Garin’s parting shot/ Leviste goes solar

Within just a year of her appointment as health secretary, Dr. Janette Garin, with the help of high-powered colleagues, was able to fast-track and systematize the implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law, despite obstacles poised along the way.

At the launch of the Second Popularized Report on the Implementation of the RPRH Law, she described between near tears and smiles her experiences as a congresswoman in getting the law passed in the 2012 Congress, and the work of the team she organized for  its implementation. Even inside Congress, she was the target of ostracism, calling her divisive, from her colleagues, and in provinces where she campaigned for reelection in the midterm elections of 2013, she was called “abortionist,” not just by churchmen and church-owned radio stations and even people she  knew in her community.

The  reproductive health advocacies’ triumph over the passage of the law was marred when the Supreme Court, which earlier had ruled it constitutional, issued a TRO ruling temporarily preventing the DOH from providing implants and issuing licenses for all other forms of contraception (even those with existing permits), The TRO has proven to be a hindrance but, said Dr. Janice Demetrio Melgar, “it has never stopped the (DOH) from doing what it can.”

The SC has yet to lift the TRO, but in the meantime, Secretary Garin formed the National Implementation Team (NIT) to coordinate the efforts of agencies involved with maternal and family health and the Population Commission and Dr. Yoly Oliveros of the Department of Health.  The team was  composed of former health secretary Esperanza Cabral (as chair) and Dr. Melgar, director of the Family Health Office.

The NIT focused on “the most critical issues of the day,” covering maternal health and mortality, adolescent health, HIV/AIDS, and gender-based violence.  Hurdling the legislators’ cutting down of DOH fund for contraceptives, the team convinced PhilHealth to make possible P97 million in reimbursements for women accessing Rh services.

Garin said if the Supreme Court will not lift its TRO, DOH is looking forward to the next president “who can have a huge influence on the Supreme Court, for them to sit down, think about the consequences to the mothers, and have the heart to really decide on matters that are legal for the people and will have a legacy in the country.”

“We already have fought a good fight but it doesn’t stop there. In the many years to come, it shall continue to reach every Filipino and give them the much-needed information and services they rightfully deserve so that we will attain universal access for all women, men, and young people to comprehensive reproductive health care.”

After she leaves the health department, the articulate medical doctor/legislator said she has in mind taking up law. Will wonders never cease for Secretary Garin?

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At age 23, Leandro Legarda Leviste is making an impact in the Philippine energy sector.

He was studying at Yale University when he learned about the efficiency of solar power, and dropping out of school, he came home determined to get into the solar power business, and organized Solar Philippines.

Solar Philippines’ first project was the installation of a 700-kilowatt rooftop power plant at the Central Mall in Binan City Laguna. Two years ago, Solar Philippines switched on the SM North EDSA solar-powered rooftop, turning SM North into the biggest solar-power mall in the world . The project has 5,760 solar panels installed, which  can generate up to 1.5 megawatts (MW)  of electricity, enough  to power the mall’s 16,000 light fixtures, 59 escalators and 20 elevators.

Solar Philippines is also putting up solar panels at SM Dasmarinas, Cavite and SM Mall of Asia. It is also seeing more solar panel projects for malls in the country.

Leandro, son of Sen. Loren Legarda and her ex-husband Tony Leviste,  says Solar Philippines has completed its 63.3-megawatt (MW) solar farm in Batangas, providing additional power supply in the western part of the province. The project has started generating power weeks before the Department of Energy (DOE)’s deadline of March 15, 2016.

Solar Philippines’ Calatagan solar project is expected to offset over one million tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to planting over million million trees in the next three decades of its operation. During construction, the project employed 2,500 people, and is expected to employ another 100 Tanauan locals. Legarda said Solar Philippines will begin construction of its next projects in Mindanao and Luzon, generating a total of 500 MW by 2017.

The Batangas solar farm was developed, financed and completed exclusively by a Philippine company.

It was made possible through the support of local banks, namely Philippine Business Bank (PBB), BDO Unibank Inc., China Banking Corp., and Bank of Commerce. “Our banking partners have given unprecedented support, and we look forward to extend these partnerships into future projects,” Leviste said.

Solar Philippines will also build a factory in Tanauan, Batangas, that will manufacture solar panels for a target capacity of two gigawatts (GW), which it claims will be the largest outside of China. A solar farm will also be put up in Tarlac, which, says Leviste, will be the world’s largest unsubsidized solar farm, replacing expensive gas, oil and diesel.

Building the facility, said Leviste, “is the key step towards lowering solar costs, enabling us to produce electricity cheaper than coal. Instead of importing expensive fuel from other countries, we will manufacture (solar panels) in the Philippines. The facility will be built over the next three years. Soon enough, our country can become the Saudi Arabia of solar, a leading energy exporter, and “Made in the Philippines’ panels will be used around the world.”

‘’I believe we can convince power companies to change their direction. Companies invest in coal with good intentions believing it to be the cheapest power; but even they would agree that on the day renewable energy becomes cheaper than coal, we should banish fossil fuel from the Philippines forever. Now, that day has come, and wise coal investors should pull back before it’s too late.”

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We Filipinos have all read when we were kids  the story about Lapu-Lapu, the datu who  killed   the Spanish conquistador Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan. Except for a brief account  about the battle, we hardly have historical documents on Lapu-Lapu as we have volumes on  Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio, plus the romantic movie about Heneral Luna. The present generation should have a grand picture of this first Filipino hero.

My pining for such a document was answered when I received a copy of Maktan 1521 from a friend. It’s a comic book that tells in modern visual genre Lapu-Lapu’s and his men’s conquest of foreign invaders, using only bolos against the enemy’s firepower. The illustrations are unique,  dramatic, vivid and compelling, giving the digital-age reader a fascinating story about the battle.

The comic book author is Tepai Pascual, who in 2008, researched on the Battle of Mactan as part of her thesis at the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts with Prof. Romanito Austria as her thesis advisor and Dr. Bong Dizon from the National Historical Institute as one of her contributors.

At the end of the story is a section where the author talks about her research and process in making the comic book. She emphasized the scarcity of information on the topic, and thankfully, came across a book that gives some details on the battle in Mactan.

Fired up with her research and imagination , she produced a comic book with a good story. Apart from the hero, she introduces his son, named Sawili, who participates in the battle. The characters wear  striking ornaments, from head to foot, and costumes. There is violence, anguish, fierce fighting – for what battle is without all that? Every visual of the s tory takes the reader to that historical event, from what really happened before and during the battle.

For her thesis,Tepai earned the highest grade in her course.   Our young ones, as well as us, should read  Maktan 1521, which is available in bookstores nationwide.

Tepai is the daughter of Bert and Ditas Pascual.

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