RCE meeting to tackle environmental issues

THE Regional Center for Expertise (RCE) will hold its 8th Asia Pacific RCE Meeting today until tomorrow at the University of the Philippines Cebu College in Lahug, Cebu City.

In a press conference yesterday, Dr. Rhodora Bucoy, RCE-Cebu president and a professor of UP Cebu, said around 100 participants from the different Asian countries are expected to attend the meeting that will focus on environmental issues, poverty issues and other problems in the community.

“The UP faculty members will be able to meet with their counterparts from other RCE institutions and learn from their best practices in mainstreaming environment,” she said.

The RCE is an international group committed to educate local and regional communities on how to attain sustainable development.

The group started on April 2006 and has 135 member RCEs around the world, with the aim to translate global environmental policies into local action.

Architect Socorro Atega of the Cebu Uniting for Sustainable Water (CUSW) said they are looking forward to the strict implementation of waste segregation in the province as garbage pollutes has destroyed the bodies of water, including rivers and seas.

She said that the RCE meeting will give more emphasis on environment and stewardship, unlike other non-government agencies, such as CUSW that will focus on education as the key to sustainable development.

Atega urged the public to “live in harmony with nature” as it is where “we get food, water and other basic needs.”

The group is also eyeing the youth’s participation for them to disseminate information to other people.

Bucoy said local government officials as well as representatives from the provincial government will also attend the two-day meeting.