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HOW CAN WE CREATE MORE LIVELIHOOD PROJECTS IN MANGROVE FORESTS TO MAKE THEM MORE SUSTAINABLE?

HOW CAN WE CREATE MORE LIVELIHOOD PROJECTS IN MANGROVE FORESTS TO MAKE THEM MORE SUSTAINABLE? I have an idea. It is such a simple idea that it is almost a no-brainer: If we want people to protect mangrove forests, let us create more livelihoods from the forests without destroying them. I am an alumnus of the Sigma Rho Fraternity of the University of the Philippines. Years ago, two distinguished Sigma Rho alumni, former DENR Secretary Fulgencio Factoran and former Aklan Congressman Allen Quimpo, helped establish what is now known as the Bakhawan Nature Study and Eco-Park in Kalibo, Aklan. Both have passed on, but their legacy lives on. I visited the mangrove forest about ten years ago, and perhaps it was there that I became seriously interested in mangrove advocacy. The lesson I learned was fascinating: healthy mangroves support plankton; plankton support shrimp and other marine organisms; and these, in turn, attract fish. Crabs also thrive in mangrove ecosystems. But why stop there? I ...
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WHAT IS A KIDNEY DONOR CHAIN SYSTEM AND WHY NOT BUILD ONE FOR THE PHILIPPINES?

WHAT IS A KIDNEY DONOR CHAIN SYSTEM AND WHY NOT BUILD ONE FOR THE PHILIPPINES? Ask any mountaineer why he climbs mountains, and he will probably answer, "Because it's there." It has been many years since I stopped climbing mountains as a member of the UP Mountaineers, but I still remember that simple philosophy. I also remember a famous line from the television series The Six Million Dollar Man : "Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology." Those two expressions came to mind when I learned that the United States has successfully implemented what is known as a Kidney Donor Chain. Why should we build one for the Philippines? My answer is just as simple: because we have the technology. A Kidney Donor Chain, also known as a Paired Kidney Exchange, allows patients with willing but medically incompatible donors to exchange kidneys through a carefully matched chain of donations. A single altruistic donor can even trigger a series of transplants that could s...
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WHAT ARE THE HIDDEN TRUTHS BEHIND THE OMBUDSMAN'S GARBAGE TRUCKING EXPOSE?

WHAT ARE THE HIDDEN TRUTHS BEHIND THE OMBUDSMAN'S GARBAGE TRUCKING EXPOSE? For many years now, I have been writing about corruption in the hauling of municipal garbage. That is why I am glad that Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has finally brought this issue into the national spotlight. In my opinion, the alleged corruption in garbage hauling could even be bigger than the much-publicized flood control scandals because it affects almost every city and municipality in the country. According to the Ombudsman, garbage hauling has become the "biggest business" of many local chief executives. That is a very strong statement. While the Ombudsman did not publicly present specific evidence during his interview, his remarks should be enough to trigger serious investigations and institutional reforms. His proposal to assign Resident Ombudsmen in local government units is certainly worth considering. However, I cannot help but ask: doesn't the Commission on Audit (COA) already as...
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HOW COULD COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT SITES BECOME THE KEYS TO REFORESTATION?

  HOW COULD COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT SITES BECOME THE KEYS TO REFORESTATION? Could watershed restoration, environmental protection, indigenous peoples' welfare, and reforestation possibly be combined into one national strategy? Many people think these are separate programs that should be managed independently. I disagree. In fact, I believe they should be integrated into one comprehensive program. Better still, why stop there? We could also incorporate wildlife protection, rewilding, food security, climate security, and sustainable livelihoods. Let me clarify one important point. Wildlife protection is not the same as rewilding. Wildlife protection means conserving the animals that still survive in their natural habitats. Rewilding goes one step further by breeding native species and restoring them to the wild where they once thrived. Likewise, reforestation is not incompatible with agriculture. That is precisely the essence of agroforestry, where trees and crops are grown...
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HOW DOES CORRUPTION GROW INSIDE AN ORGANIZATION AND HOW CAN WE NIP IT IN THE BUD?

HOW DOES CORRUPTION GROW INSIDE AN ORGANIZATION AND HOW CAN WE NIP IT IN THE BUD? Christian teaching reminds us that not every wrongdoing is already a sin. Even so, every wrongdoing, no matter how small, has the potential to become something far worse if it is tolerated. The same principle applies to corruption. Petty corruption may appear harmless. Some people even dismiss it as part of the " kalakaran " or the normal way of doing things. I remember a time when many accepted small favors, minor violations of procedures, or little acts of dishonesty as if they were simply part of organizational life. Unfortunately, what begins as "small" rarely stays small. Corruption does not suddenly appear as billion-peso scandals or elaborate kickback schemes. It usually starts with one minor violation that everyone notices but no one dares to question. Someone breaks a rule "just this once." Others see it and remain silent. Soon it is repeated until it becomes normal....
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WHY IS WATER AN ISSUE IN THE PROPOSED PAX SILICA DATA CENTER PROJECT?

WHY IS WATER AN ISSUE IN THE PROPOSED PAX SILICA DATA CENTER PROJECT? I must admit that I am torn between two lovers, so to speak. On one hand, I have always been an advocate of technology. During my government career, I even supervised the construction of two data centers. They were admittedly much smaller than the proposed Pax Silica Hub in New Clark City, but they were large enough for me to appreciate both the opportunities and the challenges that data centers bring. On the other hand, I am equally passionate about environmental protection. For me, economic progress should never come at the expense of our natural resources. That is why I am prepared to support the proposed Pax Silica project—but only if its environmental concerns are honestly and transparently addressed. According to BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang, the project intends to rely exclusively on rainwater harvesting and water impounding systems rather than extracting groundwater or using municipal water. The pro...
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DOES BONHOEFFER’S THEORY OF STUPIDITY APPLY TO THE PHILIPPINE SITUATION?

DOES BONHOEFFER’S THEORY OF STUPIDITY APPLY TO THE PHILIPPINE SITUATION? The word "stupidity" is often used as an insult, but German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer gave it a far deeper meaning. Writing from a Nazi prison cell in 1943, he argued that stupidity is even more dangerous than evil—not because people lack intelligence, but because they willingly surrender their ability to think independently. According to Bonhoeffer, a "stupid" person is not someone with a low IQ or little education. On the contrary, highly educated and intelligent people can also fall into this trap when they abandon critical thinking and simply follow slogans, personalities, or those in power. That is why his theory continues to resonate more than eighty years later. This perspective was recently highlighted by Kia Alvarez-Abrera, who publicly identifies herself as a Professional Neuroplastician (P.npn.) . A neuroplastician specializes in applying the principles of neuroplasticity—the br...
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