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His Excellency Ferdinand E. Marcos, Jr. President of the Republic of the Philippines Malacañang Palace Manila Your Excellency, Subject: Opportunity to Explore Biochar Technology for Environmental and Agricultural Benefits I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention a remarkable innovation in renewable energy and environmental sustainability that could benefit our country. A recent article published on www.thecooldown.com titled “Engineer discovers incredible potential of banana peels as unconventional energy source: ‘Very important for the future’” highlights the work of Steve Djeutchou, a certified engineer in renewable energies based in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Mr. Djeutchou has developed a method to transform organic waste, including banana peels, into an environmentally friendly product known as "biochar." Biochar is an ecological charcoal produced through the pyrolysis of organic materials in a low-oxygen environment. Unlike traditio...

Subject: Opportunity to Learn from Successful Mangrove Reforestation Efforts in Mexico His Excellency Ferdinand E. Marcos, Jr. President of the Republic of the Philippines Malacañang Palace Manila Your Excellency, I am writing to bring to your attention an inspiring and potentially beneficial initiative in mangrove reforestation that has been successfully implemented in Mexico. A recent article published on www.news.mongabay.com titled "After trial and error, Mexican fishers find key to reforesting a mangrove haven" highlights the work of Mr. David Borbon and his wife Ana Maria Peralta. They are the founders and leaders of a community effort to restore mangrove forests in a fishing village within Mexico’s El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, one of the country’s largest protected areas. Despite not being a scientist or an engineer, Mr. Borbon has developed innovative methods of propagating mangrove plants. A study published in Nature Magazine noted that his method of pl...

His Excellency Ferdinand E. Marcos, Jr. President of the Republic of the Philippines Malacañang Palace Manila Your Excellency, Subject: Opportunity to Combat Plastic Pollution Using Imidazole-Based Technology I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to bring to your attention a groundbreaking scientific discovery that could significantly aid our country in addressing the pervasive issue of plastic pollution. Scientists at the University of Alabama, led by Professor Jason Bara, have discovered an innovative method to break down waste plastic using a compound known as Imidazole. According to a report published on www.thecooldown.com, Professor Bara and his research team were experimenting with Imidazole when they observed a remarkable reaction—the complete dissolution of plastic waste. Professor Bara's research assistant was quoted as saying, “the plastic is gone, it is all gone.” The University of Alabama has already applied for a patent ...

REVISITING THE LAW ABOUT RECYCLING My dear countrymen, having noticed that our laws about recycling are largely ignored, I thought about revisiting it. But first, here is what the law says about recycling, according to ChatGPT: START QUOTE: In the Philippines, the management of recyclables, including the use of Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) , is governed by Republic Act No. 9003 , also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 . Key Provisions Regarding MRFs and Recyclables 1.    Establishment of MRFs : o    Local Government Units (LGUs) are mandated to establish MRFs in every barangay or cluster of barangays. o    MRFs are responsible for receiving, sorting, processing, and storing recyclable materials, as well as compostable and residual waste. 2.    Segregation at Source : o    Households, businesses, and institutions must segregate waste at the source into biodegradable, recyclable, non-recyclab...

LEARNING FROM THE DUTCH MILK COOP MODEL My dear countrymen, in my opinion, the business of an agricultural cooperative has four main components, namely production, processing, packaging and marketing. Usually, the production component is done by the individual members on their own, sometimes with the help of their family members. However, the other three components, namely processing, packaging and marketing are usually done collectively by the cooperative itself. That is basically the Dutch milk cooperative model that is so successful, it has been adopted all over the world. Here are the key features of the Dutch coop model, according to ChatGPT: 1.    Farmer-Owned Cooperatives : o    Farmers are both suppliers and shareholders of the cooperative. o    Members share profits based on their milk contributions and cooperative performance. 2.    Centralized Milk Collection and Processing : o    Cooperatives establish centraliz...

SETTING TARGETS FOR LOCAL MILK PRODUCTION My dear countrymen, according to ChatGPT, “the Philippines' demand for dairy products is substantial and growing. In 2025, consumption is projected to reach 3 million metric tons (MMT) in liquid milk equivalent (LME), a 2% increase from 2024. Domestic milk production remains limited, meeting only about 1% of the country's total dairy requirements. In the first half of 2024, local production was approximately 16,020 metric tons, accounting for just 21% of the total liquid milk supply during that period. Consequently, the Philippines relies heavily on imports to satisfy its dairy needs, sourcing 99% of its supply from international markets. This growing demand is driven by factors such as an expanding middle class, population growth, and increasing consumer spending on dairy products. Despite efforts to boost local production, the significant gap between domestic output and consumption necessitates continued reliance on imports to meet ...

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE My dear countrymen, although I graduated from the University of the Philippines (UP) with an A.B. Political Science degree, I decided to stop writing about politics because I did not find it rewarding, and in fact, I found it rather frustrating. After I graduated from UP, I enrolled in some credits in M.A. English Literature from the Ateneo de Manila University, where I had the good fortune to have the late illustrious art, literature and food critic Doreen Fernandez as my professor. It was from Professor Fernandez that I learned the true meaning of criticism. According to Prof. Fernandez, the purpose of criticism is to bring out the truth, and not to bring out what is bad in an object, or a piece of art or literature. In the process of bringing out the truth, one might bring out what is bad, or what is wrong, but still, that is not the purpose of criticism. If can I recall correctly from what Fernandez taught us, there is no such thing as constructive criticism...

LEVERAGING WITH FOREIGN INVESTORS My dear countrymen, the late Ambassador Nick Jimenez who was both my friend and mentor, taught me a lesson that I will never forget. He said that our country should no longer pursue what he called “a diplomacy of mendicancy”, a type of diplomacy that is always begging for aid from another country, obviously referring to the United States. Ambassador Jimenez and I served together at the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, where I was a Press Attache. At that time, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo was also serving in Washington as a First Secretary and Consul. As a student of Political Science back in UP Diliman, I also learned about negotiating from a “position of strength”, a lesson that is not only useful in diplomacy, but also for serving in the bureaucracy. Although I am no longer in diplomacy and I have retired from the bureaucracy, I am still writing about topics that could be good for our country in general, and our economy in par...

A POOR MAN’S HEALTH DILEMMA My dear countrymen, recently, I found out that my part-time gardener’s son has a problem with his colon. Apparently, he is having a problem with his bowel movements, and it was suggested to him that he needs a colonoscopy. Without his knowing it, I contacted some friends at PHILHEALTH to ask them whether it is covered or not, and I was happy to hear the good news that it is covered. I also contacted some friends at PCSO, and they also said that a guarantee-letter (GL) could be issued for it. I was also happy to hear that good news from PCSO, until another friend told me that there is still one problem to be solved. You see, my part time gardener who is also a local tricycle driver in our village does not have the money to spend for the confinement of his son at a local hospital. That is what the dilemma is. Although PHILHEALTH will cover the procedure, and although PCSO will pay for some of the hospital charges, he still needs some extra money to spend f...

LIVELIHOOD PROJECTS IN MANGROVE FORESTS My dear countrymen, I asked ChatGPT if mangrove trees could produce fruits, and here is its answer: START QUOTE: Some mangrove trees produce edible fruits, although not all are commonly consumed due to taste, texture, or potential toxicity. Below are examples of mangrove species with edible fruits and their uses: Edible Fruits from Mangrove Trees 1.    Sonneratia alba (Mangrove Apple or Perepat): o    Fruit: The round, greenish fruit is edible and is sometimes referred to as a "mangrove apple." o    Uses: Can be eaten raw or made into pickles, sauces, or traditional dishes in coastal regions. o    Taste: Mildly acidic and a bit tangy. 2.    Avicennia marina (Grey Mangrove): o    Fruit: Produces propagules that are edible after processing. o    Preparation: Must be detoxified by boiling or leaching to remove tannins and other harmful substances. o...