My kind of Jeep

Finally a road vehicle that excites me...I'm not into cars..fast cars, slow cars, they don't really matter to me.. I cant distnguish one brand from another. I describe cars by their size and color..

Needless to say, new vehicles on the road do not grab my attention...except for one...

As I was leaving the provincial capitol of Negros Oriental in Bacolod City, my staff reminded me that to get to my next meeting, I would be riding the latest jeepney to hit the streets of bacolod.. I should mention at this point, that if there is any public utility vehicle that would pique my curiosity it would be the jeep.

For one, I love looking at the art work found on the sides of jeepneys, especially the very colorful ones and those that depict images related to our culture or beautiful places in our country. And second, as a child, my mom used to take me to the Intercon Hotel jeepney coffee shop where we would sit in the jeep and eat merienda..

But back to the jeep in Bacolod..This jeep is super special because it does not run on gasoline or diesel! It runs on electricity. Like any electronic gadget, you just have to plug it into an outlet, charge for a few hours and its good to go!...
Its called the E-Jeep. Its a joint project of the Green Renewable Independent Power Producer, Inc. (GRIPP), Greenpeace and Solar Electric Company.

Here's another exciting bit of info about this jeep and the vision of the groups behind the e-jeep. The intention is to use energy from biodegradable waste from the city's wet markets to power not just the jeep but an environmental-friendly mass transport system.

So, we address the problem of air pollution and solid waste management at the same time!

cool diba?

At present, the e-jeep is being test run in Bacolod and Makati. Since it only runs at 40kph, it is meant to ply small busy roads where the speed is usually slow anyway. Perfect for commuters inside a subdvision or short destinations. For efficient operations, we are told that the plan is to build stations where the jeeps can be charged, so instead of gas stations, we will have charging stations..

Needless to say, I enjoyed my short but extremely pleasant jeepney ride. Oh, by the way, it also is super quiet. No rumbling engines, no noisy tambutso!

I am really hoping to see more innovative environment-friendly projects like this.

Next thing you know, you'll be calling your mom or boyfriend and saying, sorry Im late, no low bat yung jeep na sinasakyan ko!

MY WORK IN THE SENATE!

A lot of you hear about my biking and running from media coverage. But not all of you know about the work I've done in the senate. I'd like to share the same with you as it is important to me that you also know about my senate work.

I am currently the chairperson of two senate committees, Health and Demography and Environment and Natural Resources. As such, I have sponsored a number of measures on these subject matters in the last two-and-a-half years. The bills listed below are those that have passed in the Senate. Two major bills have been signed into law by the President, namely, the Biofuels Act (RA 9367) and the Hospital Detention Act (RA 9439). We expect the other measures to likewise be signed into law before the 13th Congress formally adjourns this June.


ENVIRONMENT BILLS

"Biofuels Law" (Republic Act 9367) - Reduces the country's dependence on imported fossil fuels, protects public health and the natural ecosystem, and supports domestic industries engaged in biofuels production, particularly the sugar and coconut sectors. I am a co-sponsor and author, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago being the principal sponsor.

"Oil Pollution Compensation Act of 2007" (Senate Bill 2600) - Creates an Oil Pollution Management Fund which will cover expenses for containment and cleanup operations in case of an oil spill. The bill has been passed by both chambers of Congress and is now awaiting the President's signature.



***thats me with Congressmen Neric Acosta and Miles Roces in Guimaras after the oil spill incident

"Cebu Central Protected Landscape Act of 2007" (SB 2532) - Consolidates the management of Cebu province's five remaining forest areas and critical watersheds to be known as the Cebu Central Protected Landscape. Like SB 2600, the bill is ready for signing by the President.


HEALTH BILLS

"Hospital Detention Law" (Republic Act 9439) - Prohibits any hospital or medical clinic from detaining, directly or indirectly, patients who have fully or partially recovered or who may have died, for reasons of nonpayment of their hospital bills or medical expenses.

"Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act" (SB 2490) - Pushes for greater public awareness on the benefits of breastfeeding. It mandates the establishment of lactation stations in the workplace and public places where nursing mothers can express their milk. The Senate has approved the measure while the House is expected to pass its version soon.



***at the Fabella hospital encouraging new moms to breastfeed continuously

"National Anti-Rabies Act" (SB 2541) - Mandates dog owners to have their pets immunized against rabies and registered with their local government unit. This measure only needs the President's signature to become law.

"Mandatory Hepa-B Immunization Act" (SB 2012) - Expands the national immunization program by making basic immunization services against Hepatitis-B mandatory for infants within 24 hours after childbirth. The measure has passed the Senate but is still waiting for the House's final version.

"Cheaper Medicines Act" (SB 2263) - Reduces drug prices by amending specific provisions of the Intellectual Property Code. I co-sponsored the measure with the main author, Sen. Mar Roxas III. This bill awaits the House's final version.


LOCAL HEALTH LAWS

Republic Act 9421 - Upgrades the Valenzuela General Hospital into a 200-bed capacity tertiary hospital to be known as the Valenzuela Medical Center;

Republic Act 9420 - Converts 200 beds of the 2,000-bed Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium for tertiary general health care; and

Republic Act 9419 - Increases the bed capacity of the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina from 150 to 300 beds.

STATUS OF OTHER BILLS

Other bills I have authored are pending before the different senate committees. For more details on my bills, updates on my work in general please visit my website at www.senatorpiacayetano.com.