PERSPECTIVES

by Johnny C. Nunez

Carnage On The Road

The abnormally high and increasing incidence of carnage on our highways in various parts of the country in recent weeks that have killed many people must be addressed promptly by government authorities. Mindless motorists and speed maniacs must not be allowed to cause more mayhem and create more orphans and widows.

Humanitarian consideration invoked by bus drivers to allow them to continue their merry ways must yield to disciplinary measures. Their irresponsible peers must at least be sanctioned. Bus companies must be made accountable for the irresponsibility of their drivers and drivers’ associations must discipline and police their own ranks to deserve respect.
The Land Transportation Office must review its drivers licensing procedure to make sure those unfit to drive are not issued the license to kill innocent people. The rackets at LTO offices regarding FIXED motor emission tests and RIGGED drivers’ examinations must immediately be straightened up.
The LTFRB must perform its mandated functions seriously.

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It’s too bad Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago lost her bid for a seat in the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ). However the concerned organ of the UN conducts its politics which derailed the Philippine bid. Sour-graping will not do any good. Let’s accept our defeat with candor and pride. The Philippines had had its share of honor in occupying an ICJ seat in the past.

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If US President-elect Barack Obama has anybody to thank for his historic rise to the US presidency, the man who richly deserves his thanks is no less than outgoing President George W. Bush. It was he who engineered the very serious problems that plagued the world and created the most favorable conditions for Americans of various racial origins to close ranks and chose Obama their President.

Things will certainly be difficult for Obama when he assumes his presidency. He is well aware that his every decision and action now are being closely watched not just by Americans but also by the entire world. This is clear when he addressed the world during his first post-election press conference. He said: “Our stories are singular but our destiny is shared and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. . . . And to those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright, we have proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth but from the enduring power of our ideals – democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.”

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While many Filipinos don’t care about political developments in the US, some regularly keep themselves updated because they know that under the existing globalized market economy, anything that happens in the US is likely to affect them. The latter are right but they should not delude themselves into believing the Philippines commands any importance to the US and its order of priorities. They should not expect their lot to miraculously improve because Obama won.
Filipinos have good reasons to welcome the incoming Obama presidency because the US Democratic Party has traditionally been biased in favor of Philippine interests. Recorded history shows we secured favorable deals with the US in the past under a Democrat President. Obama previously supported the proposed Philippine Veterans Equity Bill in the US Senate. Let’s hope he pushes the same under his presidency.

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Due to our focus on the US elections, one domestic event that deserves public attention hardly got any public notice. I refer to the inauguration recently of Petron’s Fuel Additive Blending Plant in Subic . The facility will blend 12,000 metric tones of additives annually with various fuel oils including gasoline and diesel. The enriched fuel oil products will be for local consumption and export to other countries, particularly in Asia. The investment spells more gainful jobs for Filipinos and more foreign exchange for the national economy. Additives improve fuel efficiency, boost engine performance and help maintain a more healthful environment because their emissions are less harmful.

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Hopefully, Obama will also address the world’s Global Warming concerns signing soon the world environmental treaty known as the Kyoto Protocol which the US has insistently refused to sign, arguing the treaty is too expensive and unfairly excludes developing countries.

The Kyoto Protocol calls for a reduction of 5.2 percent of world’s total carbon emissions below 1990 levels from this year, 2008 until 2012. US participation and direct involvement in this crucial effort is vital because it accounts for 36 percent of the world’s carbon emissions; Russia contributes 17 percent. These two countries must play a key role in addressing the global warming problem.

Global warming, which creates high temperatures on the surface of oceans has produced super typhoons that regularly devastate the Philippines and super hurricanes that have pummeled various areas of the US in the last few years. It is due to global warming that that number of typhoons visiting the Philippines keeps increasing every year. PAGASA, for instance predicted we will have 14-16 typhoons this year. By the latest reckoning, the count has already reached 19 while I write this piece and we still have 14 days to go before 2008 ends. /MP