STRAIGHT FROM THE BIG CITY

Ike Señeres
Integration of development programs

Join the UNIDA list: I have created a new Yahoo mailing list for all persons and organizations involved in national development. Let us have one list where we can meet online to share ideas, reports and updates with each other. Instead of being fragmented, let us be integrated. To join, just send a blank email to unidaphilippines-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Source of funding: The United National Integrated Development Alliance (UNIDA) is now organizing a system of producing, documenting and claiming carbon credits as established by the Kyoto Protocol. Our goal is to raise funds for our scholarship, entrepreneurship, employment, environment and community development programs.

Global News Network now nationwide: My TV show in GNN is now shown nationwide. As of now, GNN is already carried by over 100 cable networks, a big step towards the goal of being carried by 400 networks. As usual, GNN will be shown by Destiny Cable Channel 3 in Metro Manila, but the channel number will change in each network, so please check with your local provider for the provincial listings. Kudos to Mr. Harry Tambuatco!

Improved TV format: ABS-CBN veteran Manueldatu “MD” Rebueno has joined my TV team as our new Executive Producer. He has improved our TV format by introducing a 5-minute news report about what’s new in the national development scene, and a 15-minute analysis segment towards the end. Former beauty queen Zara Jane Juan joins me in the last segment.

Earth Day Special: We are doing a five-week series about the environment which will culminate on Earth Day on April 22. So far, we have already featured climate change expert Dr. Roger Birosel and bio-diversity forest expert Mr. Joseph Reynolds. In the coming weeks, we will feature the Miss Earth Candidates and the “Lettuce Girls”.

A triple trillion economy: Reynolds says that shifting the national focus from traditional agriculture to bio-diverse forestry will enable the Philippines to become a third world country in the coming years, giving it a possible income of three trillion dollars annually. I believe this is doable.

Movers and shakers: We are aiming to invite all prominent leaders and newsmakers into the show, all those who are involved in national integrated development in one way or the other. Already invited are former DENR Secretary Bibeth Gozun and biotechnologist Edgar A.Maranan, the scientist who is involved in the Pasig River cleanup.

Ecosystem approach: La Salle Institute for the Environment (LIFE) Executive Director Ben Eusebio is quite happy that the ABS-CBN Foundation has taken on the lead role for the seven-year cleanup of the Pasig River , but he wishes that other foundations would also lead the cleanup of the other water systems that are feeding the said river.

Legal and technical assistance: Eusebio is also happy that Lawyer Tony Oposa has taken the role of providing legal assistance to the local government units (LGUs) that have decided to comply with the Supreme Court ruling that now requires the compulsory cleanup of Manila Bay . In support of Oposa, Eusebio is now organizing a workshop for LGUs that will be held on April 21, for the purpose of providing technical assistance.

Training in governance: I welcome the invitation of the La Salle Institute of Governance (LSIG) for me to join them as a Fellow. This is quite an honor for me, and I consider it as a continuation of my former role as a Fellow of the University of Life (UL). LSIG will develop the training modules for the April 21 workshop, under the leadership of Dr. Francisco Magno, Dr. Julio Teehankee and Prof. Louie Montemar.

No to visual cleanup: Among other topics, the April 21 workshop will advocate the Water Quality Management Area (WQMA) approach in the integrated cleanup of watershed systems, instead of the simplistic approach of visually cleaning the surface of rivers, lakes and bays. The WQMA approach even aims to go beyond the “Class C” goal of making the rivers “swim able” and “fish able” again.

Power team: Eusebio is an engineer who worked with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States for twenty years. Joining him in LIFE is Dr. Ric Javelosa who is the foremost water expert in the country today, having worked in our national water agencies for many years.

Perpetual guests: Birosel and Reynolds are actually “returnees” to my show, having been my guests before. Eusebio and Javelosa were also my guests before. All of them will keep coming back to my show, along with other experts, to keep informing viewers about what’s new at their end. Rebueno is himself an environment leader, but he has chosen to be on the production side.

More on carbon credits: I will also feature in my show our experts in the carbon credits scheme. This will include our British expert Mr. Aidan Bluck and our local expert Mr. Howard Mijares. Watch for more to come!

Watch my TV show: “KA IKING LIVE” Fridays from 930 to 1030 PM in Global News Network (GNN). Channel 3 Metro Manila . Check with your cable provider for other areas. Join the UNIDA Yahoo Group. Email unidaphilippines-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or text +639293605140.