Open Boat Day 2008

Open Boat Day 2008 will be next Sunday, June 1, 2008, from 10:30am until 5pm. Check out our day's activities below. It will be held at the Manila South Harbor. To those who confirm, map and meeting area will be emailed by Friday. To reserve, please send an email to supporterservices.ph@greenpeace.org together with your name, your companions names, and your vehicle's plate number. You may also indicate which activity you would like to join so that we can save you a seat.

Open Boat Day 2008 is dedicated to all Greenpeace members, your family, and your friends!

Before touring the Rainbow Warrior, why not get environmentally engaged at the Clean Energy Exhibit while taking a sip of Greenpeace solar coffee.

You can also attend the activies below:

9am to 11am	Green Café: Clean Energy & The Rainbow Warrior
	Early birds get the worm! Start the day with solar coffee
	while Climate Campaigner Jasper Inventor lets us in on
	Greenpeace's fight for clean & renewable energy.
	This will be followed by a special tour of the ship
	by Captain Mike Fincken.
	Only 50 seats are available! So email us to confirm
	a slot for you and one companion.
10:30am onwards	Official start of Open Boat Day
11am to 12 noon	Simple Lang talk
	Learn how conserving electricity can
	help save the planet! Discover how simple acts,
	when done collectively, can save the climate.
	Only 50 seats are available! Email us to confirm
	a slot for you and one companion.
12 noon to 1pm	Open Boat Day takes a lunch break!
	Film showing of various Greenpeace videos
2:30pm to 4pm	Color me Green: Kids Activity
	20 kids will be getting a short & fun talk about
	our planet! This will be followed by a coloring
	session and a special tour of the Warrior.
	Participants can have their photos taken beside
	Dave the dolphin while displaying their artwork.
	Each child may have 1 adult companion during the Rainbow Warrior tour. 20 seat available!
	the Rainbow Warrior tour. Please email us
	to confirm a slot for your child. 20 seats available

Click to be Counted

This is a movement about change, as individuals, as a country, and as a global community. Join the 1,068,539 supporters of the Stop Global Warming Virtual March, and become part of the movement to demand our leaders freeze and reduce carbon dioxide emissions now. We are all contributors to global warming and we all need to be part of the solution.

Greenpeace dumps coal at DENR: calls for cancellation of IloIlo Coal plant

Greenpeace activists dumped half a ton of coal at the entrance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) today and unfurled a banner with the message “Atienza, don’t be a climate criminal.” The activists are demanding that Secretary Lito Atienza immediately reject all plans to construct a dangerous coal-fired power plant in Iloilo City.

Read more here.

Sign Up and let your voice be heard!

Make your voice heard.
Sign the petition opposing the construction of the
165 megawatt coal-fired power plant in Iloilo City, Philippines

Learn a word, donate some rice

Learn Free Vocabulary & Give Free Rice!
For each word you get right, FreeRice donates 20 grains of rice through the United Nations to help end world hunger. :)

Check out FREERICE

A CALL TO GO GREEN

A Call to the members and officers of the Iloilo Economic Development Foundation, Inc., Iloilo Business Club, Inc., Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Iloilo, Inc., Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Iloilo, Federation of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Panay, Inc., Iloilo Multi-Sectoral Business Organization, Iloilo Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ilonggo Producer's Association, Inc. and Philippine Retailer's Association of Iloilo.


Business groups in Iloilo have expressed their support for the proposed construction of a coal-fired power plant that is opposed by environmental groups and the Catholic Church.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, 10 business organizations representing more than 350 companies endorsed the putting up of a 100-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Barangay (village) Ingore in La Paz district here by the Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC) and Panay Power Corp. (PPC).

They said the coal plant would be necessary for realizing the economic development of the city and province and that the additional power supply would be critical in stabilizing power supply in Iloilo.

(read more, click on the link)

Dear Sirs and Madams,

I have read your commitment to further our good city's development.

As much as you see that coal-fueled power plants will answer the city's power shortage, please bear in mind the drastic long term effects that this will bring to us and future generations of Ilonggos. Please do not be blinded by the promise of electric power to boost our economy --- this plant will give us generations of asthma and bronchitis - stricken children brought about by its dangerous fumes. Gone will be the days that we can actually breathe clean air. Would you sacrifice your health, the health of your kids for this? Please take note of the hefty price you will have to pay for this. This is NOT the only alternative we have. There are other sources of energy we can utilize,and for the price you will be spending, worth the long term commitment. Please do not sacrifice so much for such a short-term goal, especially with such a costly price.

Electric Jeepneys to service residents of Bel-Air, Makati

Two units of the E-jeep will be servicing the residents of Bel-Air Village in Makati for free starting November 20, 2007. The routes of Bel-Air to Rockwell, and Bel-Air to the Buendia MRT station will be implemented. This project is made possible by GRIPP, Greenpeace, the City of Makati, with the cooperation of Bel-Air Village.

The E-jeepney was launched last July 2007 and is now in its pilot testing phase. Since we have not yet secured the necessary permits to get the E-jeep running on our city streets, units will service passengers within enclosed environments.

This is the first public transport of its kind in Southeast Asia. Ejeepneys mitigate climate change because they are free of fossil fuels. They also address urban problems such as air pollution and solid waste.

(from Greenpeace.org)

Hopefully we will implement these soon on all baranggays! Help us by inquiring or urging your baranggay to adapt a greener, cleaner way of living

simple lang (it's simple!)

Simple lang, BE ENERGY-CONSCIOUS AT HOME!

They say home is where the heart is…and we agree! Once you are completely energy-conscious with your habits and practices, you will easily incorporate this in your home life. Empower your family and household members to be energy-conscious. Remember, conserving energy also means you save up money that you can allocate to your other needs.

Simple lang, remember to do the simple acts of unplugging, switching off and lighting up efficiently (by using CFLs and inviting sunlight to your rooms) and don’t forget to keep your appliances in good condition so you maximize their use and prevent them from consuming excess energy.

Simpleng, Simple lang! Simple acts when done collectively will definitely help stop climate change. So, do a simple act now.

Simple lang, BE ENERGY-CONSCIOUS AT HOME!

=======================

ANOTHER USEFUL TIP!

Simple lang, USE A POWER STRIP!

Similar to what you did with your computers and related equipment in the office or school, you can also plug in your TV, VCD/DVD player, and other audio-visual appliances to a power strip so when you switch off, you switch off all the unnecessary standby mode consumption.

Tell your housemates to be energy-conscious like you – log on to www.greenpeace.org.ph/simplelang

snippet to read

Musharraf has ordered the arrest of several top lawyers and judges, but others remain defiant, taking their protest to the people


picture courtesy of TIME online (www.time.com)

Sign up and help them make a stand!

Please sign up at http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/x.php?cl=28273313

Burma's Fight

Burmese monks 'to be sent away'

Monks are absent, but people in Rangoon are going about their lives

Thousands of monks detained in Burma's main city of Rangoon will be sent to prisons in the far north of the country, sources have told the BBC.

About 4,000 monks have been rounded up in the past week as the military government has tried to stamp out pro-democracy protests.

(more at BBC news)
(more updates here)


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Sep 27, 2007 (DVB)–Further casualties have been reported as security forces continue their crackdown on the demonstrations in Rangoon.

Protestors came under fire on Thamada road, where one university student was shot in the forehead and died on the spot. A monk at the same location was shot in the back and wounded, and a youth was also shot and wounded.

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The whole thing started as a religious movement. It was not an organised democratic movement and there was no intention whatsoever for it to be turned into one. Monks were adamant about it.

They knew that there is no point in asking the generals for freedom. They knew that they don't have guns and can't beat the army. All they wanted to do was show the world what their situation is and that they are prepared to die.

They were very hopeful about the UN envoy coming to Burma. But they were quite surprised to hear that the UN envoy met Aung San Suu Kyi.

They love and respect her, but they felt that this time it is about them and that the UN envoy should be speaking to them. They felt that it's a distraction from them while they are being shot at and need protection.

This was an opportunity for them to express themselves after 20 years. Their eyes are on the international community, their only hope is that the world will see their plight and help them.

But when they hear that support for the demonstrations is dwindling and time passes by without help from anyone, they lose hope. They are getting disillusioned and eventually they'll give up.

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Please watch the videos and be informed. Let us pray for the safety of the people and hope that all will end well.

Electronic jeep launch!

Join us witness renewable energy come to life in the streets of Manila! You are all invited to the launch this Wednesday, July 4, 2007, from 8:30am until 10am, at the park in front of Glorietta 3 in Makati City (other landmarks include Shangrila Edsa Plaza, 6750, and Landmark).

These electric jeepneys are part of The Climate Friendly Cities Project, an innovative project that helps mitigate climate change and promote sustainable transport and waste management initiatives. The E-jeepneys run on renewable sources of energy. Its benefits include cleaner and safer transport for the riding public,increased incomes to the driver and a cleaner urban environment for all—while helping give solution to climate change. Much technical and commercial tests will follow in the next 6-9 months.

For questions or further directions to our launch in Makati, don't hesitate to give us a call at (02)4260368 local 110, or send us an email at supporterservices@ph.greenpeace.org . We know that July 4 is such a short notice, and so we will have other dates and venues where you can come and see the E-jeepneys.

Thinking Out of the Box

Literally, that is. Products have taken a whole new art form with their packaging, from innovative outer materials used, to bizarre and wonderfully delightful textures. Yet in this day and age of eco-awareness, we encourage you to re-think this design conceptualization with another factor: is it eco-friendly?

While it serves a multitude of purposes (primary cover/safety of product, marketing tool, etc.), product packaging, especially ones made of non-recyclable materials, pose a grave threat to the environment, and if not disposed properly, can do more damage that we would have thought. So what can we do?

For consumers, think out of the box. Choose products which have little or no packaging, or use recyclable packaging (tetra-paks, boxes made of cardboard/recycled paper are examples). For designers/creators, find ways to reduce plastics into your packaging (like, is there a better way to bundle items other than burning plastics!??!!!)

Give to charity. The best form of recycling is giving things, clothes, items we don't need to someone who needs it. Consider your items before you throw them away --- can they be reused by somebody? Can they be mended? Are they still able to function? If so, donate them or reuse them.

The choice to change and make a change is in our hands. As Gadhi said, "you must be the change you wish to see in the world"

Just Say NO

Just Say No to Plastic Bags
The plastic bags you bring home from the supermarket probably end up in a landfill. Every year, more than 500 billion plastic bags are distributed, and less than 3% of those bags are recycled. They are typically made of polyethylene and can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade in landfills that emit harmful greenhouse gases. Reducing your contribution to plastic-bag pollution is as simple as using a cloth bag (or one made of biodegradable plant-based materials) instead of wasting plastic ones. For your next trip to the grocery store, BYOB.

for more ideas on how to save the planet, please go check out http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/environment/

An Open Letter to Filipinos

Dear Fellow Filipino,

Good day to all of you! Before I begin my letter... just a disclaimer, for people who know me they know that I love the Philippines very much and I am not really one who rants and complaints to high heavens about what is happening to our country and does nothing about it, in fact, I feel that at my relatively young age of 27, I have done much service to the Philippines by setting up Pathways to Higher Education which has sent more than 500 poor but deserving students to college and AHON Foundation which has already built two public elementary school libraries that have benefitted more than 3,500 students. Yet, after seeing how events in our nation have transpired the past few weeks and talking with some friends, I feel the urge to share with you my own thoughts and feelings.

Over the weekend, we saw the completion of two major political alliances for this coming Senate Elections that has just began here in the Philippines . Now we have two political forces with familiar faces nonetheless on opposite sides of the fences. On one end, you have Tito Sotto and Tessie Aquino-Oreta who were two major stalwarts of the opposition and the FPJ Campaign in 2004 hobnobbing with the woman (Pres. GMA) whom they claimed to have cheated FPJ in the last Presidential Elections.On the other side of the fence, you see Manny Villar, the former house speaker who was actually responsible for impeaching Erap now part of the United Opposition who is led by no less than... Erap himself.

Now if you don't see anything wrong with this picture then you must be one of the many Filipinos who have accepted this very sad reality that there is indeed no permanent ideals that our government leaders stand up for but rather they just go where there self-interests can best be served. It is this kind of politics why I no longer wonder why good people like Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Mayor Jesse Robredo of Naga City or outstanding Bulacan Governor Josie Dela Cruz will find it hard or worse, never be elected to national positions.

It is with these in mind that I'd like to share with you what are events this coming May elections that will make me consider leaving the Philippines :

1.) If former COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano of Hello Garci fame wins in his bid to become Congressman of Bukidnon...seeking to replace a good man no less in incumbent Cong. Neric Acosta... We would really be the laughing stock of the whole world if we allow a man with the reputation of Garci to be one of our so called "Honorable
Gentlemen".

2.) If Dancing Queen Tessie Aquino Oreta reclaims her seat at the Senate... I hope that all of us would still remember that dance that she did during the 2001 impeachment hearings after they voted to overrule the decision of then Chief Justice Davide... let us make sure that people like her never make it to the Senate again.

3.) If Richard Gomez becomes a senator... what does he know about making laws? We already have the likes of Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid in the Senate and their performance or lack of it would be reason enough not to elect another actor who has no prior experience in government to the distinguished halls of the Senate.

4.) If Gringo Honasan wins again.... have we not learned our lesson? I cannot believe that just because someone is charismatic then we will just elect him to become one of our senators despite the fact that he has time and again caused so much instability in our country... if we want a military junta similar to that of Thailand ... then lets all vote for this guy....

5.) If Manny Pacquiao becomes Congressman of General Santos City... everybody loves Manny the Boxing Champ but Manny the Lawmaker? Lets be realistic here, Manny is our Hero alright but I think it takes more than just great boxing skills and a desire to serve to be able to make appropriate laws that would help uplift the lives of the many Filipinos who live in Poverty.

6.) If Lito Lapid wins for Mayor of Makati City... I don't like Jojo Binay as well but Lito Lapid as city mayor of the country's finance and business center?!?! And do you really think he is from Makati and has good plans for the city? The Arroyos asking someone like him to run just goes to show you how much love and concern this government has for our country.

7.) If Chavit Singson becomes a Senator, Illegal Gambling = Chavit... enough said.

Now if all of these 7 things happen during this coming elections then don't be surprised if I decide to leave this country that I love dearly.

Like I said during the first part of my letter, I feel that I have done much for this country but I think it's time that Filipinos become more vigilant and critical in selecting our leaders for the sake of our future and the generations that will go beyond us. So I appeal to every Filipino who asks what can I actually do for my country... Choose and vote for the right people this coming elections, huwag na tayong magpaloko sa mga kandidatong maganda lang ang jingle o gwapo lang sa mga poster. Let us choose leaders who have a good track record for service and who are genuinely committed towards serving our country.

Manindigan naman tayong lahat para sa ating Kinabukasan at para sa Kapakanan ng ating Bayan!

Thank you very much for your time in reading this letter.

Sincerely,

Harvey S. Keh
Email: harveykeh@gmail.com

say what?

Pluggin'

SHOCKS, a horror haiku collection by Aurelio Lopez III, is out and ready to be consumed. Get a copy now.

An Inconvenient Truth

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Let's do our part. Thanks, Mr. Gore :-)

the tale of two friends

two friends of mine, both charming, both amazing in stark extremities.

One is overflowed with blessings and has become a monster in disguise --- her ego overflated, her charm exaggerated ---too much "me" has gone and exploded all over the place that to keep my sanity i had to leave and lie low from her. Sadly, she is oblivious to the effect she gives and continues to this day living in her own universe of Me.

The other one is charming, amazing, wonderful. She lost her life to love, her confidence shattered, her ego bruised by a sad, pathetic being whose words cut her deep and left her badly scarred. She continually sought to love against all odds, hopeful, yet all in vain.

Sometimes you wonder if life is truly unfair. or just plain sadistic.

I pray for my friend's eventual realization, and for my other friend's gain in confidence.

not for free