PRIVILEGE SPEECH Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta February 23, 2016

(Photo credit: Team Acosta)

 Mr. President, Mr. Floor Leader, my colleagues in the City Council, friends in the media, ladies and gentlemen, Assalamu Alaikom, Maayong buntag, Good morning! I rise on personal privilege today, to broach the possibility of having a GREEN CODE or GREEN ORDINANCE in our City.
         

What would this ordinance hope to contain or achieve? It may:

a.    provide a compilation of existing environmental laws

b.    ensure that such laws and regulations and its applications do not run counter to each other but instead complement each other

c.    encompass measures to make sure that green initiatives and innovations are applied in residential and commercial

d.    encourage business ventures and investments to become 'green compliant' through tax incentives

While I was exploring this idea with environmentalists whom I got to know because of this green space episode, I found out that the late Councilor Leo Avila, who for the longest time chaired the Committee on Environment, also had something similar in mind which went by another name.  Call it coincidence, or Fate, it remains that chance has it that people of same wavelengths would eventually gravitate toward each other.

          Having said that, it may also be a good idea to take up the standing offer of the Ateneo De Davao University, through its University president Fr. Joel Tabora, to partner with the LGU of Davao City regarding sustainable development through modern and world-class urban planning. Hopefully this opportunity paves the way for various stakeholders to come together to come up with proposals that could be supported by legislation.

Our survival as human beings, depends on how much we respect the forces of nature. Our humanity will always be challenged, either by our deep understanding, or lack thereof, of natural laws that have long existed before us. Climate change is upon us and has long been a reality check. We need urgent implementation of pro-active and forward-looking measures now, before it is too late.

Green spaces are not beautification projects. They are more than that. They actually serve a very practical purpose to mitigate the extreme conditions we are experiencing now. If trees are given permanent spaces where they are safe, secure, and will not be under any threat for its survival, we will have better chances of coping with unpredictable weather patterns and its consequences. If the green spaces are near where we live and work, so much the better.  Let us altogether work for harmony and balance where development and environmental protection go together.

In the proper time your honor, I will move that this privilege speech be considered as read on first reading so that a committee hearing may be conducted and so that a proper resolution and ordinance will be established in the near future.

Thank you.