GMA’s SONA failed to address environmental issues

The recent State of the Nation Address by President Arroyo failed to provide any focus on the country’s environment, the head of a local environmental activist group said.

"We must bear in mind that any development, whether big or small is based on the nation’s wealth and natural resources," according to Antonio M. Claparols of the environmental group Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP).

"The air we breathe, the soil which is the foundation of our homes and offices, the food we eat, whether from the fields or from the cement that paves our streets to the stel and copper that make up all modern things," he said.

Claparols said it is unfortunate that the activities of the state are all centered on politics and economy without giving due respect and consideration to the environment, which is the basis of all life on earth.

Food is in scarcity in many parts of the country either through the indolence of our people or lack of proper resources to conserve them, he pointed out.

"Yes, we have very rich natural resources, but they are not easily available to the greater masses of our people. The government must be the first to make the initial and lasting moves to conserve and protect these resources," he added.

The ESP cautions the government and its leaders, particularly the opposition, to stop bickering and work for the greater welfare of many and to further develop and enrich our natural resources base for the benefit of all.