ANGARA JOINS AL GORE'S GREEN EFFORTS

With the advent of climate change being a world wide issue Senator Edgardo J. Angara lauds and joins environmental advocacy efforts of former US Vice President and environment advocate Al Gore.

"Climate change has drastically altered not only our ecosystems but has also forced more people into poverty due to depleted natural resources and the threat of more catastrophic natural disasters," said Angara who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance.

He added," Mitigation and adaptation measures should be taken, and the people most vulnerable to its consequences must be given disaster preparedness training."

Al Gore who cited the Ondoy and Pepeng tragedy that the country experienced late last year called on to pursue Renewable Energy to combat climate change and boost the staggering fight against global warming.

"Greening the country is an integral component of our development agenda - harnessing our rich natural resources and protecting the environment for sustainable growth. Environmental protection is not a choice. It is a necessity. Another lesson learned from the Ondoy and Pepeng experience is that we need to put in place a more efficient disaster prediction and response system. We can prevent severe loss of life and property if we are better prepared and equipped," said Angara, author of the Renewable Energy law.

Meanwhile, Angara lead the ratification of the 2010 budget provides P500B for "Greening the Environment"; Clean water P30M, Solid Waste Management P37M, Protected areas P180M, Rehabilitation of lakes and rivers P50M, Mapping of forest cover P50M and P100M for the operation of the Climate Change Commission.

We must muster all efforts that will sustain this action and pursue not only the national goal to provide healthy ecology but a world wide effort to endow a sound environment for the future generation," said Angara