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Wednesday, June 04, 2003
Osmeña: It’s time to redefine politics
By Antonio V. Osmeña
Estatements
Since the Quezon-Osmena political era and until the present time, the Filipino voters continue to wait for the government to act for them. But an increasing number of young generation Filipinos are fed up with our politicians and are redefining politics. Politics is no longer just a question of what candidate, party, or issues you vote for. Today politics can be as much concerned with how you live your life with what you think about terrorism issues or energy policy. For example, while elected officials argue over a national energy policy, bow to special interests, and spend most of the national energy budget on centralized power to provide electricity, a growing number of Filipinos are decreasing their personal reliance on such centralized energy sources.
Instead of buying oil or gas for heating, they are heating their water with energy from the sun. They are also driving fuel-efficient cars or riding bicycles to work. Some get their electricity they need from solar photovoltaic cells mounted on the roof. In taking these personal steps toward energy self-reliance, these individuals are also acting politically by reducing the need for imported oil and for building more coal-powered plants to generate electricity.
Today the citizens of Cebu depend entirely on the centralized supply of electricity from the National Power Corporation where electricity is retailed through different franchised private corporations. For example, our country is fortunate that the islands of Leyte and Oriental Negros have an abundant source of geothermal energy.
The nonrenewable geothermal energy comes from the decay of radioactive elements deep within the earth that generates heat that slowly flows into buried rock formations. Under intense pressure and lava flow from the molten interior of the earth, some of the earth’s geothermal energy escapes through hot springs, geysers, and volcanoes.
Geothermal wells can be drilled like oil and natural gas wells to bring this dry steam, wet steam, or hot water to the earth’s surface. Although geothermal sources are nonrenewable, they are projected to last for 100 to 200 years in most places. Today 20 countries are tapping such deposits of geothermal energy to produce electricity, provide low-to moderate-temperature heat for some industrial processes, to heat water in homes and businesses.
Renewable geothermal energy such as the dry and warm hot rock deposits lying deep underground are potentially the largest and most widely distributed geothermal resource in our country. ]
Over the next few decades the geothermal energy will eventually make a significant contribution with or without government leadership and action. In criticizing and evaluating leaders we should keep in mind the Spanish verse “advice pours down from the stadium full. But only the matador faces the bull.” Instead of merely criticizing, some observers urge that we elect new breed of Filipino leaders, whose primary loyalty is to the future of humanity and of course to the ecosphere. By adopting a life-style of voluntary simplicity (doing more with less), individuals are taking political actions to help make the national and global transition to a sustainable earth society. They are learning that buying more products and luxuries doesn’t provide security or freedom. Instead it can lead to insecurity because the more things you own, the more time and money you must spend protecting and repairing them. Political leadership in government and action won’t be needed if enough Filipinos voluntarily adopt a simpler lifestyle, a sustainable Philippine society will eventually be achieved.
(June 4, 2003 issue)
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