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7
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September 23-29, 2007 |
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Environmental Bit
Ozone Day
The ozone layer is that very special sheet of gas that
protects the earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet
rays. But what would happen when ozone-damaging
substances continue to rise in our atmosphere and
threaten the existence of everyone on earth?
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the
Ozone Layer was signed twenty years ago, primarily
 to
address the nearly two million tons of ozone-depleting
substances that the world spewes out annually. Today,
the developed world has nearly phased out these
substances. And their use in the developing world has
plummeted by over 80 percent.
“The battle to repair the ozone layer represents one of
the great success stories of international cooperation,”
said Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in a statement for
the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone
Layer on September 16. “I congratulate all Parties to
the Montreal Protocol for this remarkable achievement.
Their vision and commitment have translated into real
gains. Our measures against ozone depleting substances
have yielded broader benefits as well. Many of these
chemicals contribute to global warming. Their dramatic
reduction has helped bolster measures to counter climate
change.”
He added, “These developments give us reason to
celebrate, but not to become complacent. Scientists are
warning that the ozone layer will remain particularly
vulnerable some time. State Parties must continue to
implement the agreement, and ensure that the production
of |
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Compiled by
Jacqueline L. Ong |
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Illustrations
by Carlo Cabrera |
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chlorofluorocarbons in developing countries is
completely phased out by 2010, the deadline
imposed by the Montreal Protocol.”
Health Bit
Oxygen for Life
St. Luke’s Medical Center recently launched its
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Unit (HBOT) for
patients with problematic wounds. While ordinary
everyday oxygen ( 21 percent) is sufficient to
heal normal wounds, hard-healing wounds such as
skin ulcers, diabetic wounds, serious burns,
decompression illness, gas gangrene, severe
blood loss anemia, radiation damage and crash
injuries
 require
higher levels of oxygen to help repair infected
or damaged tissue.
With HBOT, a person breathes 100 percent oxygen
under increased atmospheric pressure. At higher
pressures, more oxygen (up to 2000 percent)
reach tissues that stimulate growth of new blood
vessels. This promotes the healing of
problematic wounds and helps treat certain types
of infections (such as gangrene).
For inquiries, contact the HBOT Unit at tel. no.
(02) 723-0101/ 0301 ext. 4186.
Tourism Bit
Drainage Project in Boracay
The Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) is
constructing a drainage system to address the
flooding in low-lying areas spawned by illegal
building construction. Boracay |
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the island from
environmental degradation.
Proclamation 1801 signed by the late President Ferdinand
Marcos in 1978 declared Boracay as a tourist zone and
marine reserve, placing it under the administration and
control of PTA, an entity attached with the Department
of Tourism.
Cultural Bit
IndoChine Festival Set
Singapore is set to celebrate once more as guests from
all corners of the globe take part in the party
celebrations at the IndoChine Festival 2007. Having
already established itself as a seasonal favourite with
locals and tourists alike since it’s inception in 2004,
this year’s compendium of events will take place from
October 21–28.
IndoChine Group CEO, Michael Ma says, “IndoChine
Festival is Asia’s only Jet-set Event of the Year and
aims to brand Singapore as the destination of choice for
all types of visitors. This festival is a platform to
showcase Singapore as more than just a stopover city for
business travelers.”
“This year, we have teamed up with the Sun Festival,
making our festival bigger and better than ever before.
From soft easy jazz to pulsating music and rhythms, the
musical entertainment will ensure that every guest will
take home a memorable experience of their time spent in
Singapore,” he adds.
Lifestyle Bit
Click! Click! Click! for Greenpeace
Greenpeace is holding a photo contest with the theme
“Celebrating Philippine freshwaters and looking at the
threats” with the aim of raising the consciousness of
the public on the importance of freshwater sources.
Photo enthusiasts can submit their dramatic photographs
that document the country’s precious freshwater
resources. Photos should depict the beauty of the
Philippine rivers, streams, lakes, springs or
groundwater reservoirs. Alternatively, photos should
expose how these freshwater sources are threatened by
pollution and waste, or scarcity and drought, thereby
making access to clean water difficult.
All photos must be taken by either a Filipino or a
Philippine resident between January 1 to September 28.
Deadline for submission of entries is September 28.
The complete photo contest guidelines and entry forms
may be downloaded at:
http://www.greenpeace.org.ph/photocontest.
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Local Eye |
for the |
Foreign Guy |
Wall of Fame
By Lex
Ledesma
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Two weeks ago, I attended a wedding of a
friend in Intramuros, Manila. It has
been so long since I was last there.
Back in elementary school days,
Intramuros was a favorite field trip
destination so I visited the spot every
year with my class. I never missed a
trip because every time, there’s
something “new” to explore from the
past.
Intramuros is one of the remnants of the Spanish occupation. It was
built by our Spanish colonizers in 1571
along the southern shore of the River
Pasig. The place’s name was derived from
the Spanish words intra and muros which
mean “contained by walls.” Later on, it
popularly became known as the “Walled
City” as characterized by the solid,
towering walls that surrounded the fort.
Under the Spanish regime, Intramuros housed a great deal of power
within its walls. Politically, the
Governor’s Palace used to be in that
location. Religiously, a number of Roman
Catholic churches adorned the place. To
date, the Manila Cathedral and the San
Agustin Church are frequented by
tourists for their ornate architecture
and design. Schools like Universidad de
Santo Tomás, the Colegio de San Juan de
Letran and the Ateneo Municipal de
Manila were also established inside the
city’s wall during the colonial period.
They were managed by various religious
orders such as Dominicans, Augustinians,
Franciscans and Jesuits.
When the bombs of World War II struck
Intramuros, the fortification was
reduced to ruins. When the Japanese took
over the site in 1945, many of the
structures were shattered. The only
establishment left standing was the San
Agustin Church. The deliverance of
Manila claimed something like 100,000
lives.
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That was Intramuros then. With its
restoration led by the past Philippine
First Lady Imelda Marcos in 1980,
Intramuros was brought back to life.
While modernization and
commercialization aggressively occurred
outside the gates of Intramuros, some
developments penetrated through its
walls as well. Colleges like Pamantasan
ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Mapúa Institute
of Technology, Lyceum of the Philippines
University, Colegio de San Juan de
Letran and high schools such as the
Manila High School, and Colegio de Santa
Rosa mushroomed inside the bastion.
Flanking those establishments, a couple
of food outlets like Jollibee and
McDonald’s were put up. Fine dining
restaurants like Barbara’s, Patio
Victoria and Illustrado’s to name a few,
also sprouted to provide a convenient
reception area for the numerous weddings
booked at the famed churches in the
Walled City. Some government agencies
like the Department of Labor and
Employment and Bureau of Immigration
operated inside Intramuros. Amidst all
these developments, Intramuros primarily
kept its Spanish ancestry. Horse-drawn
carriages can take you around the
confined city. Guards and attendants are
dressed ala Katipuneros and
establishments maintained the
Spanish-style façades.
To fully appreciate Intramuros, one should stroll along its
concrete and brick roads to experience
the sense of history that the city’s
walls have contained for so long.
Comparing the then and now, we realize
that the place reflects a fusion of
culture and developments from the past
and present. Outside the grand walls, it
is pretty much the same in the
macroscopic context. As we
optimistically look ahead to a
successful Philippines, we need to look
back at past mistakes and learn from
those. |
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Tourism Office
officer-in-charge Judith Icotanim said the
drainage system will solve flooding in the area
and will complement the ongoing development
efforts of the national government.
Aklan Rep.
Florencio Miraflores said the PTA-initiated
storm-drainage project which has a budget of
PhP179, 990,487.28 given to the Boracay
Environmental Infrastructure Project (BEIP)-Drainage
Component, is designed to protect and save the
environs of Boracay. He expressed dismay earlier
after the delay of the project due to
non-cooperation of some stakeholders in the
island, noting the significance of tourism
amenities to guard |
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