By Bernadette H. Carreon
Horizon news staff

Philippine Senator Jamby Madrigal said that the Philippines should emulate Palau when it comes to protecting the environment.
Sen. Madrigal was in Palau recently in Palau for a diving trip with her husband.
In an interview with Horizon Madrigal said the Philippine government should learn from Palau in terms of sanctioning individuals or group violating environmental protection laws.
She said the Philippines diving sites can be comparable to Palau but the island nation is better at protecting its underwater wonders.
"That is why Palau is known as one of the top dive sites in the world because of its laws on protecting the environment," Madrigal said.
Madrigal claimed that the Philippine government under the leadership of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is turning a blind eye towards environmental violators.
She cited the company responsible for the oil spill which recently occurred in one of the provinces in the Philippines was not sanctioned because Arroyo’s government is allegedly concerned about the protecting the businessmen’s interest rather than the environment.
She said the Arroyo government do not see the importance of the environment unlike the Palau government.
She said , she has been taking diving trips to Palau five years ago, while she’s here she is also studying Palau’s efforts to protect the environment.
Madrigal stayed with the Big Blue Liveaboard for two weeks and dove at the Ulong Channel , Blue Corner Channel and German Channel.
In the future, Madrigal said she wanted to visit the Filipino community here.
She said if she gets invited, she wanted to see how the Filipino workers are doing in Palau.
She said , she hopes to visit Palau again next year.