# data[].attributes.body
Modernization and the environment have long engaged in conflict. We have been attempting to find a solution to it ever since it became clear that we are slowly but surely ruining the earth. Modernization, in my opinion, is not always a negative thing, but when it comes at the expense of the environment, that's when it goes too far. Despite having excellent intentions, building the railroads doesn't necessarily outweigh the negative effects. The problem's benefits and drawbacks must be considered in the context of a long-term strategy.

The initiative will result in more jobs, but if you think about it, jobs might also go. Despite being one of the most important persons in our nation, farmers whose fields will be destroyed will also lose their employment and source of income. One of the main things keeping the country alive is its agriculture. Instead of destroying what these individuals have, we should show them more gratitude. If the aforementioned project is allowed to proceed, our natural resources would quickly deplete, increasing the cost of basic necessities like food and the like, especially because these impacted areas are home to hundreds of farms that are all contributing to our agricultural economy.

As a result, I won't consent to the construction of railway networks between the north and south since the environment comes first because it is crucial and necessary, and why not enhance an existing system like public transportation? The implementation of a railway system will be very costly, difficult, and risky, and it will ultimately touch all of us.

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The Philippines' biggest cities, including Metro-Manila, are dealing with issues related to high the increased population and economic expansion that resulted in traffic congestion in the last ten years. This growth rate did not coincide with prompt and adequate investment within the city's infrastructure, particularly to support and improve the current transit-oriented
development. The investigation showed that the Metro-Manila railway network had been experiencing serious issues with its capacity, infrastructure, availability of trains, and administration.

When railroads are built and run, the surrounding terrain is altered, which affects the microclimate, soil, and hydrological dynamics, degrading the natural habitat for many species. The primary disruptions brought on by railroads during operation include noise, vibration, air, soil, and water pollution, which may change species richness and abundance.

People prefer utilizing private autos to go because there isn't a dependable mass transit system. This makes smaller roads as well as EDSA and other main thoroughfares even more congested due to increased traffic. The answer is in pursuing a more advanced and effective railway system to enhance our mass transit system. But as time went on, new stations became less likely to be found in the established built-up regions that were already served by existing stations and more likely to be found in newly created areas. They also stimulated additional development, raising the potential of further urbanization in the area.

Having said all that, I would pursue the project that connected Baguio and Bicol as this would decentralize Metro Manila and disperse job opportunities across the whole mainland of Luzon. People can work closer to their families, and opportunities would be given to the job seekers who are less likely to be hired in the demanding market of Metro Manila. Not only the job itself can be better, but as well as the salary a person earns, with bigger companies migrating to other parts of Luzon, not just the metros. You might think that It would have a very negative impact on the environment, but the reality is that by decentralizing the Metro Manila, it would lessen the pollution produced everyday. From waste pollution, like sachets as Filipinos can't afford products in big quantities. Another problem that would be lessened is the air pollution caused by automobiles. The pollution would not be reduced but be spread to a bigger area not just in Metro Manila. This can help regenerate the ecosystems in the cities which in turn, can help in controlling the pollution, especially air pollution.

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As the secretary of DoT, I will reject the proposal of the expansion of railways systems connecting Baguio and Bicol.

First, I think it is very risky for the government’s budget and time since this project is challenging and has alot of factors involved. It will also negatively affect the environment and making a railway instead of preserving it is not worth it because the environment is crucial and challenged. I think the better approach is to improve public transportation and at the same time, we get to protect and preserve the environment and agricultural status of the whole area covered.

In conclusion, I will not approve the expansion of railway systems in between the north and south because the priority is to the environment first because it is critical and essential and why not improve something that is already there like oublic transportation? It will really be expensive and challenging to implement a railway system and it has many risks that will all affect us in the end.

# data[].attributes.body
The Philippines' biggest cities, including Metro-Manila, are dealing with issues related to high the increased population and economic expansion that resulted in traffic congestion in the last ten years. This growth rate did not coincide with prompt and adequate investment within the city's infrastructure, particularly to support and improve the current transit-oriented
development. The investigation showed that the Metro-Manila railway network had been experiencing serious issues with its capacity, infrastructure, availability of trains, and administration.

When railroads are built and run, the surrounding terrain is altered, which affects the microclimate, soil, and hydrological dynamics, degrading the natural habitat for many species. The primary disruptions brought on by railroads during operation include noise, vibration, air, soil, and water pollution, which may change species richness and abundance.

People prefer utilizing private autos to go because there isn't a dependable mass transit system. This makes smaller roads as well as EDSA and other main thoroughfares even more congested due to increased traffic. The answer is in pursuing a more advanced and effective railway system to enhance our mass transit system. But as time went on, new stations became less likely to be found in the established built-up regions that were already served by existing stations and more likely to be found in newly created areas. They also stimulated additional development, raising the potential of further urbanization in the area.

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There has been a constant battle between Modernization and the Environment. Its has since been a problem that we people are trying to solve ever since the fact about that we are are slowly destroying are planet. Now I think that modernization is not a bad thing to do but at the cost of the environment that’s where it crosses the line. Building the railways with good intentions doesn’t mean that it does more good that then bad. We need to think about the pros and cons of the problem in a long term kind of plan.

Now as the secretary of the Department of Transportation I would have to oppose in pursuing the project regarding the expansion of railways systems that connects the North(Baguio) and South (Bicol). The reason behind is the negative effects that it will cause to its surroundings during the construction of the railways. I am looking at this problem in a long term prospective so we can benefit out without causing some problems in the future. The construction of the railway system may cause does give a lot of jobs and transportation but after the construction is done not only the jobs are gone but also precious resources such forests and farms will be lost. So it may well be causing much more harm than good because we just lost forests that house animals and is a source of material for most daily needs such as paper as well as farmlands that grow our food so we can become a self sufficient country.

In conclusion if I as the secretary allow this project to continue I may very well be causing more harm to my country than good. Although I am not saying that the railways is not a good idea but I need to come up with a better alternative so that it lessens the burden in our environment. I will not sacrifice our environment just for easy transportation and comfort.

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Ok so, I personally think that we should focus on the natural resources that we still have left in the Philippines rather than destroying it for the sake of building more railways. While building rail

ways will make our transportation more convenient, the cost of that convenience is a great loss to our local farmers and our environment. If we were to build more railways, that would mean that farmers will have a lot less land to use for growing crops, less crops mean less amount of yield per year, lesser amount of yield per year, means that the prices would go higher. That would be a huge problem given that our current situation involves inflation.

If I were to be given a change to decide whether or not I will build more railways at the cost of leveling the environment, then I would have to choose not to build more railways, It’s true that train are the main transportation to other people, but there are still other options to pick from, like using the bus, or using the PUVs, as these options are already being used to travel nation-wide.

In conclusion, we must take the land into consideration when making railways so that farmers still have something to use to grow crops and provide the country with more supply of food so that the inflation will go down.

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Railways have proven to be reliable transportation methods across the world. While the prospect of expanding our own system to connect the north and south would be beneficial for people and convenience, it comes with a major repercussion of having to harm the environment. Therefore, as secretary of the DOTr, I would opt not to push through with the project.

For starters, the forest cover in the Philippines is drastically low at around 20%. While it has been increasing since its lowest point in 1999, protection of these forests is still needed so that they won’t decrease again. With regards to agriculture, the current situation would call for a prioritization of it. If current plans are to lessen relying on exports for some goods, then farms would need to be used. Leveling forests and farms would go against these goals.

Infrastructure to most would seem to be the key to solving a lot of our issues such as unemployment and economic growth, but too much of it could set back other environmental issues. Additionally, creating another mode of transportation without solving more important issues like traffic would also be counterproductive.

Overall, the railway would have to be scrapped for the time being because of environmental and economical repurcussions. Until a better compromise can be made between development and environment, and the more pressing issues are addressed properly, a project that benefits only the north will have to wait

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I will not continue the railway project.

While a railway system is beneficial for the citizens, so they don’t have to use so much energy to travel on foot or pay so much using multiple vehicles, it won’t be beneficial for the environment.

A lot of people don’t care about the environment, thinking it’s just nothing but trees and soil, unaware that those things are vital to our everyday life. Here is why I won’t continue the railway system.

The Earth has a very rich and diverse biodiversity. Ranging from soil, to water, to air, etc. all of these things is what keeps us alive. Soil helps us grow food, water quenches our thirst, the air we breathe gives us life. So imagine replacing all of that for a railway station, it can damage it so much.

First, the environment will have to face deforestation. The trees give us oxygen and food. Without those, there’s a very high chance we’re going to struggle to survive. And I’m not just talking about humans, even animals get affected by these things too. They will lose their home and food because of it.

Secondly, building a railway (and sometimes tunnels when it’s needed) could also cause erosion to the soil and we all know how soil is needed to grow food and trees, but if it’s damaged, there’s going to be none of that in the future.

And lastly, it could also lead to using too much renewable resources. Sure, from the term itself, our resources would be abundant, but we would end up putting other humans and ourselves at risk because we’re trying to dig up more of it to keep the railway going.

There are more reasons, but that’s all I could list down for now.

In conclusion, while human infrastructures could also be beneficial for us, it won’t be for the environment. Because if it weren’t for the environment, then we won’t be able to be where we are today. Taking those away because of a railway station just doesn’t seem right. I am sure there are different ways to create transportation that doesn’t harm the life of our planet.

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Even though it is my duty to oversee projects like the said expansion, I would still not accept it primarily because this will rob off the Philippines from its agricultural beauty. Although it will reduce traffic, it will affect our economy significantly in the long run.

If the said project will continue, our natural resources will rapidly diminish causing basic essentials like food and the like to become more expensive especially since these affected areas hold hundreds of farms all working to supply our agricultural economy.

Furthermore, the carbon emissions from our vehicles would quickly increase and natural disasters like soil erosion, flood and loss of habitat of animals endemic or endangered in the Philippines. Instead, I would suggest that the government should imporve our existing structures and also make an effort to maintain our natural resources for our betterment.

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The Nobel Prize recipient and seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Atta Annan, stated that "our biggest challenge in this new century is to take an idea that seems abstract - sustainable development - and turn it into a reality for all the world's people." Today, it must be decided whether the planned expansion of our north-to-south railway systems will proceed. If this decision were left up to the socially responsible corporations that will soon be contracted to build this railway, they would probably decline.

Republic Act No. 9147 states that "it shall be the policy of the State to conserve the country’s wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainability." No government body, and by extension, corporations serving the state is above this law. In fact, despite this limitation, responsible corporations may go above and beyond by guaranteeing their usual production and marketing activities are in a manner that avoids causing environmental pollution or exhausting finite resources. If this state was wise enough to create such a law which enforces itself, why can it not be followed? Who are we public servants to if we go above the law to take away livelihoods, properties, and homes only to resell them to the highest bidder?

As the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, I request the support of the public to have this railway redesigned. The project must be done sustainably or face complete cancellation. In the meantime, let us alleviate traffic in Manila through more sustainable means such as investing in our bus system, creating bicycle lanes, and making the city walkable. One day, when a breakthrough allows for the railway to be developed sustainably, we will find comfort in the idea that its creation need not require a corporation to fail their corporate social responsibility nor a government official to violate Republic Act No. 9147.

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As the secretary of the Department of Transportation, I would not proceed with the expansion of the railways system connecting the north (Baguio) and south (Bicol) due to its negative repercussions on the environment. Although it may improve the transportation in urban areas and jobs would increase, it would still not account for the various consequences the environment would have to endure. In order to construct the railway, various agricultural lands and forestry would need to be altered and decreased. As a result, it would affect wildlife and it would lessen the supply of oxygen. Additionally, a significant portion of emissions from railways include a variety of toxins and contaminants that cause pollution on the Earth's atmosphere, land, and water. Given these points, I believe it is not worth taking the risk of potentially damaging our environment for the sake of expanding the railway system. As an alternative option, I believe it is much more practical if we focus on thoroughly improving our current railway systems established here in the Philippines before making large-scale expansion projects.

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The railways being built would indeed benefit a lot of things in the congested urban landscape of manila and would pave way for more job opportunities for the people but it would come at a cost of destroying our forests and farms. It would destroy the environment and the inhabitants living in it, affecting the ecosystem. As the department of transportation, I believe we should prioritize the land instead of the railway system.

Indeed, a lot of things would change thanks to the railway system but at a great cost. It would greatly impact our agriculture because one it would take away their land and two it would leave most famers homeless and out of work. Not only that but there are more than half of people living in the rural areas in the Philippines and more than a third are in poor living conditions. If we were to take away their land it would leave them without a house and in an even worse condition than before.

The environment is affected as well with deforestation and the destruction of natural landscapes being the main effects of building the project. These effects can lead to numerous disasters such as soil erosion, landslides, flooding, and watershed degradation (Aragones et al., 2020). Not only that but the wildlife is affected as well with them loosing their homes and endangering them as well.

Furthermore, the railway system has its own benefits but it comes at a great cost of our environment. It would lead to deforestation and stirp away the homes of farmers and wildlife alike. Not only that but we would loose the natural landscapes we love, as well as the agriculture we mostly rely on for food.

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Public transport has been a hot topic recently with the recently announced subway project of the government. It's one thing to connect the massive urban sprawl that is Metro Manila, but it's another thing to connect two places that are 667 kilometers away from each other using rail. Despite how improbable it sounds, we have connected two places in the Philippines that were around that distance from each other. One question may be on everybody's minds when you mention the railway connecting the North and South though: "What about the environment?". The answer to that is simple, it will be damaged irreversibly. Because of that, I would not expand the railway system connecting the North and South.

Before anybody can begin talking about expanding our railways, we need to assess whether or not the railways are worth it. In my opinion, the current railway system we have is enough. The only thing we need is for somebody to replace the old and dilapidated trains and rail we have now and replace it with new and modern trains and rail. Not only would this save on spending that would've required more taxes, it also removes the need for us to chop down forest and evict landowners that might be in the way of the proposed railway. The things I just mentioned are all beneficial, but I think the sparing of forests is the most beneficial one.

The Philippines is not a country who's populace has the luxury of living their lives ignorant of climate change. Almost everyday we hear news about a new typhoon, followed by a report of it's effects.  Every typhoon is seemingly worse than the last with no signs of them weakening due to climate change. Are we really going to try our luck and go through with a project knowing that it would put more people in danger of flooding, landslides, and numerous other disastrous effects? Is a more convenient route worth the millions of damages and aid we would have to give due to our project? In my opinion, it's not worth it. We shouldn't put ourselves in harm's way just for the sake of "development".

In conclusion, I wouldn't support expanding the North to South railway because it would exacerbate our climate change problem and we honestly don't need expansion, just modernization. Once we can assure a safe climate and modern material, then maybe we can think about expanding.

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There are many things that the Philippines is known for, be it for their beautiful nature and agriculture or their buzzing city full of life. A lot of sides have to be covered for this topic, such as; transportation problems, deforestation, and industrialization. But there is one thing to be sure of: this is not the way.

The environment is a necessary part of our livelihood, especially for a country like the Philippines. Our country heavily relies on agriculture, touristry, and natural resources, therefore; The destruction of farms and leveling of forestry is both horrendous and counterproductive. The creation of new jobs is not worth the consequences that will not only affect our environment but also our economy.

Transportation in the Philippines is dreadful, often roads would be traffic and congested. This can cause a lot of problems for everyone; from late arrivals, to even accidents. Traffics have led to tragedies because when roads are jammed, emergency responses (ambulances, firefighters, policemen, etc) are unable to get to their destination.

Not only that but also think of the job opportunities it would provide by making transportation easier. Is it worth it now? Still no, because there are other means of doing that without destruction of our environment as a consequence, ie; improvement on existing transportation (Railway system) and creation of subway systems.

Although I understand how industrializing is important in the improvement of human life, it should not be at the cost of our environment or our livelihood. Innovation and preservation are our future and not solely on industrialization. Destroying nature just for temporary gain will have long-lasting consequences in the future.

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While providing job opportunities and better public transportation for the Filipino people is incredibly beneficial for the country and its economy, especially during these trying times, causing irreversible damage to the already fragile and dying environment is not worth these benefits.

As the secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), it is my duty that any railway plans should not negatively affect the country despite the benefits it may have. If I were to continue with these plans, I could be promoting unsafe and harmful environmental practices to the Filipino people. I would be also promoting the notion that farms and agriculture are unimportant to the country through the demolishment of these areas to make way for a nonviable railway expansion.

Secondly, an expansion of railways may be too extreme for a country that is currently financially unstable. The DOTr is more equipped to fix traffic-heavy areas and the public transportation in Metro Manila and should prioritize doing so. This is more practical instead of a railway expansion that could benefit a lower percentage of people compared to those who struggle with transportation in Metro manila.

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While the railway system from Baguio to Bicol is tempting however I would have to stick to defending nature. Nature is an important part of lives and it being destroyed is something I just cannot bare to see.

The Philippines should consider their funds before deciding to build a railway, it is starting to be expensive to live here in the Philippines why don’t we use funding to relieve our economy. So in my opinion I think instead of making people travel or destroy nature for job opportunities why can’t we just create job opportunities near us, aside from that the destroying of forestry can also lead to floods and landslides. Not only that once the construction work is finished the workers will be jobless again, jobs should be lasting and not inconsistent. Many wildlife can also lose their homes in the leveling of the forestry so once its home is destroyed where would they go?

To conclude I don’t think it’s fair that we can take away the homes of many animals just to make our lives more convenient, and aside from that the funding can be used for other important things that help relieve some of the struggles we are facing.

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I believe that the concept of railways is a really great and smart concept. They make travelling easier and a lot quicker. However, I do not think that the execution of the concept in the Philippines would be good enough to sacrifice farms, forests, agriculture, and the environment. For this reason, I would not expand the railway systems to connect Baguio and Bicol.

The Philippines is really rich in agriculture. Agriculture is one of the most productive industries in the Philippines and is one of the biggest industries in the Philippines. The geographical location of the Philippines just makes it perfect for agriculture. With that being said, I don't believe damaging the environment, and farms is really a good trade off to expand the railway.

In the Philippines, we also have to accept and face the truth that we can hardly maintain our current railways. With the economy of the country in a bad place, the creation of this expansion will only put it in a worse place. Knowing the country, we would probably have to borrow even more money from other countries. To destroy farms which are one of the greatest contributors to the development of our economy in order to create a railway that would damage the economy isn't really the best deal in my opinion. Nothing will change in terms of being able to maintain this new railway to that of how we are able to maintain our current railways.

Jobs will increase due to the project, but if you think about it, jobs may also decrease. Farmers, whose farms will be destroyed, will also lose their jobs and source of livelihood even though they are one of the most important people in our country. Their agriculture is one of the biggest factors in keeping the country alive. We need to show these people more appreciation instead of destroying what they have.

The severe negative effect it will have on the environment is not worth the expansion of the railway. The environment is already not in a good state and this railway would only damage it a lot more. We continue to damage the environment because we aren't scared of its consequences yet. The time we experience such consequences is the only time when we will realize the state its in. It isn't just to severely affect the environment in a negative way just to create something that won't be maintained. Going to pollution caused by cars and trucks, we have to accept the fact that even with a railway like that, a lot of people will still choose to take a car or a bus. These vehicles and modes of transport will always be the main transportation, no matter what we do.

To end, I would not push through with the expansion as not only does it severely negatively affect farms, forests, the environment, people, and the economy, but at the end of the day, it will most likely not even be maintained properly anyway. In my opinion, the good effects that this expansion provides just do not justify the several severe negative effects it brings as well.

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The environment is very essential for all life on earth. It provides us with food through agriculture, water through rivers and lakes, and a habitat for animals and plants. To destroy the environment, is to slowly kill the earth. As the secretary of the Department of Transportation, I will decide not to expand railways connecting Baguio and Bicol.

I will not expand railways because when we harm the environment, we also harm ourselves. With the expansion, it will make transportation not only more convenient, but it will also lessen traffic. However, if this were to be implemented, habitats, trees, and agriculture would be affected. When trees are destroyed, the more carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere. This results to the warming of the earth. Droughts and storms will be prevalent if this were to happen. With global warming’s negative effects, it could lead to food shortages and homes being destroyed due to strong weathers. Furthermore, when we negatively affect the environment, we affect the lives of future generations. If the they live with polluted air and hot days, how can they truly enjoy life. That is more of a reason why we should protect the environment, so that all life on earth will live peacefully.

In conclusion, with the responsibility of being the DOT secretary, I will not construct the railways because it affects the environment and in turn it affects the life of today and tomorrow. God cares and loves all of his creation, so we must also do the same and be responsible in preserving the environment.

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The improvement of public transportation is an idea that I can support when backed up with good reasoning. The issue I see here is the focus of how public transportation is being improved. Though many cities in the Philippines experience a fair share of traffic and travel, being the center for economic activities, NCR is definitely an area that should receive the most attention when it comes to public transportation. As the region of the Philippines with the highest population density, it’s important to address the issues with current public transportation systems before moving on to new projects.

Creating a large transportation system spanning multiple areas is a great idea on paper. It decentralizes the economy thus lessening the disparity of economic development in between regions. The issue is I feel like the process of decentralization should be taken a few steps at a time. Before making train systems spanning long distances and multiple cities, I feel like there should be a purpose or necessity of implementation that precedes the construction of these projects. It may address future transportation issues when these areas have developed but it would be an unnecessary risk in the present considering these resources could be used for more relevant projects. If a new project is necessary, instead of expanding from Baguio to Bicol, I think a project that could be implemented should start with neighboring areas.

I believe before engaging in new projects for the purpose of promoting economic growth in different regions, it’s important to fix current systems because the answer to these problems may be simpler and less resource intensive than first expected. When we have a finite amount of resources to utilize, it’s important to decide wisely on which programs are going to be implemented for the sake of the environment and the sake of our country.

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The expansion of railways leading to easier travel and more job opportunities is a good concept; however, this comes at a great cost. In order for these railways to be expanded, our natural habitat must be sacrificed. This begs the question, what should we prioritize?

In terms of income, several Filipino communities rely on agriculture to sustain themselves. Additionally, we must consider the environmental effects. The Philippines is situated in a typhoon prone area. Sacrificing the environment would mean making ourselves more vulnerable to the ramifications of a typhoon. The expansion of railways would also mean the loss of trees, leading to more landslides due to erosion.

The general public agrees that the Philippines has a terrible record in terms of railway systems, as trains often break down, and generally cause inconvenience for commuters. From this, we can infer that the government has problems in terms of maintaining and managing them. Why would we add more railway systems if we are unable to properly manage the ones we already have?

Based on this, the best solution would be to focus on improving the railway systems we already have. Once we do that, then we can focus on expansion.

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Before making a choice on whether or not we should sacrifice the environment for transportation, we must first look at the effect of current traffic situations on the environment. The amount of cars, busses, and jeepneys dumping harmful gasses adds up quick when all the vehicles are stuck in rush hour traffic and barely move.

I believe that we should sacrifice the environment for the sake of better transportation. A railway going from north to south would be great considering a lot of people go in and out of NCR for work and considering the amount of vehicles used means a lot of pollution.

I agree that it would be bad for the environment but in the end, the amount of pollution that would be negated from people using a railway system instead of cars.

It is a good idea but it would need a lot of help from other countries that have successful railway systems.

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The Philippines is known for its exceptional agriculture and forestry. We are one of the top producers of several plants and fruits. Despite this, however, I believe that as secretary of the department of transportation we should expand railways that connect the north and south.

Globally, the Philippines is ranked 9th in terms of traffic, and it is 1st in South East asia. Streets are flooded with cars, motorcycles and other forms of transportation. An implementation of an effective railway system would be able to help minimize the congestion in the country while also helping minimize carbon emissions.

Yes, we may end up leveling a few farms and forests. However, I believe that the long term benefit of the construction of a railway system would outweigh the value of a few farms and forests. Firstly, this railway system will provide a cheap alternative compared to other modes of transport. Secondly, this railway system will create job opportunities, and finally, this railway system will help minimize carbon emissions from vehicles.

In conclusion, I believe that the benefits of a railway system outweigh the cons of the destruction of a few farms and forests. Despite our agriculture being temporarily damaged we will be able to improve it through other means. This railway system will also aid in the country's economic development because our current transport infrastructure is too weak to handle a developing economy. The development of a railway system is a phenomenal idea; it will serve the country for the many years to come.

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Traffic congestion in the metro has been going on for decades and having a railway system extending from Baguio to Bicol will ease the traffic. However, agricultural lands will get destroyed for this project.

Judging from the conditions of the existing railways, they aren't even in perfect shape. So why not focus on fixing the architecture of this than making a decision of destroying the environment for a railway. I understand that this will make jobs increase but we should consider the consequences of this. We already experience climate changes and global warming so doing this will make it even worse for us. Trees are also sources of fresh air and right now, there's a lot of deforestation happening in the Philippines. What's the point for a railway if our environment is slowly getting destroyed?

In conclusion, we should first improve our public transportation so traffic and carbon footprints that comes from vehicles will be reduced.

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I would not proceed with the expansion of railway system as the secretary pf the Department of Transportation. Right now, the environment would be a more important priority with the current situation of the earth.

The railway system is a great idea as it will help many people with their transportation. This would be beneficial for people without private vehicles to get to their workplaces or schools quickly. At the same time, the jobs will also increase which would lead to a better economy. However, I think the cons of leveling forests and farms would outweigh the pros of building roadways. We are at a point in time where global warming and climate change is already a major issue and leveling forests would make this even worse. In addition, erosion will be much more frequent since the trees holding the place down is already gone. Animals and people will also lose their homes. For farms, these are places where we get most of our food. Aside from that, farms also provide people with more job opportunities which can help them sustain their daily lives. Leveling farms may result in the unemployment of many people.

To conclude, the construction of these railways may make it more convenient for us. However, it’s at the cost of long-lasting environmental problems. Maybe in the meantime, it’s better to improve on the current railway system instead of making more of it.  By doing this, the railway system will be more efficient and safer for everyone and the environment.

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Transportation has always been one of the problems here in the Philippines. We experience it everyday when going to school or going to work. Just imagine a railway connecting the north and the south would benefit a lot of people especially the ones looking for jobs.

But we also need to consider the environment of course. Since the area in north are full of trees which will eventually make us flat it out for the railroad. The cons of this project is that we will be removing trees that are going to be blocking the construction sites for the rail-road. The pros are we lessen the use of cars which will help lessen the pollution and also provide a lot of opportunities for the ones living in north.

To wrap things up, I would continue the project of connecting north and south rail way to give job opportunites to the people in north and lessen pollution. It's basically a fair trade because, we lessen the pollution and the use of gasoline and giving out possible opportunities for my fellow countrymen while sacrificing some land resources to help in making the rail-way.

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As the secretary of the Department of Transportation, I would not push through with the expansion of the railway systems connecting the north and south.

The Philippines is claimed to have one of the poorest efficiency rates in train services out of other Asian countries. This is a wake up call for the better management and further improvement of the country's existing railway systems. If we already fail to regulate what we already have, another system will most likely be swept under the rug the same way and not taken care of.

Furthermore, the expansion of railway systems damages natural landscapes; thus, agriculture. Agriculture is one among the primary sources of employment and income in the Philippines, especially in rural areas. Sacrificing something so vital to the community for the sake of something that we may fail to even properly manage and fund is not worth the risk.

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Although the train system would make traveling across the regions easier, the consequences will still outweigh its "advantages". We are talking about deforestation and through this loss of habitat. Not only that but the country will be spending its resources on something that should be done in the future.

Instead of making a new railway system, why not focus on improving the current railway systems of the country? The MRT and LRT are known to be inefficient. Oftentimes, there would be breakdowns and coupled with that, the stations and the train itself are poorly maintained. addressing this first is the logical move because it will do the same as the proposed project, creating jobs, and also saving resources.

The current travel method of the citizens is also not a problem. Personal vehicles are being used when traveling such distances. If one does have their own vehicle, there are bus services in the country and it is efficient and conventional as well. Both methods will help save money for citizens and also save time. With this in mind, I believe there is no need to make a new railway system that will only sacrifice our environment.

Lastly, making this railway will only lead to the destruction of the environment. Too much will be sacrificed all for “convenience”. Trees will be destroyed making our country more susceptible to the effects of global warming and climate change. Our country is already prone to typhoons so we need as many trees as possible to help mitigate the effects of the typhoon. The air of the country is also polluted so reducing the trees will just make it worse and make health-related issues more paramount. Wildlife will also be affected because the homes of these animals will be taken away and in the process, we might end up even killing the animals.

To end this, making the railway system from the north to the south is not needed simply because we will suffer more in the long run. The railway only provides us with jobs and convenience but this is not more important than our environment. We need to learn to take care of what's around us more sincerely because less disadvantages will come from doing so. By taking care of our environment we are also taking care of God's gift

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In the Philippines, transportation is one of the major issues. People frequently leave early in order to avoid being late for their trip due to traffic. The idea of extending the network of railways that connect the north and south is a wonderful one, but we also need to take into account our farmers and forestry.

Because it has an impact on our forestry and agriculture, I have decided not to pursue this project further. Despite the fact that it helps with both transportation and job growth. We must keep in mind that agriculture supplies food for the populace, the raw materials required to make goods, aids in economic growth through product exports, and employs a sizable portion of the Filipino workforce. Cutting down trees is a problem because deforestation is a problem in the Philippines as well.

In conclusion, the project expanding the railway system is a good idea, but it will affect our environment. Such as agriculture and forestry. Which will affect food, productions, economic growth, and employment of people in the Philippines. So, before we decide for our convenience, let us consider first the things that might be affected because of our decision.

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The environment here in our country will always be the good part of why our farmers are earning for their lives. What if the government wants to produce something that could easily break what the farmers have worked hard for and destroying the environment be will ease up the transformation for those who lives in the west part of our country and easily find a job in the Metro all the way to the north?

Well, for me, it would be better to continue with the railways system idea because in today's modern time, it is most likely to help our environment too. Less cars will be using the road which means the pollution will be lessen. Also, in our century, it is better for people to transport in a faster way and it will be less hassle for them to arrive in places going up to the north. They already did it before but it is already old and will be dangerous to use. Coming from me as, it would also be easier for people to find a job and also will help them to have better opportunities.

I want to expand my countrymen's wants to have a better job in different places. We will make sure even if we continue with this project, no part of environmental things will be destroyed and if so, it will be replaced and we will make sure to payback to those who are affected in our project.

In conclusion, I want to help each and every Filipino to explore. Our generation deserves a better way to transport and to have a better job finding though the whole of Luzon. It can help help our economical growth since everyone will be able to go to various places.

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The environment of the Philippines should prioritize and should not be taken lightly or taken down just for the sake of expanding railways. The idea of expansion especially for the public that traveling is indeed essential and needed for public transportation would not ideally fit with the pending environmental issue that is happening around us.

Firstly the railways connecting the North(Baguio) to the south of (Bicol) are too idealistic given that no major railway has a far line of connections. Secondly, our country has no capacity of implementing such huge a project given the widespread of other projects implemented that are still incomplete, so where will we find the funding for the project? The third railways should only be localized in Metro Manila until the areas in the provinces are marginalized and improved in terms of local areas and roadways.

Although we are behind in terms of modernization of public transportation and also this will help increase job opportunities for people who are in need. We must also consider the possible consequences of removing areas of land with trees and farms will cause major implications of problems when it comes to economic and industrial processes of natural materials. Also, we are contributing to the continuing problem of global warming and climate changes globally causing our agriculture to decrease in the production of crops meaning lesser jobs for them.

Overall I support the idea of modernizing public transportation and expanding the railways for people from afar but by destroying vastly huge acres of the land worth of planted trees, I believe it is not the best way to go. There are other possible ways of doing the expansion also with the right amount of time the positive side of creating the railway will soon be implemented.

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Throughout humanity's development, industrialization and environmentalism has always been in constant battle. Although it is evident that the development of our society is necessary, is it really worth killing our own world? In some cases, industrialization may be the answer, as it provides more job opportunities while also paving way to the production of beneficial goods/technology. In this case however, I do not see why it is worth clearing out farms and forests for the simple purpose of convenient transportation. Humans have always believed that our resources were simply unlimited. Furthermore, the attitude of Frontierism has cost us to always negate the environment for human development, and this habit must come to a stop.

As the secretary of the Department of Transportation, I order for this expansion to be cancelled. Although it may reap benefits for the jobs and transportation of the people, it still gives too many negative effects. Baguio is known as a city with healthy forests, and to strip it of it's identity would simply be a crime. Many may state that many jobs could be given in the process, but how about the farmers? Wouldn't we be stripping them of their source of livelihood by clearing out their farms? At a time where the number of farmers are constantly decreasing, continuing projects like these could only make the situation worse. Global warming and climate change have only gotten worse and worse throughout these past decades. Does it really make sense for us to clear more forests? After looking at the pros and cons of this project, it is evident that the benefits that this project reaps do not outweigh the problems it creates.

Overall, I do acknowledge transportation as a present problem in the Philippines. Our constant increase in population has caused many areas to be greatly congested.  However, I believe that solving this problem with the price of destroying habitats and farms wouldn't be worth it. Doing this would simply make farmers and animals lose homes. If we must solve this problem, we have to use our great minds to find a way that does not sacrifice our environment because we have done this too many times already. We only have one world, and I believe that it is our responsibility to do everything in our power to take care of it. Let's break the habit of sacrificing our world for our industrial needs, and let's try to start putting the health of our environment first.

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The best course of action is to find a balance between sustaining the economy whilst not harming the ecosystem. It would be a better option if we can build the railway while ensuring minimal destruction to local ecosystems the railway will come across. However that is not the case here. We must choose sides and argue on why it would be at least better despite the drawbacks.

Economics is different in the modern world, Transportation for manufactured products is not the only viable option for economic increase. To be specific, the financial system has been the dominant driving force in modern economies. With the storm of computing and mathematical knowledge, financial economics at a macro scale will be the best  economic approach for many developing nations. With this, we can safely assume that we do not need to extensively destroy our own ecosystem in order to build another railway to feed economic growth. Manufacturing and global trade is not the only option for our economy and there is an abundance of highways, railways, and ports for logistics.

Moving on to Philippine geography, the Philippines is a very mountainous country. Logistics is not only difficult, but not economically efficient if done on land. This is why our ancestors were seafaring and relied mostly on our coastline for transport. Building a new railway would not only require us to traverse long distances around mountainous areas, It will also destroy the ecosystem that sustains us and our wildlife. Even if construction decides to go through mountains, it will still cost more than building on flat land which we already use for agriculture.

With these key reasons, as the head of the Department of Transportation, I will choose to not build a railway cutting through ecosystems. Not only will it be economically problematic, it will also harm the local ecosystem and wildlife contributing more to ecological destruction and climate change as carbon footprints are increased. A positive way to look at this is that railways are not a very viable source of transportation in our country as indicated by the lack of rail transportation and abundance of highways. Rails are not a good source of mass transport in our country. A railway not built is but a tiny setback on our many other ways of logistic transportation of goods.

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As much as I love the environment and  how amazing and beautiful it looks, I would have to give way to the construction of railways. No matter how painful it must be to do that I would have to do it. As the Secretary Department of Transportation it is my duty to provide a more convenient and easier life for the Filipino citizens.

Not only does this provide income for people who are struggling in finding one but it also provides a safer and faster mode of transportation. We are living in the 21st century, things like these are inevitable because of the constant improvement of advancements and convivence for the country and its people. We have to accept that the old times are gone and we have to move forward as a country or we will be left behind by all the others.

I'm not saying there should be competition between countries but I'm saying this because if we can make the lives of our people easier should we not take it? If we can improve our country should we not take it? Its hard making these tough decisions but in the end someone must do it so that we can be better.

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The Philippines’ environment should not be negatively affected just for the sake of the convenience of travel. Although the idea of a greater railway system outside of Metro Manila would be a great idea, it wouldn’t be advantageous given our current situation.

There are various cons to pursuing the railway system connecting the north (Baguio) and the south (Bicol). To begin with, the Philippines does not even have a modern and efficient railway system localized in Metro Manila. There are times in which the system would face problems and breakdowns, making it unavailable for the people. Coupling that with more stations to connect the two sides, it would cost us more than the given budget for the project. The railway should only be limited to Metro Manila as traffic is continuing to show signs of worsening. Other modes of transportation available such as the use of buses could travel long distances such as Baguio while still being reasonably priced.

The creation of jobs would definitely be a great outcome for all of us and our economy. However, farms are still valuable, irreplaceable assets for our country since it manages our imports and exports. This is also our role of man in nature, specifically in the Deep Ecology where each living organisms depend on the other for survival. The Philippine Government could instead focus on other projects that are both beneficial to the environment and the people (focusing more on jobs).

To conclude, there is no need to continue the expansion of the railway system connecting the north and the south for the simple reason that our environment is much more important. Given our current situation, it would just bring our economy to a complete disadvantage.

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Environmental Philosophy