The Geneva-based World Meteorological Organization has described the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere during the 20th century as resulting ”from the growing use of energy and expansion of the global economy.

In 2009, the Philippine Congress passed the Climate Change Act which created the CCC to develop policies and coordinate government programs on climate change.

The CCC in turn developed the National Climate Change Action Plan that serves as a road map for all climate change programs in the Philippines.

In 2021, the Philippines committed to reduce 75 percent of its emissions by 2030 and quickly scale up efforts to adapt to a changing climate, setting itself one of the most ambitious targets among Southeast Asian countries. Weather experts have underlined that changes due to the variability and intensity of rainfall in the country and increased temperatures will affect food security and the safety of the population.

Multiple indices rank the Philippines, where impacts of climate change are immense, as one of the countries most affected by extreme climate events.

WHEN business tycoon Roberto “Bobby” Velayo Ongpin died last February 5 in his sleep “cradled in the arms of his beloved Balesin,” as a columnist poetically put it, media was abuzz with the passing of the taipan, billionaire, technocrat and visionary and chairman and CEO of Alphaland, the multi-billion high-end and debt-free developer of Balesin Island Club and many other prime property developments.

Among all the attributes of Bobby, aside from being a tycoon and billionaire, was that of a visionary that he was.

Being a good friend when Bobby was at the old Ateneo de Manila High School at the Loyola Heights, Quezon City, we had frequent intimate conversations about his plans for the Balesin Island Club, a debt-free multi--billion high end property development in the Philippines. Ongpin had envisioned the Philippines to be a great country. What I miss most was his monthly letters to Balesin Island Club members and guests where he would detail what he has done and what he will do.

I do wish that Eric Ongpin Recto, a former finance undersecretary, now the Chairman and CEO of Alphaland, could resume that monthly letter to Balesin Island Club members and guests.

I have said and, I repeat, Eric Recto is more than qualified to take over Alphaland as chairman and CEO. Eric was with RVO and his associates and coworkers knew him. I knew Eric when Bobby first started Alphaland because he was with Bobby from the start, but somehow they parted ways when Eric went on his own. I knew when Bobby started his signature property development, Balesin Island Club.

It was a small island off the coast of Quezon province, then owned by his former undersecretary when Ongpin was then minister of trade under then President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Actually, Balesin Island was then jointly owned by Ed Tordesillas and industrialist Baby Ysmael.

After Ongpin returned to the country from Hong Kong, where he was after the exile of Marcos Sr. he started doing business.

As Tony Lopez of BizNews Asia described him, he was a management expert, entrepreneur and wheeler-dealer par excellence.

I was then the government nominee of the sequestered ETPI (Eastern Telecommunications of the Philippines, Inc.), when, as its chairman, I helped Bobby buy out the firm.

Bobby soon sold ETPI to Ramon S. Ang, chairman and CEO of San Miguel, who in turn sold it to Smart and Globe. Santa Banana, would you believe that an Australian firm, minority stockholders of ETPI, sued me, accusing me of bias. Of course, I would sell ETPI to a Filipino rather than to a foreign firm, which the Australians wanted me to do.

As I said, Bobby is truly a visionary. Would you believe he was then with the Highlands Group of Tagaytay where he envisioned it as it is now.

When he started Balesin Island, with pride I saw him build the island to become a premiere paradise destination in the Philippines, building 7 themed villages, 28 restaurants for members only, each unique in many ways, with a 2.5 kilometer runway with its own fresh water fish, crab and shrimp sanctuary. Debt-free Alphaland Corp. is now expanding into nearby 732 hectare Patnanungan Island called Balesin International Gateway (BIG) with a 2.5-km runway, five five-star hotels and 18-hole golf courses and 1,834 luxury beach and golf course homes.

The idea: Attract the world’s high-end network individuals to enjoy the most unique beach resort and nature enclave.

Eric Recto is now pushing through with the development.