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Friday, September 15, 2006
Negros Oriental leaders off to Sweden, Thailand
By Victor L. Camion
GOVERNOR George Arnaiz and Vice Governor Jose Petit Baldado have left for Sweden and Thailand respectively for separate educational tours on local governance and environmental sustainability.
Arnaiz left Wednesday for Sweden on the invitation of the Swedish Government through the Local Government Academy of Sweden.
Arnaiz was appointed by League of Governors president Enrico Aumentando of Bohol as the group's official delegate to study the local governance system of Sweden on September 14-29.
This is the governor's sixth travel abroad since he assumed office in 1998, all paid for by the inviting agencies or sponsored by foreign governments.
Arnaiz went to Germany two years ago on invitation of the German Government to study federalism and local governance.
He had also visited Australia, Thailand, China, and Taiwan to learn business and investment, federalism, water systems, technologies in agriculture, organic farming and tourism -- all major programs of his administration to spur the economy of the province and improve local governance.
On the other hand, Baldado is in Thailand on invitation of the Department of the Interior and Local Government-German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Water and Sanitation Program.
He earlier attended a conference on Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in the Southeast Asia Regional IWRM 2005 Meeting on the theme, "Accelerating IWRM Planning and Implementation for Environmental Sustainability."
The September 10-13 meeting is in Hinsuay Namsai Resort Hotel, Sakpong District, Rayong Province, Thailand.
It is sponsored by the Danish International Development and convened by the United Nations Environment Program, Global Water Partnership Southeast Asia, and Department of Water Resources, Monre, Thailand.
Andreas Kansler, GTZ country director of the Philippines and the Pacific and who invited the vice-governor, said "the conference is aimed to promote regional dialogue on lessons learned on accelerating IWRM planning and implementation."
In his invitation, Kansler stressed the need to further strengthen regional and national efforts on IWRM and environmental sustainability aspects in water management in Southeast Asia.
Kanzler said one of the highlights of the conference was the presentation of lessons learned from IWRM activities from different countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The conference included a field visit of Bang Pakong River Basin Organization.
(September 14, 2006 issue)
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