Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. was the presidential frontrunner. He stressed the need for policy reforms and programs that will create a peaceful equilibrium between economic development, the environment, and human life.
Nature has rights that should not be violated. It should be allowed to flourish, reproduce and attain its abundance side by side with human civilization in perfect balance and harmony with our growing communities,” he said at the sidelines of a provincial sortie.
“We should do this if we want to safeguard the most vulnerable members of our society from the onslaught of natural calamities, he added.
His plans include the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience, which will be inspired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and integrate many other agencies to provide a model of disaster resilience.
Marcos explained that it should also be integrated in agencies such as DOST to forecast the weather, LGUs and DSWD to respond, and NEDA to rehabilitation, among others.
In an effort to encourage reforestation, he will also establish industrial forest plantations to meet the market demand for wood.
Marcos said that his administration will work with all parties involved in mining to ensure that it does not become an abuse. He stated that it will help to recover the country’s economy from the pandemic.
He also plans on creating the Department of Water and Resources Management, which will ensure that everyone in the country has access to clean and potable drinking water.
Marcos stated that he will also concentrate on solid waste management and waste to energy programs which will be an income-generating initiative for his administration.
On the other, the presidential frontrunner claimed he will create an ecology based Disaster Risk Reduction Program that should be addressed from a point of view on environmental degradation especially on forests and wetlands.
Marcos stated that the country has a wealth of natural resources, including minerals, forests, agricultural lands, water, and fisheries.
He noted that the Philippines is one of the world’s leading nickel producers, which is highly in demand overseas.
Marcos also pointed out that the nation should make use of its resources to accelerate the recovery of an economy that has been badly affected by natural disasters and the pandemic.
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