GOOD NEWS: CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION IS AMONG THE FIVE CLUSTERS CREATED BY PRESIDENT AQUINO

PRESIDENT Benigno S. C. Aquino III has formally restructured the Cabinet into five groups that will serve as advisory bodies, a move seen to increase productivity and efficiency in governance, a Palace aide said yesterday.





Under Executive Order (EO) 43 signed by the President on May 13 and effective immediately, the Cabinet has been organized into five clusters, namely, good governance and anti-corruption; human development and poverty reduction; economic development; security, justice and peace; and climate change adaptation and mitigation.


Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr. said in a statement the system "is meant to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and focus in carrying out the programs and policies of the government."


The clusters, which will serve as advisory committees to the Office of the President, will recommend measures on policy and operational matters for approval of the President.

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The Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation cluster is chaired by the DENR secretary with the Climate Change Commission (CCC) functioning as secretariat. Its members are the HUDCC chairman, the secretaries of DoST, DILG, DPWH, DSWD, DA, DAR, DoE and DND; and the chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.


The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) was not included in the cluster as it is also involved in other non-climate change issues, the head of the agency said in an interview.


Undersecretary Benito T. Ramos, NDRRMC executive director, said in a telephone interview: "Kailangan din [We are still needed for inputs]. Although the CCC and NDRRMC are two separate organizations with separate legislation, we have a memorandum of understanding."


Rather than deal with climate change-related issues, he added, NDRRMC is concerned with the management of disasters that are not influenced by climate change such as earthquakes and volcano eruption.

Source: http://server2.interfuel.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=Aquino-restructures-Cabinet-into-five-clusters&id=31408

GREENING THE MEDIUM-TERM PHILIPPINE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (MTPDP)

GREENING THE MEDIUM-TERM PHILIPPINE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (MTPDP) forum to be held on May 27, 1-6 p.m. near the Quezon City Circle. Watch out for details. Being organized by Partido Kalikasan.

NELP confers Green Choice Seal to Fujimoto LED downlight

The National Ecolabelling Program – Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP) awarded Fujimoto International Technology Corporation’s (FITC) LED downlight the Green Choice Philippines Seal of Approval last April 26 at the Cavite Economic Zone, Rosario, Cavite. Receiving the seal from National Solid Waste Management Commission Executive Director Emelita Aguinaldo was FITC president Kazushi Fujimoto.

Pushing for a greener economic zone, Mr. Wilson Henson, programme manager of Green Choice Philippines discussed GCP, a voluntary third party ecolabel declaration, to FITC suppliers and costumers. GCP seal is given to products and services that exemplify environmental excellence in their production practices based on set standards. Guided by ISO 14024, GCP aims to green the consumption and production of consumers and manufacturers respectively.

FITC, being a multinational company manufacturing and distributing electronic and semi-conducting materials, expressed confidence to Green Choice Philippines as a business partner that will help them strengthen not only their economic status but also support their environmental advocacies and practices.

In the same way, Mr. Fujimoto affirmed that FITC will continue to support the programs of NELP-GCP by complying with the environmental standards as well as encouraging other business organizations to apply for the GCP seal. Moreover, FITC expressed their intent to apply their other products for the Green Choice seal including their LED kitchen light, fire light, and dome light.

Although FITC is a Japanese-owned company, Mr. Fujimoto expressed, “since Fujimoto is established in the Philippines, it is for the Filipino people.”


As of press time, NELP- GCP has awarded the GCP Seal of Approval to 20 products that show environmental leadership. Philippine Economic Zone Authority director Mrs. Lilia de Lima said in a speech delivered by Atty. Norma Cajulis, administrator of the Cavite Economic Zone said “the 20 products awarded with Green Choice Seal are quite diverse but what is common among the awardees is their strong commitment of reducing the environmental impacts of their manufacturing operations.”

Furthermore, Director Aguinaldo, whose agency sits as a member of NELP-GCP board, encourages manufacturers to apply for the Green Choice Philippines Seal. She added that with GCP seal, consumers can be guided and consequently make informed decisions on purchasing certified true environmentally-sound products and services.