ELECTIONS. Erap should run – Remonde.

He wants former President Estrada to continue to unite the opposition… against each other.

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Been there, done that. Devoutly to be missed is Jesli Lapus who asked Danding Cojuangco to withdraw his name from NPC ticket. As DepEd Sec. with highest Cabinet performance rating, he was shoo-in to top Senate slate (with poll watching teachers). I had won for RP a UNESCO Executive Board seat on the promise that Lapus as educator and former top-notch CEO and auditor would give UNESCO bang for bucks.

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EUREKA! Cotabato Rep. Emmylou Taliño Mendoza proposes that Congress oblige cities and towns to require the installation of rainwater collectors in all shopping malls, office buildings, factories, schools, subdivisions, and farming villages – a new Green Building Code friendlier to the environment and responsive to adverse climate changes.

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In my father’s time, rainwater was collected by homes instead of being flushed out to the drainage which causes flood.

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Manila is one of the world’s most polluted cities – thanks to OFWs who dream of owning a PUJ jeepney ala “Katas ng Saudi.”

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Jeepneys are a source of livelihood for more than 350,000 families, and invaluable tourism icon. But they come at a price – their secondhand diesel engines area scourge of black smoke.

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Enter the adman who dreams the impossible dream – to convert jeepneys to run on fuel-efficient LPG. Peter Sandor of Bates 141 introduced “Formula Juan” hand-in-hand with World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines and Ecos Environmental Foundation Inc., plus corporate sponsorship.

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Six months into the campaign, the scorecard reads 6:55,000. Meaning 6 clean LPG running jeepneys in bright orange and vermilion colors advertising Cecon vitamins of Abbot Lab …and only 54,994 more to go.

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The LTO, which gives the emission tests to public utility vehicles, could make this happen... if they do not turn a blind eye to these highly hazardous smoke belchers.

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As of now, it seems the only belching not allowed is at restaurant tables.

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Back to the future: Honda introduced at Tokyo Motor Show its U3-X which rolls on unicycle and runs on Lithion ion battery. It has one wheel… like the cave man’s original.

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NEDA says gasoline overpriced by P8/liter. But Secretary Angelo Reyes says LPG price will come down.

Make room in your car trunk for LPG gas tanks!

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EYE-OPENERS. The Professional Regulation Commission announced that 163 out of 263 passed the 2009 Optometrist Licensure Examination in Manila. More than optometrists, optimists are what we need in these crying times.

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The Japanese government will expand its export value of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries products to one trillion yen by 2013. Watch out for more illegal fishing methods of Japanese trawlers!

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Massive earthquake moved New Zealand closer to Australia. The countries, separated by 22,250 kms wide Tasmanian Sea, inched 30 cms closer.

One small hop by kangaroo, one giant step by kiwi.

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Scientists measure the Cook glacier on Kerguelen island in France southern Indian Ocean, shrank 20% over 40 years. There remains a life span of another 200 years.

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Nicola Baroncini, UNDP worker, lost his job and is accused of biting the security guard. He was applying for K-9 section.

Feedback: jaz@mb.com.ph