only a matter of time before Filipino consumers encounter more of these products. Let me clarify one important point. Lab-grown meat is not necessarily genetically modified meat. Genetically modified meat, in principle, could still come from an actual animal whose genes have been altered. Cultivated meat, on the other hand, is produced by growing animal cells in a controlled environment. It is not simply a plant-based substitute, nor is it necessarily made using 3D printing. Some manufacturing techniques may use 3D printing, but the essential process is growing animal cells. So, what should we call it? Cultured meat? Cultivated meat? Cell-grown meat? Whatever name manufacturers choose, should consumers not be entitled to know exactly what they are buying? I remember controver...

SHOULD PYROLYSIS BE THE ONLY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SOLUTION? The national government is looking at pyrolysis as a possible two-in-one solution to our solid waste problem and our need for more electricity. At first glance, this sounds like a good idea. Who would not want to reduce the garbage going to dumpsites while producing energy at the same time? But I have a few questions. Can pyrolysis solve our garbage problem without creating other problems, particularly air pollution and possible respiratory health effects? Before we deploy this technology nationwide, should we not require independent scientific studies, proper environmental permits, and reliable air-quality monitoring? Cebu City has a compelling reason to explore alternatives after the January 2026 collapse of the Binaliw landfill. The city has been spending millions of pesos daily to transport garbage to Aloguinsan. Suki Trading Corp. has proposed a ₱470-million waste-processing system reportedly capable of handling up to 7...

TEN YEAR STUDY IN FRANCE PROVED THAT FARMING WITH ZERO PESTICIDES IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, BUT CAN EVEN HAVE GREATER YIELDS. As a political science graduate, I learned about equilibrium, which means a state of balance among different forces or interests. In Cebuano, we have a word for this: “buhi-buhi,” roughly translated as “live and let live.” I think this is how we should look at the choices between using chemical pesticides and farming without them. Please do not get me wrong. I favor moving away from chemical pesticides. But I believe this should be a gradual process of persuasion that leads to conversion, not a forced decision. We live in a democracy, and farmers should be given the freedom to make informed choices about their own farms. A ten-year study by France’s National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), through its Rés0Pest research network, offers encouraging evidence. Published in February 2026, the study examined nine farming systems across di...

REMARKABLE INNOVATION OF RED CROSS BACOLOD CHAPTER SHOULD BE REPLICATED NATIONWIDE The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has always been known for disaster response, emergency relief, blood donations and other humanitarian services. But the PRC Negros Occidental–Bacolod City Chapter is showing us that humanitarian work can go beyond its traditional boundaries. Two initiatives deserve nationwide attention: rainwater collection tanks for public schools in Sagay City and a community-based agricultural mechanization project called Pandayan ng Bayan . The rainwater project addresses a growing problem: water shortages caused by changing weather patterns, droughts and El Niño. Schools are excellent starting points. Children need safe drinking water, and successful installations could encourage other schools, including private institutions, to follow. Eventually, why not connect these tanks to appropriate drip-irrigation systems serving nearby demonstration farms? With proper water-quality safeguards...