BY ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO


 HUMANITY’S FUTURE THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE: Ms. Cecille Guidote Alvarez, wife of Chairman Heherson Alvarez of the Philippine Commission on Climate Change, agrees strongly with our thesis in this column that climate change and global warming, here and around the world, could only be remedied by a serious moral re-awakening and a return to God’s Word by all mankind.

Speaking at the close of the 15th National Press Congress spearheaded by the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) at the Dakak Park in Dapitan City, Zamboanga Del Norte, Ms. Alvarez also concurred with a challenge I myself tossed earlier to the 250 or so editors, columnists and reporters and other mediamen attending the event, for them to start empowering our people with the Word of God in their articles, columns and broadcasts.

It is the very future of humanity that is at stake if we do not solve the problems of climate change and global warming with urgency, she explained, adding that everyone, mediamen included, must now try to do their share in fighting the twin problems, more particularly with conducting themselves morally and ethically in relation to the environment, in accordance with the Bible.

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DAKAK PARK, JEWEL OF A RESORT: Speaking of Dakak Park, I’d say it is a jewel of a resort, what with its white sand beaches, breathtaking swimming pools, courteous and competent staff, good entertainment, and, of course, excellent food.

The only problem however is the difficulty of reaching it at the moment, considering that the roads leading to it, particularly from the domestic airport located at the nearby Dipolog City, are undergoing repairs and re-engineering which, from all indications, would take a few more months to complete.

But this notwithstanding, I am recommending Dakak Park as a good venue for out-of-town conferences, or any other form of meeting, whether of the public or the private sectors. It is at the heart of Dapitan, a historical place worth visiting because our national hero, Jose Rizal, was exiled here for four years by the Spanish authorities of his time.

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PAPI HITS DETENTION OF DIPOLOG BROADCASTER: On top of the conference theme “Media: Re-engineering Tourism and Climate Change Adaptation Initiatives”, the 15th National Press Congress also saw the passage of a resolution by PAPI officers and members condemning the physical assault and detention of Dipolog City broadcaster Ryan Uy, who seems to have incurred the ire of authorities in Dipolog, resulting in his detention up to now.

Likewise, the congress also tackled my suggestions that PAPI should work for the abolition of libel as a crime from our statute books and anyone claiming to have been damaged by any article, column or broadcast of any mediaman should instead file a civil case for damages only, on the argument that the law on libel violates the Constitutional guarantee of free press.

Also made subject of discussions was my other proposal to confer the status of a person in authority upon all mediamen, so that anyone causing harm to them could be punished with imprisonment of up to 12 years.

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LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “…The Lord will send 

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Pagkakakulong ng Dipolog broadcaster, kinondena


KAPALARAN NG MUNDO, DELIKADO SA CLIMATE CHANGE: Puspusang sumasang-ayon si Ms. Cecille Guidote Alvarez, ang maybahay ni Chairman Heherson Alvarez ng Philippine Commission on Climate Change, sa ating pananaw sa kolum na ito na ang climate change at global warming, sa Pilipinas at sa mundo, ay masosolusyunan lamang ng isang seryosong pagbabangon ng moralidad at pagbabalik sa Salita ng Diyos ng sangkatauhan.

Sa kanyang talumpati sa pagtatapos ng 15th National Press Congress na pinangunahan ng Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) sa Dakak Park sa Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte, kinatigan din ni Ms. Alvarez ang ating hamon sa mga 250 editors, kolumnista at mga reporters at iba pang mediamen na dumalo, na umpisahan na din nilang patatagin ang sambayanan sa Salita ng Diyos sa kanilang mga artikulo, kolum at mga broadcast.

Ang kinabukasan ng mundo ang nakataya kung hindi natin malulutas ng agaran ang mga problema ng climate change at global warming, dagdag ni Ms. Alvarez, na nagsabi ding ang lahat, kasama na ang mga mediamen, ay kailangang kumilos upang labanan ang mga problemang ito, lalo na sa pagkilos ng may pagka-matuwid sa isyu ng kalikasan, batay sa sinasabi ng Bibliya.

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DAKAK PARK, NAPAKAGANDANG RESORT: Kaugnay naman ng Dakak Park na pag-aari ng Pamilya Jalosjos, ito ay isang hiyas na maituturing, lalo na kung isasaalang-alang ang kanyang puting buhangin sa dalampasigan, makapigil-hiningang mga swimming pool, mahuhusay at magagalang na mga empleyado, magandang entertainment at, siyempre, masasarap na pagkain.

Ang tanging problema lamang nito sa ngayon ay ang hirap ng biyahe bago ito marating, dahil sa ang mga kalsadang patungo doon, mula sa domestic airport sa Dipolog City, ay sumasailalim sa pag-aayos, na sa aking tingin ay aabutin pa ng maraming buwan bago matapos.

Pero sa kabila nito, inererekomenda ko pa din ang Dakak Park bilang isang mahusay na lugar para sa mga out-of-town conferences, o ng iba pang mga meeting, ke pampribado o pang-gobyerno. Ito ay nasa gitna ng Dapitan, isang bayang mayaman sa kasaysayan dahil dito itinapon ng mga Kastila ang pambansang bayaning si Jose Rizal noon mag-umpisa siyang magrebelde.

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PAPI HITS DETENTION OF DIPOLOG BROADCASTER:  Maliban sa tema nitong “Media: Re-engineering Tourism and Climate Change Adaptation Initiatives”, naglabas din ang 15th National Press Congress ng isang resolusyon mula sa mga opisyales at kasapi ng PAPI na kumukondena sa pambubogbog at pagpapakulong hanggang ngayon kay Dipolog City broadcaster Ryan Uy, na tila kinamumuhian ng matindi ng mga autoridad sa Dipolog.

Tinalakay din ng kumperensiya ang aking panukala na dapat ay kilusin ng PAPI na maalis na ang libelo bilang isang krimen, at ang sinumang magsasabing nasaktan siya ng artikulo, kolum o broadcast ng sinumang mediamen ay magsampa na lamang ng kaso para sa danyos perhuwisiyos, batay na rin sa argumentong ang batas sa libelo ay lumalabag sa garantiya ng Saligang Batas para sa malayang pamamahayag.

Naging paksa din ng diskusyon ang isa ko pang panukala na magbibigay naman ng estadong “persons in authority” sa lahat ng mediamen, upang sinumang magbibigay-pinsala sa kanila ay mapaparusahan ng pagkakakulong hanggang labindalawang taon.

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INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY: “…The Lord will send 


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