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TO
mitigate the effects of the skyrocketing price of
petroleum products on the country’s economy, legislators
have proposed the implementation of energy-conservation
measures such as carpooling and reducing government
working days to four.
In
pushing for conservation measures, Lakas Rep. Marcelino
Teodoro of Marikina said the government, as well as the
people, should make extra efforts to save on electricity
and oil consumption.
Lakas
Rep. Maria Victoria Sy-Alvarado of Bulacan, vice
chairman of the House Committee on Small Business and
Entrepreneurship, agreed, saying that “energy and fuel
conservation should not be the business of the
government alone but of the public, as well.”
Teodoro
said buildings and houses should also be eco-friendly,
which means “they should make use of natural light
more.”
He
pushed for the use of mass transit systems to reduce
pollution and gas consumption, as well as carpools not
only to help save on gas but also “strengthen our sense
of community.”
Meanwhile, Sy-Alvarado urged authorities to seriously
consider implementing a four-day work week schedule for
government offices as part of the effort to save on fuel
and cut electric consumption.
She said
as an example that while Congress personnel put in
shorter working hours, “jobs still get done on time
while gas and energy is saved.”
“If the
four-day work schedule could be implemented successfully
in the House of Representatives, I cannot see any reason
why it cannot be replicated in other government
offices,” she said.
Sy-Alvarado
clarified, however, that her proposal does not include
government agencies where daily transactions are
required as in the case of city and town halls.
She also
sought the enforcement of daylight saving time to
further reduce electrical consumption.
The
legislator also pushed for the early opening and closing
of government, business and commercial establishments to
save on the cost of energy.
As for
carpooling, she said that it is another effective
measure especially for group traveling.
For
individual travels and short-distance trips, she
recommended the use of the Light Rail and Metro Rail
transits or the public transportation system. |
