GORDON TO SOLVE WATER CRISIS
BY TAPPING PRISONERS TOPLANT TREES

Addressing the need to recharge ground water supply, Senator Richard J. Gordon today sought the support of his colleagues in Congress for the passage of his bill authorizing prisoners to participate in reforestation and other government projects as a form of community service and time allowance for their early release.

"While heavy rains the past few days have increased water level at the Angat Dam, the effects of the dry spell continue to haunt us. Even the agriculture department admits that we need more rains to water all our farmlands. The irony is that we see flooding in many parts, with Pampanga and Bulacan declared under a state of calamity. Our forest cover is simply not enough," Gordon, who is also chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, observed.

Under his proposed Prison Work Act of 2007, qualified prisoners will be required to work in reforestation and other government projects under a compulsory or voluntary work program. Three days shall be deducted from the prisoner's sentence for each month of compulsory work, and five days, if on voluntary basis.

Gordon calls reforestation "a long term fix" for the water crisis at hand. "The planting of trees will bring about improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion, and allowing more recharging of the ground water supply" he said. "We have a potential pool of untapped able-bodied workers in our penitentiaries whom we can use for reforestation and other government projects. If this bill is passed into law, we shall have hit not two, but three birds, with one stone: our concerns on deforestation, flooding, as well as prison congestion and prisoner rehabilitation," he said