BALER, Aurora—Various local government personnel from the different municipalities of Quezon province went on a two-day study tour and learning experience on October 23 and 24 to learn about biodiversity, wildlife management and renewable energy.
The event, dubbed as “Knowledge networking, and learning exchange on renewable energy, biodiversity and wildlife management,” was spearheaded by Tanggol Kalikasan (TK), a public-interest environmental law organization, backstopped by the United Nations Democracy Fund, that aims to create community awareness and action for renewable energy in the country.
The participants—composed of representatives from various offices of municipal environment and natural resources, agriculture and disaster rescue and management from 20 municipalities of Quezon and from the city governments of Tayabas and Lucena—underwent a lecture and forum on renewable energy, biodiversity and wildlife management.
The participants came from Lucban, Mauban, Real, Infanta, San Antonio, Dolores, Sariaya, Tiaong, Pagbilao and Atimonan, among others.
The activity was led by Engr. Roberto Verzola of the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology who discussed renewable energy. Lawyer Maria Generosa Mislang, TK executive director, tackled various laws on biodiversity, the Wildlife Act and the Renewable Energy Act.
Fr. Warren Puno of Our Lady of the Angels Parish in in Atimonan, Quezon started the program on the first day with a prayer at the Function Hall of La Patricia Hotel and Restaurant, where the participants were billeted. Estacio Lim Jr., project manager of TK CCARE project, helped oversee the overall program activity.
Verzola talked about the status of the electricity-sector situation in the country and cited the baseload power plants that are usually coal-fired power plants that emit greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants. He said baseload plants do not have a flexible output, have marginal cost higher than solar and wind-power plants, and whose role will become less important in the future.