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Chess Olympian Eugene Torre, the first Asian
Grandmaster, made a commitment “to help clean the Philippine
landscape, seascape, and mindscape,” during the recent launching
of the “Zero Basura Olympics—A Race to conquer Garbage in 300
days” at the Rizal Provincial Capitol Grounds before a large
multi-sectoral assembly.
He made the pledge in behalf of
his fellow chess Olympians and those who had represented the
Philippines in prior World Olympiads.
“Olympians play for their
country,” Torre said. “Here and now, we are all Olympians
playing for the planet.”
Torre knows the best moves to
“mate” the garbage problems.
“On the chessboard of life, a
brilliant solution to the basura problem is a mate-in-three:
segregate, compost, and recycle.”
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza keynoted the
assembly consisting of key representatives from the business,
government, civil society and religious sectors.
Co-chairing the committee are
Odette Alcantara, country coordinator of Earth Day Network
Philippines, Chito Macapagal of Unilever Philippines, Gerry Calderon
of DENR, Annie Guerro of Zero Waste Recycling Movement and Rene de
Rueda of OIKOS/Couples of Christ.
The Zero Basura Olympics will be
conducted over a 300-day period covering local government units as
well as communities and industrial sectors.
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