Neric Acosta: A teacher and environmental advocate

April 22, Makati City – Back from his sortie in Visayas region, Bukidnon Congressman Neric Acosta shared his 30 minutes for a short yet substantial discussion regarding his platforms and plans as a senatorial candidate of Liberal Party. A teacher by profession and environmental advocate by heart, the country-side congressman he shared his four- core platforms that he called pillars; Environment, Livelihood, Justice and Peace.

Acosta is a known environmentalist at heart. He is the principal author of Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Ecological Management Act, where he wanted to prioritize the protection of the environment since he sees it as the source of living of the people. In his livelihood program, he wanted to tap on the concerns of jobs, livelihood, education and health where he wanted to invest on human resources by providing basic education and health care especially to the maternal and child care.

Like other candidates, Acosta was asked with five questions:

As a teacher, do you still think that there’s quality education in the Philippines?
Acosta: Absolutely none, na-dedetiriorate, nakakalungkot ang mga taong nagsasabing may improvement ang education sa ating bansa. Nakikita natin ang full deterioration ang maraming batang hindi nakakapasok at di nakakapagtapos. It is very clear that it is national emergency our education system.

How can we solve the growing population of unemployment in the country?
Acosta: The answer here is we cannot keep thinking that every Filipino youth need to go through formal education, lahat maging full college graduate. Yun ang idea, pero alam natin na hindi ito agad agarang mangyayari so ang ginagawa po natin dito like sa ibang bansa may track sila na pagkatapos ng highschool alam na nila kung saan tutungo ang mga bata ang mga estudyante kung dito bas a mas formal kung magiging doctor, engineer, etc. or pupunta sa non formal or vocational or specialize na mga fields para makapagtrabaho agad.

What is the current status of human rights in the country and how is justice implemented in the society?
Acosta: No, in fact there is justice for the rich and justice for the poor as the saying goes. At ayon nga kay Senator Noynoy ang justice sa atin ay Jus-Tiis, titiisin na lang ng mahirap na hindi nakaka access sa mga legal aide o mga abugadong hing magchacharge ng katakot takot a fees. Nakita natin na kapag may mga justices or hurado na madaling na iimpluwensyahan dahil sa loyalty nakikita natin yan ngayon.

As a candidate from Mindanao what are your plans to bring peace in your region?
Acosta: I have three basic things in my mind; 1. Disarmament, 2. Dialogue, 3. Dismantling.

As an environmental advocate how will you create and strengthen awareness on climate change?
Acosta: Mula sa Ondoy, Pepeng at maraming disasters na natamaan ang Pilipinas ito ay nagiging batayan na rin natin sa climate change na sinasabing vulnerable na tayo . I am one of the main conveners of the Philippine imperative on climate change. What does this mean that we are really going around the country saying we can talk employment, we can talk jobs, education, healthcare, etc, if we do not look what is happening at to our climate and our environment which are the foundation, which are all elements of air, water, and land and life support.

Watch the full 30 minute interview here:


Acosta is a vocal person in terms of what he believes with, specially his advocacy and maybe one of the most courageous people in connection of issues being thrown to him and their standard bearer.

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