Coping with climate change

WHETHER agriculture stakeholders believe it or not, the impact of climate change is not just written on the wall, it is here plainly for everyone to see.

The cases of armyworms that attacked onion farms and the unprecedented low yields of corn farms are the strongest indicators yet of the impact of climate change on the agriculture sector.

And if fishpond operators don’t contain their greed, the expected series of fish kill, courtesy of climate change, will likely do it for them.

On the health front, we note that dengue cases are increasing because households are unmindful of the fact that there are more breeding places of mosquitoes brought about by unpredictable rain.

At this stage, our local governments can no longer afford to simply be reactive to these changes because these ultimately impact on the people’s health and food supply. If technology is not readily available to cope with these natural calamities, strategies for effective information and education on preventive measures for agriculture and health risks and hazards must be put in place.

The worst combination for climate change is ignorance and lack of planning for initiatives.

 

Amply justified

PRESIDENT Duterte’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) is amply justified.  The Rome Statute that founded the ICC, and which made the country a treaty member in 2011, was never published in the Gazette (the Philippines’ official journal).

In legal parlance, the treaty was void ab initio (null from the start).  That simple.

“When the treaty is not published, it is as if there is no law at all,” said Mr. Duterte in a speech before the League of Municipalities of the Philippines on Tuesday.

Earlier this year, the ICC has begun examining a complaint against President Duterte on alleged crimes against humanity over alleged extrajudicial killings in the war on drugs. But from where is the ICC coming from?  Isn’t this UN body infringing on our sovereign will as a free and democratic nation to begin with?

Already, the ICC has shown irreversible weakness in position when it asked Mr. Duterte to reconsider his decision to withdraw. Too late!

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