‘Team PJ’

“Team PJ” is how a group of Japanese investors are calling themselves. The initials stand for “Philippines-Japan,” and what the group wants to do, explains its leader, Yoriko Hagino, is to promote environmental projects to be implemented in the Philippines with a combination of technical expertise from Japan, China, Korea and the Philippines. Their aim, she said, is to “offer solutions to environmental problems in your country,” taking advantage of PPP or public-private partnerships.

Main speaker at the “Team PJ” presentation at the Bulong-Pulungan at Sofitel was Dr. Yuhei Inamori, who had previously worked in the country 25 years ago on a project to try to clean up Laguna Lake.

Inamori’s expertise is microbiology and biotechnology, using micro-organisms and plants both to detoxify “closed bodies of water” like lakes and provide people dependent on the bodies of water alternative means of livelihood while encouraging them to protect the water environment. In Inamori’s more technical terms, he aims to use bio-engineering “to take full advantage of the cleaning ability of microbes” and eco-engineering “to take full advantage of the potential purification ability of ecosystems.”

In his detailed presentation, Inamori provided proof of the success of his methods, primarily in Lake Taihu in China which was overrun by algae blooms from the pollutants being pumped into the lake along with sewage and sludge. Building a water treatment plant on the shores of Lake Taihu, Inamori first addressed the quality of the waste water falling into the lake, and then employed methods of cultivating aquatic plants, like water lily and water spinach (known locally as kangkong) while organizing local communities. For his work, Inamori was recognized by the Chinese and Japanese governments, and with “Team PJ,” he hopes to work with the Philippine government in solving water and sewage problems, especially in areas like Boracay and Palawan, and in smaller towns around the country.

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CONSULTING with “Team PJ” is Dr. Rafael Apostol, former LWUA chair, who is involved in the planning of a water project in Bohol that would serve a dual purpose. One is building the Inabagan-Wahig Multi-Purpose Dam that would tame the waters of Inabagan River for irrigation and flood-control purposes. The other is to use the river runoff to supply water to Cebu using an underground pipeline.

Some 2,000 farmer-families will benefit from the dam, says Apostol, while about 350 families might have to be relocated to make way for the dam. In all, some P16.8 billion is needed for the project, but he says Bohol stands to earn some P5 million daily from supplying water to Cebu alone.

Apostol brought with him mayors from Bohol and Batangas to present their own needs for water treatment and supply projects. Mayors Efren Tongol of Albuquerque and Leoncio Evasco of Maribojoc in Bohol spoke of their need for water treatment plants in their towns given the poor quality and potability of their water supply. Mayor Randy James Amo of Laurel, Batangas, one of the towns most affected by the “fishkill” in Taal Lake, spoke of the need to improve the quality of the water in the lake as well as of the river flowing through his town, “the biggest tributary of Taal Lake.”

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FRIENDS of TraveLife Magazine were treated last Thursday to “Italy Night with Margarita Fores” at White Space, with a cocktail buffet of Italian antipasti followed by a nine-course degustation dinner.

Co-sponsored by the Italian Embassy, HSBC, Bacchus Epicerie, the Asian Food Channel and Business Mirror, “Italy Night” introduced the lively and vibrant culture of Italy not just through its food and wine, but also through a continuous audio-visual feast of scenes of Italian life and scenery and scintillating Italian music.

Guests were immediately plunged into La Dolce Vita when, upon entering the venue, they were greeted by Ferraris and Vespa scooters, courtesy of private collectors and the Vespa Club. Two more Vespas were on display onstage, and for a while we speculated if these would be raffled off to lucky guests. Turns out they were only borrowed, although a weekend stay at The Farm was raffled off at the end of the dinner.

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“ITALY NIGHT,” I suppose, was meant to promote TraveLife’s “gastronomic tour of Northern Italy,” part of the magazine’s tour offerings billed as “tours for people who don’t do tours” which will take place later in the year and, I’m sure, highly anticipated by discriminating travelers.

Indeed, what better travel prospect could there be than moving from city to city in Northern Italy, eating one’s way through renowned restaurants, and listening to Fores, undoubtedly the best Italian chef in town, talk on Italian culinary lore?

The evening itself provided but a small bite of Italy, including three pasta courses, with an absolutely delicious creamy risotto with gorgonzola; a wonderful appetizer of prosciutto paired with frozen melon sorbet; and lamb paired with an excellent polenta pudding.

Too bad I had to leave before dessert was served, although I do hope to take a rain check on that!

TraveLife editor in chief and publisher Christine Cunanan told her guests that “Italy Night” was also meant to celebrate the magazine’s fourth anniversary, marking four years of introducing Filipinos to choice destinations in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world. But more than travelogues, the magazine offers a glimpse of the travel lifestyle, where, more than the luggage one uses or outfits one dons, what matters is the attitude of openness and generosity, a willingness to step out of one’s comfort zone and discover the new, the unfamiliar, the exotic and the different.