The current war between Ukraine and Russia has affected the global chain of fuel supply thereby negatively affecting our country’s economy. Expectedly, prices skyrocketed instantly, whether crude oil, gasoline, kerosene, or LPG. Affected also are all prices of commodities and the price of electricity. “Lahat na lang tumataas, maliban sa sueldo”, is the common lament of the working class.
Unfortunately, this scenario has been a common occurrence in the history of our nation. With the many Presidents who have come and left Malacanang, this perennial problem was and until now has no solution in sight. With the increasing demand in electricity as our country tries to revive its economy and exert its effort for industrialization the need for greater energy supply is more aggressively evident. With the car industry ever expanding almost on a yearly basis, the demand for fuel is ever increasing. Our country therefore is directed towards a bigger consumption of fossil fuel thereby making its economy more vulnerable to international market fluctuation and disturbance
Unfortunately, the Presidents that occupied Malacanang did not plan and implement a set policies/program/projects that will minimize the impact of situations such as we are in, right now.
Hence, some politicians and technocrats are reviving, again, the long dead Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. And tragically, that is where the discussion starts, revolved, and dissipate in so far as looking for alternative source of energy for our country is concerned. Desperate to have an immediate solution politicians and technocrats jump into a dangerous proposition: nuclear energy.
However, there is a simple solution that is staring right in our very eyes: daily garbage.
Yes, Fernando. Garbage. As a source of energy.
For example, New York City of the US of A produces around 450-600 tons of garbage per day and up to 3.2 million of garbage annually. You might ask where they dump those tons of wastes. They send it to other cities such as New Jersey, or other States such as Ohio or Pennsylvania to be used as solid fuel for their incinerators that produce electricity. You might protest: But isn’t incinerators produce pollution and not good for the environment. Not anymore, Fernando. Modern technology can now transform the fumes produced by incinerators into clean air. And the ash can be used for landfill and safe to be dumped in landfill areas.
Actually, this can be an alternative source of energy for our province. We can have an alternative source of energy at a lower price and at the same time solve the problem of LGUs for larger land space to be used as garbage landfills. Investors, anyone?
(BY SEVS V. VIDAL)
