(Yes, Rina, the title is in reference to your favorite show, which, unfortunately, I have not gotten around to watching yet.)Towards the end of 2007, I wrote
a post that reminded me of why I loved my (former) job. One of the things that I loved about my past life was that it allowed me to do something that has meaning --- one that would help others, one that could change this society. Lofty as those sound, it still rings true for anyone who wants to see real change and for anyone who helps contribute to actual change.
I write it as if it's an easy feat to accomplish --- it sure hell isn't. Change-makers always have to have dogged determination and bucketloads of patience. Take for example the Renewable Energy Bill. It has been pending in Congress for nearly 19 years now, and still, it continues to be in danger of being lost in the shuffle of congressional investigations and the sheer backlog of other priority bills (and still we keep singing along to Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come").
So here's my contribution once again to the cause. If I can make you at least aware of what the RE Bill is and why it is badly needed in this country, then I can at least proudly say that there is one more person whose awareness level on the issue has increased. Think of it as your social consciousness as we celebrate World Environment Day on June 5.
What is the RE Bill?
In a nutshell, the RE Bill is a pieace of legislation that calls for more aggressive development of the Philippines' renewable energy sources. These include solar energy, wind energy, ocean energy, biomass, and geothermal energy (shoutouts to Tim on this). These energy sources are clean, sustainable, and, well, renewable --- and the Philippines has an abundance of these sources.
Why should the passage of the RE Bill matter to me?
It should matter to you because you live at a time where there is much concern over the world's energy security, not to mention the looming concern over climate change. You can say that your generation has greater awareness on what's going on in the world today, yet you still have to claim that you have helped make a positive impact on your world.
The passage of the RE Bill directly supports the government's goal of 60% energy self-sufficiency by 2010. Still, the country remains to be largely dependent on imported energy, and we are significantly affected by the volatility of oil prices. The high cost of energy has a negative impact on the Philippines' growth in numerous ways. For one, uncompetitive power rates create an environment that is unfriendly to investments, which result in loss of potential job opportunities. Prices of goods also increase, which essentially makes local products less competitive in the world market. If the RE Bill is passed, it provides a long-term response to the country's huge oil import bill. Renewable sources of energy are not susceptible to supply interruptions, price fluctuations, or market manipulation.
Moreover, the passage of the RE Bill is hinged on an environmental imperative. The continued use of fossil fuels for power production is a major cause of air pollution, water pollution, land degradation, and global warming. The cost of pollution in this country is high --- we spend billions and billions of pesos for medical care, deaths, lost wages, and whatnot for diseases brought about by pollution. Going beyond that, the continued use of fossil fuels contributes to what we have come to know as "global warming". Apart from the extreme heat, the adverse impacts of climate change include erratic shifts in rainfall and wind patterns (I'm sure we're all aware of that --- storms in April?), significant increases in sea levels, and disastrous, deadly storms.
So what's happening now?
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have yet to tackle the RE Bill once again. In the Senate, the RE Bill is nearing second reading approval, while in the House, the bill is nearing approval by the Committees on Energy, Ways and Means, and Appropriations. Knowing how easily sidetracked our Legislative becomes when it comes to salient issues, we just have to keep praying that they'll tackle this long-pending priority bill once again. Come to think of it, with so much talk on the steady increase of oil prices (do not even get me started on how all my money goes into gas for my car) and the dastardly impacts of climate change, it's high time that this government --- and this country --- gives the RE Bill the attention that it rightly deserves.
I want to know more. What do I do?
This blog entry may have already sounded like a long-drawn lecture from me, so I suggest that you drop by the Greenbelt 3 concierge anytime from June 9 until June 11, 2008, where the Renewable Energy Coalition will be participating in an exhibit for World Environment Day. There you'll get to know more about this advocacy and meet people who are truly passionate about changing this world.
