December 9, 2019
Good morning to my fellow legislators.
It is an honor and a pleasure to be with colleagues in this Parliamentary Breakfast of the Global Renewables Congress. I thank Chairperson Bärbel Höhn for this opportunity to hold a dialogue on renewable energy and its role in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
I am often asked why the Philippines—a highly climate-vulnerable archipelagic country considered a non-emitter with only 0.3% contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—should exert so much effort to achieve […]
Read More
December 6, 2019
Good morning to our distinguished guests; colleagues; ladies; and gentlemen.
I thank the Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for this honor and privilege to speak in this event.
In 2016, the Philippines made history, as our very first Filipino-designed and -assembled microsatellite, called Diwata-1, was launched into space. Two years later, its sibling, Diwata-2, was sent into orbit. A nanosatellite, called Maya-1, was also deployed into space in 2018.
The development of these satellites was made possible through the Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite Program (PHL-MICROSAT), which is acollaboration among the Department of Science […]
Read More
November 29, 2019
Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) represent the majority of our enterprises and comprise the largest bulk of our workforce in the country. In 2008, I pushed for the enactment of Republic Act 9501 or the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Act to harness opportunities for employment in this sector and livelihood development in the communities.
Read More
November 19, 2019
Today, as we mark the 12th year of our country’s observance of Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week, the call to accelerate and enhance our actions in addressing the impacts of climate change has never been more critical. The latest climate science has repeatedly articulated the worst case and best case scenarios for communities, for governments, for citizens as we confront the adverse impacts of climate change. We have reached the point of no return. It is either we decide to act to survive, or we stagnate and perish. As we look at disasters happening around the world, we can conclude—the planet has truly reached a tipping point.
Read More
November 18, 2019
Ladies and gentlemen, climate change is the most daunting development challenge our world faces today—having the most far-reaching impact and requiring most urgent action from all.
The phenomenon is so complex and overreaching in its impacts that we should now begin calling it the ‘climate crisis.’ It threatens to take away the things we love and value– and this is the challenge that brings us to where we are today.
Read More
