Environmental and Natural Resources Management: Lessons from City Program Innovations

The enactment of the 1991 Local Government Code has brought greater responsibilities for local government units to manage their natural resources and the environment. This move has encouraged greater dynamism and innovation in some Philippine cities. Strategies employed and programs undertaken by various cities largely depend on the stage of development and their respective focus and priorities. For large urban cities, environmental problems are associated with growth and economic activity and thus, a special attention is given for a clean air and a healthy environment. This paper aims to draw lessons from selected cities that have undertaken innovative environmental programs and to highlight key elements that have made their programs successful and sustainable.metropolitan structure, environmental issues, metropolitan planning and development, environmental management

Managing the Environment and Natural Resources: Lessons from City Program Innovations

The enactment of 1991 Local Government Code has brought greater responsibilities for local government units to manage their natural resources and the environment. This move has encouraged greater dynamism and innovation in some Philippine cities. Strategies employed and programs undertaken by various cities largely depend on the stage of development and their respective focus and priorities. For large urban cities, environmental problems are associated with growth and economic activity and thus, a special attention is given for a clean air and a healthy environment. This paper aims to draw lessons from selected cities that have undertaken innovative environmental programs and to highlight key elements that have made their programs successful and sustainable.metropolitan structure, metropolitan planning and development, environmental management

Environmental and Natural Resources Management: Lessons from City Program Innovations

The enactment of the 1991 Local Government Code has brought greater responsibilities for local government units to manage their natural resources and the environment. This move has encouraged greater dynamism and innovation in some Philippine cities. Strategies employed and programs undertaken by various cities largely depend on the stage of development and their respective focus and priorities. For large urban cities, environmental problems are associated with growth and economic activity and thus, a special attention is given for a clean air and a healthy environment. This paper aims to draw lessons from selected cities that have undertaken innovative environmental programs and to highlight key elements that have made their programs successful and sustainable.metropolitan structure, environmental issues, metropolitan planning and development, environmental management

Improving the Spatial Dimension of the Annual Budget

With the delivery of most basic social services now devolved in the hands of local government units, has the process of budgeting followed suit? How far has the spatial dimension of the annual budget taken shape? Has regional budgeting--which was introduced as far back as the 1970s--become the norm and institutionalized as a process?fiscal management, fiscal sector

Aging, Gender and Neighbourhood Determinants of Distance Traveled: A Multilevel Analysis in the Hamilton CMA

The objective of this study is to investigate the determinants of mean trip distance traveled by different mode types. The study uses data from the Hamilton CMA in Canada, and multilevel models to investigate demographic aging factors, gender differentials, and neighbourhood attributes on distance traveled. The results of the study validate previous findings regarding the decline in distance traveled as age advances. In addition, it is found that: 1) While this effect of age is present for all modes analyzed (car-driving, car-passenger, and bus) it is considerably more marked for car-driving; 2) There are significant gender effects compounded by the interrelated factors of employment constraints, household dynamics, and greater reliance on travel modes other than car driving; and 3) Neighbourhoods with high commercial and residential mix showed a negative relation with distance traveled only in the case of car-driver.distance traveled, aging, elderly, gender, neighbourhood influence, multilevel analysis

Metropolitan Arrangements in the Philippines: A New Urban Development Challenge

The formation of metropolitan arrangements has recently become the trend. As these are still in the early stage of developing their identity, this note deals with the policy issues concerning metropolis and how to sustain such arrangements. It also presents the profile of the different emerging metropolis in the country.urban management, urbanization, metropolitan structure, metropolitan planning and development

Computational Economics: Help for the Underestimated Undergraduate

Our concern in this paper is that the capability of economics undergraduates is substantially underestimated in the design of the present college curriculum and that our students are insufficiently challenged and motivated. Students enter our classrooms with substantial previous knowledge about computers and computation and we are not taking full advantage of this opportunity. We suggest a set of examples from computational economics which are challenging enough to motivate students and simple enough that they can master them within a few hours. By encouraging the students to modify the models in directions of their own interest avenues for creative endeavor are opened which deeply involve the students in their own education.teaching computational economics

Policy Areas Impinging on Elderly Transportation Mobility: An Explanation with Ontario, Canada as Example

As countries face the challenges posed by rising numbers of older persons, the need to reassess their respective policies to address transport needs in aging societies is increasingly recognized in relation to health and sustainability goals. This paper proposes the examination of six interrelated policy areas affecting elderly mobility in a country or administrative region. A general survey of policy developments in each of these areas could improve current strategies and existing processes in the planning and implementation of mobility services that will be responsive to both elderly and the general population now and in the future. These include: 1) general transport policy framework; 2) travel mode preference; 3) alternative transport infrastructure stock and investments; 4) housing-land-use-transportation linkage; 5) research and technology applications that improve travel mode and environment; and 6) institutional and legal reforms. These policy areas are discussed and given concrete elucidation in the case of Ontario, Canada. Reflections and recommendations for further research and policy action deemed critical in the case region are highlighted.transportation, aging, regional policy, Canada

Importancia de la detección del protozoario zoonótico Cryptosporidium parvum en muestras de agua en Chile

Cryptosporidiosis is a parasitic disease of the digestive tract caused by protozoa of the genus Cryptosporidium. Species of this agent have been reported since the beginning of the twentieth century. Just at the end of it, it has been recognized as a pathogen widely distributed as a threat to public health. In human beings and other animal species, is considered an emerging or re emerging infectious agent. In 1984, the first outbreak of cryptosporidiosis transmitted through water, was described. Since then, many authors have shown the presence of this endoparasite in surface water, pool water, untreated wastewater and even drinking water, suggesting its role as a causative agent of diarrhea. Also there is evidence that water purification methods would not be completely efficient to remove or inactivate this endoparasite. The persistence and spread of this protozoan in the environment and drinking water are based on three biological conditions: 1) Its oocysts are immediately infectious, 2) it have a small size and 3) it have resistance to the environmental conditions, as well as the action of disinfectants and physical processes of water purification treatment. The laboratory diagnostic methods are diverse and can vary according to the origin of the samples. Microscopic, immunological and molecular protocols can be used in either patients or environmental samples. The development of molecular diagnostic technique has allowed the identification of Cryptosporidium hominis and C. parvum witch infections have the highest prevalence in human beings. In Chile, this parasitic disease is endemic infecting human domestic and wildlife animals. Studies of cryptosporidiosis in humans and livestock animals banegda dne itnec tth teh ims zido-o8n0o'sti',c baugte notn ilny trheicse mntalytr isxo.    La criptosporidiosis es una enfermedad parasitaria del tracto digestivo producida por protozoos del género Cryptosporidium. Aunque las especies de este agente se han descrito desde comienzos del siglo veinte, solo a fines de éste, se ha reconocido como un patógeno ampliamente distribuido y como una amenaza para la salud pública. En los seres humanos y algunas especies animales, es considerado un agente emergente dado su reciente hallazgo en nuevas áreas geográficas del mundo o por su descripción en nuevas especies animales. En tanto que también se ha reportado su re emergencia por el aumento de la prevalencia de este patógeno en poblaciones humanas o animales. El primer brote de criptosporidiosis transmitido a través del agua, fue descrito en 1984, y desde ese año numerosos autores han evidenciado la presencia de este endoparásito en aguas de superficie, aguas de piscina, aguas residuales no tratadas e incluso en redes de agua potable, sugiriendo su rol como agente etiológico de diarrea. Su hallazgo frecuente en el agua potable, evidencia que los métodos de potabilización del agua no serían completamente eficientes en la separación o inactivación de este endoparásito. La persistencia y diseminación de éste protozoo en el ambiente y el agua potable se sustenta en tres hechos biológicos: (1) Sus ooquistes son inmediatamente infectantes, (2) tienen un tamaño pequeño y (3) resisten las condiciones medio ambientales, tanto como la acción de desinfectantes convencionales, así como los procesos físicos de tratamientos de aguas. Los métodos de diagnóstico de laboratorio son diversos y pueden variar según el origen de la muestra. Así por ejemplo existen protocolos y estudios tanto de técnicas microscópicas, como inmuocromatográficas y moleculares como PCR, para ser utilizados tanto en muestras del medio ambiente como en aquellas provenientes de pacientes. El desarrollo de estas últimas técnicas para el diagnóstico, ha permitido identificar a Cryptosporidium hominis y C. parvum como aquellos que con mayor prevalencia infectan al hombre. En Chile, es un agente endémico y está descrito en una serie de animales domésticos, así como también en los seres humanos. Si bien, los estudios de esta parasitosis se iniciaron en humanos y animales a mediados de la década de los 80', solo recientemente existen antecedentes bibliográficos de laboratorios que han realizado protocolos de detección de este agente zoonótico en esta matriz.  

Indices de Pobreza Multidimensional: alcances y limitaciones

En éste trabajo se presentan las características de los principales índices de pobreza multidimensional, y se analizan sus alcances y limitaciones tanto para la medida de la pobreza como para servir como guías de las políticas públicas. This paper presents the characteristics of the main indices of multidimensional poverty, and analyses their scope and limitations as measures of poverty and as guides for public policy