A FORMER town mayor of Binmaley who is now an official in the administration of President Benigno Aquino III has urged local government leaders and students in Pangasinan to join in the province-wide greening program to help save Mother Earth from the adverse effects of climate change.

Undersecretary Jose Fabia, director general of the Philippine Information Agency, made his call during the forum “Global Agenda 2010” sponsored by Media Link Events Management on October 2 at the Dagupan People’s Astrodome.

The forum, with the theme “Leading Change in a Changing World”, was attended by some 4,000 students from Dagupan and Pangasinan.

Fabia proposed to local government units that they identify possible areas that they can develop into watersheds, which can be planted with trees that can help hold water to prevent floods during heavy rains.

He added that new watershed areas must also be developed in the face of the threat of salt-water intrusion in wells, which can affect the drinking water supply of inhabitants in the coastal areas.

Noting the havoc of the flood wrought by Typhoon Pepeng in October last year, Fabia also called for the building of “disaster-resilient communities” in all parts of the province to avoid the loss of lives.

ENERGY SOURCES

At the same time, Fabia rallied for the development of alternative energy sources that are environment-friendly as well as cheaper in terms of electricity costs to consumers.

He pointed out that while Pangasinan today is a net exporter of electricity due to the presence of the Sual Coal-fired Power Plant as well as the San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam Project, these energy sources pose threats to the environment.

He added that the importation of fuel, including coal, which is the input for the Sual plant, fosters graft and corruption in the process.

The Aquino administration, he said, is focused on an agenda to reduce poverty, and part of that is seeking to reduce electricity costs through alternative energy sources.

“We are shooting two birds with one stone. We minimize poverty by reducing the cost of electricity and preserve and protect the environment through the adoption of appropriate technologies that are friendlier,” Fabia said

Pangasinan, he said, has a long coastline from Infanta to San Fabian from where wind energy can be tapped for the province’s energy demand.

Solar energy is another option given the generally sunny weather in the province.

Yet another is the Manlelluag Park in Mangatarem, which is a rich source of geothermal energy.

Fabia did acknowledge that the building cost for alternative energy sources such as windmills and solar panels are usually higher than traditional ones, but noted that the long-term impact is more significant. –LM

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