Group asks government officials to focus on environment

The remaining one and half years of President Arroyo in office is sufficient to prevent or slow down the ecological time bomb that is now ticking at a faster phase and could explode any time now in the Middle East or from the South East Asian region.

This was the observation of Antonio M. Claparols, president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) and regional councilor of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Accoding to Claparols, environmental issues, poverty alleviation, protection of forests and marine resources are as important as other issues. Politics will have to be put aside and that all politicians must work hand in hand to save our country, Claparols said.

War, according to the ESP president, will again push environmental issues, poverty alleviation, protection of our forest and marine resources in the back burner.

Claparols warned that the prospects of war will continue to sidetrack environmental issues making more difficult to have food security and environmental security. This he said, will increase poverty and the lack of food, water and clean air for the population.

Many factors will be forced by transnational corporations and governments, to exploit our mineral and natural resources as well as our marine and forest resources, he added.

Claparols said it is urgent that the government and the leaders put more or equal attention on environmental concerns as with a healthy environment we will be able to attain food security and reduce poverty in our country.

"We are calling on our government to stop the field testing of GMOs to protect human health and the environment and to be vigilant in the conservation of the environment for the benefit of the people and generations to come. Let these be part of your legacy Madam President," he added.