ENERGY & CLEAN AIR PROJECT DAVAO PROJECT AREA OFFICE LAUNCH CLOSING REMARKS
By: Cathrine Tayarani Daghigh

Members of the Presidential table, honorable guests,ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

Filipinos are known to be creative individuals. But among the many things the Filipinos have invented, discovered or even borrowed from other countries, one that makes the Filipinos truly "Pinoy" is our use of the popularized "jeepneys". Can you imagine the Philippines without them? The lifestyle of thousands or even millions of us would definitely be altered.

But as much as they have been advantageous to a lot of Filipinos, the other side or better yet, the down side of this "Creative Pinoy Chronicle" would have to be the continuous deterioration of our air quality caused by diesel emissions from public utility vehicles.

This is only one of the many taunting problems that our country is facing. Severe environmental degradation, heavily polluted air and water, deforestation, Illegal and destructive fishing, poor water supply, sanitation, and solid waste management,among others are urgent issues that our government should be contemplating on.

However, I believe that despite our environmental slackness, the Philippines remains to be a beautiful country with much to offer. It’s a comfort to know, that aside from Filipinos, there are other people who share with us in the belief that our country has still much hope. That is why having the Energy and Clean Air Project of the USAID is a lifesaver.

In behalf of my fellow Ateneans, I would like to thank you for providing us the assistance we need in improving our economic and social development. More importantly, thank you for having chosen the Ateneo de Davao University as the Project Area Office in Mindanao.

This is unquestionably a privilege for all of us to take part in this noble mission of making a positive difference in our environment. This is an opportunity for students like myself, to get involved in projects, other than simply patronizing the latest phone gadgets or the most up-to-date fashion craze. This time around, WE may take part in projects concerning what truly matters- the improvement of our energy supply and air quality. This time, WE can make a stand.

Sure, this can be a huge responsibility for the Ateneo Community. But I’d like for us to take it as a challenge, an exceptional chance to exemplify what it is to be truly men and women for others.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in spite of our pitfalls here and there, I prefer to consider our country as a work in progress- one that can only grow if there is optimism, genuine concern, and authentic involvement in programs such as this. Let us not allow the creativeness of the Filipinos to be put to waste. At the end of the day, what should matter is not how our jeepneys have made our air quality less breathable, but how they have constantly kept our daily "travels" all the more worth the ride. Thank you and Good afternoon.