Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
June 27, 2024
Q: Pakay ng pagbisita sa Palawan
Sen. Pia Cayetano: Well, alam niyo ako kasi, multitasker ako. Sa lahat ng ginagawa ko, sa lahat ng galaw ko, parang marami na akong gustong ma-achieve kapag ganun. So when I visit a beautiful place like Puerto Princesa, Palawan, syempre kasama na diyan is I want to enjoy. I want to enjoy the beautiful place of Palawan. In fact, bukas susunod ang anak ko. But it’s also my job as a senator to go around and to check on our constituents dahil ang senators ay nationwide ang aming constituency.
Kaasama ang pag-ikot, pag-check kasi naging Chairman ako ng Committee on Education Nameet ko yung representatives ng ating dalawang state universities dito, tinatanong ko ang enrollment nila, ang capacity nila, kung nao-over capacity. Kasi natanggap mo nga yung mga scholars, pero at the same time, masyadong marami. Pagod na pagod din naman ang mga teacher, mga professors. I had some meetings with them. And then I’ve met with the local government, of course, Puerto Princesa City Mayor Bayron and my good friend, family friend namin ang Mitra family. Sila po ang nag-host sa amin dito. And the opportunity to meet with the locals, especially ang mga nanay, mga BHW. Kasi malapit sa puso ko yun dahil nanay po ako.
In our show, yung Cayetano In Action with Boy Abunda, nae-encounter namin ang mga day-to-day na problema nila sa buhay, and when I go out and meet the people, doon ko talaga rin naiisip na yung inspiration ng mga batas ko. Kinalabit nga ako kanina ni former Governor Baham Mitra na, oh nakwento ko ba yung maternity leave na batas? Hindi ko na nakwento kasi ang tagal ko nang senador. So hindi ko na nakwento lahat yun. But, I like to connect with them. Kasi, you know it was in the occasion din na naglilibot ako na may nagsabi din sa akin, bata pa siya, mga early 30s. Sabi niya, senator hindi na kami makakuha ng trabaho dahil nakalagay sa mga help wanted, up to 25 years old lang. Yung mga ganun. So this is where I get my inspiration. This is why I go around.
Q: What else do you look forward to in visiting?
Sen. Pia Cayetano: I am looking forward to my visit to El Nido because ako kasi, we live in a country surrounded by water, right? Natural sa atin na yung kabuhayan ay nasa dagat. Natural din sa atin na kapag may mga bisitang pumupunta dito, ang hinahanap nila is beach. I am very excited to visit El Nido because nanggaling po ako sa Bali a month ago. Nag-compete po ako doon nung kinu-kwento kong padel. And I want to really see kung paano ba natin palalaguin ang ating livelihood opportunities for our locals, business opportunities for our entrepreneurs, but at the same time, preserving our culture, preserving our identity, and our natural resources.
Plus I’ll have the opportunity tomorrow to visit Malampaya, kasi ako po ang bagong Chairman ng Senate Committee on Energy. Medyo malawak, marami. Although Committee Chairman na ako ng Energy, how many years ba, five years na ako naging Chair ng Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking kaya talagang parang natural na sa akin na every time na tumitingin ako, naiisip ko na paano ba palalaguin itong mga opportunities na ito, but at the same time, preserving our resources for the future generations. Energy is a big part of it, tomorrow na siguro ulit ako magbibigay ng briefing, after I visit. But doon lang talaga sa resources natin as a community, having sustainable communities is a goal. And I shared it with the kapitans when I talked to them. This is the goal, na yung barangay niyo, community niyo, umaasenso, pero nagpe-preserve pa rin kayo ng resources. Hindi niyo inuubos. Because wala nang maiiwan sa next generation. That’s my passion. And I am working with the universities to make sure that the younger generation understands sustainable growth.
Q: Palawan and Boracay as best islands in Asia-Pacific 2024. What other initiatives are needed to preserve the island’s biodiversity while promoting tourism?
Sen. Pia Cayetano: Katulad nga ng sinasabi ko, ang sobrang importante talaga is ma-preserve natin, kasi kung pagandahan lang ng building, marami namang bansa pwede magpagawa ng tallest building, longest bridge. Ito talaga, pinanganak na tayong ganito na kaganda ang bansa natin. And for the Palaweños, this is how beautiful the province is. So the challenge really, and I want it to be a whole-of-society approach, from local government, to the universities, schools, barangays, and with the help ng national government natin, paano natin ipe-preserve yun? It requires education, training. It requires na mahalin mo kung anong meron, pero meron pa ring capability kung paano mo gagawin. Kasi, hindi naman tayo pwedeng maging takot sa technology. Mapapalayo na ako, but it’s part of it. AI. Sa ibang bansa kasi, isang click mo lang, makakakuha ka na ng masahista, isang click mo lang, meron nang food delivery. But those are things that make it also exciting for tourists, na kahit hindi nila alam ang language, kahit bago lang ang lugar, they are using technology. And the case of the Philippines, English speakers tayo, eh. Added bonus yun. Wala naman maliligaw dito sa atin, diba? Lahat tayo, we can communicate with anyone who can speak English. There’s so much that can be done. Isama ko na din diyan ang Department of Tourism, with proper policies. But you know, andyan naman na ang ingredients.
Ako, I like to encourage the people that it’s up to them. Whether it’s a tourist or a new business, or even the locals to make them feel welcome. When I say locals, meaning to say, maging business-friendly ang ating environment, nasa atin na po yan.
Q: June as Environment Month, you passed the law to make Tubbataha Reef a protected area. How can we protect our water resources?
Sen. Pia Cayetano: Yes, sobrang importante yun. I had the opportunity nung ako po ay Chairman ng Committee on Environment nung unang, first few years ko, ang Tubbataha is one of the first na napasa natin. It’s very important, especially now na may awareness ang mga tao sa importance ng environment, pupunta talaga doon sa lugar na alam nila na nape-preserve. So that is my challenge for the Palaweños, you also preserve it because the tourists also want to see na tayo mag-set ng standard, nirerespeto natin ang lugar natin. We will also expect na rerespetuhin nila.
Q: Problems on energy that need to be addressed?
Sen. Pia Cayetano: Like I mentioned, naging Chairperson ako ng Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking. So when it comes to energy, energy security is very important. Kasama yan sa futures thinking. Para magkaroon tayo ng reliable energy, and that’s what you are talking about, hindi reliable, pawala-wala, pinaplano po yan 10 years before, 15 years before.
Hindi natin pwede tingnan yung kapitan niyo ngayon o mayor niyo ngayon, kung bakit yun ang problema dahil kasama yun sa mahabang planning. And that’s what I want to do in my short term as Chairman, to put together the framework para the next generation, hindi na sila magtatanong, bakit hindi kayo nagplano noon? That is my specialty, futures thinking, so that’s what I hope na ma-achieve ko kahit paano.
Q: Mensahe para sa Palaweños
Sen. Pia Cayetano: For all the Palaweños, I am so excited to be here. It’s my pleasure to be back. And I’m one with you in preserving the God-given beauty of Palawan. We just have to push for policies that allow growth, that encourage the younger generation to be innovative, to look for opportunities that will provide more jobs, that our universities are equipped to teach our young people kung ano ang mga bagong technology na kailangan nilang matutunan, so that we can preserve what we have but at the same time, grow and be competitive worldwide. Dahil nananalo tayo ng awards pero marami ring maganda sa ibang bansa. Alam mo kung saan natin tatalunin? Sa atin, sa mga Pilipino. Because we are known to be very warm, very hospitable. Doon manggagaling, but we have to equip ourselves with the tools.
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