A FOREST WITHIN A CITY? IS THAT POSSIBLE?

A FOREST WITHIN A CITY? IS THAT POSSIBLE?

For many years, I have been writing about the idea of a “forest within a city.” Some people said it was too ambitious. Others said it was impossible. But now, here comes England proving that it can be done—and not merely as a small experiment, but as a full-scale transformation of urban living.

Not a park. Not a few trees beside highways. Not token greening.
But an actual forest city designed for one million people.

If this isn’t a signal that the world is going green in a big, serious way, I don’t know what is.

ENGLAND’S FOREST CITY: A REALITY IN THE MAKING

A cross-party coalition in England is pushing a plan to build the country’s first “forest city” since the creation of Milton Keynes in the 1960s. The idea is championed by Shiv Malik, a journalist-turned-innovator who argues that millennials deserve affordable housing without destroying nature to get it.

The plan, already being studied by the housing department, envisions:

• 12,000 acres of newly planted native forest
  
  

• Eco-friendly wooden homes built at scale
  
  

• A city designed for walking, public transport, and children’s safety
  
  

• A community land trust to keep housing affordable
  
  

• Development corporation powers to cut red tape and reduce costs
  
  

• Wildlife corridors connecting ancient woodlands
  
  

• Streams restored, water infrastructure upgraded, and farmland repurposed
  
  

In short, it is not a “forest-themed city.”
It is a city that IS a forest.

IF THEY CAN DO IT—WHY CAN’T WE?

England is one of four constituent countries of the United Kingdom, meaning it can push projects like this even without national-level approval. This level of autonomy—and imagination—is what makes big green ideas possible.

I now ask: Which Philippine agency is capable of dreaming this big?

MMDA?
As much as I want to say yes, they are already drowning in traffic, waste, and flood problems. This kind of project needs long-term thinking, not crisis management.

DENR?
Perhaps, especially through the Forest Management Bureau (FMB). But DENR must shift from policing forests to creating them.

Local governments?
Yes—especially progressive cities like Davao, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and Cebu. A pilot “forest town” in these areas would be a perfect start.

WHAT WOULD A PHILIPPINE FOREST CITY LOOK LIKE?

Here is where the idea becomes exciting.

We could design:

• Barangay micro-forests using native species
  
  

• Green corridors linking them, doubling as flood-control systems
  
  

• Wooden, modular homes patterned after sustainable Nordic and Japanese models
  
  

• Tram-based public transport replacing endless bus lines
  
  

• Food forests and urban agroforestry for local produce
  
  

• Native tree sanctuaries preserving our rich biodiversity
  
  

If England can dream of a forest city, why can’t Metro Manila dream of a “Forest Mega-Barangay”?
 

I CAN MOBILIZE OUR GREEN WARRIORS

If MMDA, DENR, or any LGU decides to try this—even at a pilot scale—I can mobilize my network of “green warriors” nationwide. We can supply native tree seedlings, not the invasive species commonly planted today.

A forest city must be built on Filipino forests—not foreign trees.

FOREST CITIES ARE NOT FUTURISTIC. THEY ARE NECESSARY.

Climate change is wiping out the old way of building cities. Heat islands are turning urban centers into ovens. Floods are becoming routine. Mental health is declining in gray, concrete environments.

We cannot keep building cities that destroy us.

England has taken the first bold step. Singapore, China, Italy, and even New York have shown that forest-driven urban planning is not just possible—it is sustainable.

The question is no longer: “Is a forest within a city possible?”
It is now:
“Are we brave enough to build one before nature forces us to?”

RAMON IKE V. SENERES

www.facebook.com/ike.seneres iseneres@yahoo.com senseneres.blogspot.com 09088877282/08-23-2026

ARE WE SO DESPERATE ALREADY THAT WE NOW HAVE TO DEPEND ON DEEP SEA WATER TO DRINK?

ARE WE SO DESPERATE ALREADY THAT WE NOW HAVE TO DEPEND ON DEEP SEA WATER TO DRINK?

“At the crossroads of crisis and ingenuity, humanity is forced to drink not only from its rivers, but from its imagination.” (UNKNOWN)

Quite frankly, I would hate to see the day when we finally have to answer that uncomfortable question: Are we so desperate already that we now have to depend on deep-sea water to drink? But whether we like it or not, the clock is ticking. Many parts of the world are drying up. Some still have water, but it is no longer clean. Others have water so saline that you could almost harvest salt from the tap.

In many places, the rivers and aquifers are polluted with plastics, industrial chemicals, agricultural run-off—an alphabet soup of contaminants. So yes, the question may soon shift from “Will we drink deep-sea water?” to “When?”

And when that time comes, will we be ready?

The Technology Is No Longer Theory

The good news is that deep-sea desalination technologies are no longer science fiction. California’s OceanWell is already deploying subsea “purification pods” that use natural ocean pressure to push seawater through membranes—no massive pumps, no toxic chemical treatment, and no destructive brine discharge. New Zealand’s Flocean is tapping 500-meter-deep aquifers containing naturally clean, mineral-balanced water that needs almost no processing. Israel, the UAE, and Australia are scaling advanced deep-intake systems that use renewable energy and minimize ecological impact.

These are not pilot dreams. These are operational systems.

So Where Does This Leave Us?

Instead of waiting for Metro Manila or Cebu to turn into the next Cape Town “Day Zero,” this is the time to plan ahead. Here’s my simple proposal to the Philippine government:

1. Identify communities already running out of clean water—whether due to pollution, salinity, or depletion.
   
   

2. Fund pilot deep-sea desalination projects in selected coastal areas.
   
   

3. Develop local technologies if possible; if not, enter technology-transfer agreements with firms like OceanWell or Flocean.
   
   

4. Test modular systems that can operate at the barangay level. Water security should not rely on megaprojects alone.
   
   

If we can adopt deep-sea pressure-powered desalination early, we can avoid a future in which water becomes a luxury commodity—or worse, a political weapon.

Is This Desperation or Preparedness?

Some may see deep-sea desalination as a sign of desperation. I disagree. To me, desperation is waiting for catastrophe before acting. Preparedness is investing in alternatives while we still have options.

Besides, tapping deep-sea water does not mean abandoning our rivers and aquifers. It simply means diversifying our sources so that communities are not left vulnerable to drought, pollution, or climate shocks.

A National Security Issue Disguised as a Technical Problem

Let’s be honest: water scarcity is no longer an environmental issue. It is a national security issue. It affects public health, agriculture, power generation, food supply chains, and social stability.

If deep-sea desalination can give us a buffer—cost-effective, modular, and ecologically responsible—why shouldn’t we explore it?

Before We Reach Desperation

Maybe the time will come when we must tap deep-sea water for survival. I hope it doesn’t. But I won’t bet our future on hope alone.

Let’s plan, test, and innovate now—while fresh water still flows, while our decisions are still proactive rather than reactive, and while we can choose resilience instead of desperation.

The question isn’t whether deep-sea water will someday be part of our drinking supply.

The real question is: Will we be wise enough to prepare before we no longer have a choice?

RAMON IKE V. SENERES

www.facebook.com/ike.seneres iseneres@yahoo.com senseneres.blogspot.com 09088877282/08-22-2026

BARRIERS FOR NURSING GRADUATE STUDIES

 BARRIERS FOR NURSING GRADUATE STUDIES

Good news/bad news alert for nurses in the United States — especially those dreaming of graduate school. The recent policy shift from the U.S. Department of Education is raising alarm bells. But before you panic, let me explain why you might not need to worry immediately, and what really lies ahead for advanced nursing education.

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What Really Changed — And What It Doesn’t

In its new “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBBA), the US Department of Education has redefined which graduate degrees count as “professional.” Shockingly, nursing — including MSN, DNP, and other advanced programs — is excluded from that list. 

What does that mean? Under the new rules, students in professional degree programs can borrow up to $50,000 annually with a $200,000 lifetime cap, but those outside that category (like many nursing grads) may be constrained to $20,500 a year and no more than $100,000 in total. Moreover, the Grad PLUS loan—which many graduate nursing students rely on—is being eliminated. 

To be crystal clear: this is not a change to your nurse license or to how much you’re respected as a nurse. Your licensure, clinical role, and professional credibility are untouched. This is strictly a financial and regulatory policy change.

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Why Some Nurses Are Panicking — And Rightly So

1. Affordability takes a hit. Advanced nursing degrees are expensive—and many nurses count on federal loans to fund them. Cutting borrowing capacity could put grad school out of reach for many.
   
   

2. Workforce pipeline threatened. These aren’t just academic degrees; they lead to roles like Nurse Practitioners, CRNAs, Nurse Educators, and DNPs. If fewer people can afford those programs, the already serious nursing shortage could worsen.
   
   

3. Equity concerns. The changes disproportionately burden working nurses, students from low-income backgrounds, and those in rural or underserved communities.
   
   

4. Advocacy warnings. The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) strongly opposes the exclusion, warning it’ll severely limit access to crucial funding.
   
   

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So Should You Be Worried — Especially If You’re Filipino Nurse or Planning to Go to the U.S.?

Here’s the reassurance: if you’re already working in the U.S. or planning to go, your job or visa status is not directly impacted by this decision. This isn’t about your license or your worth — it’s about how federal student loans are structured.

Most nurses, especially those working in hospitals or clinics, do not immediately plan to pursue an MSN or DNP. So for many, the effect may not hit now. But it’s very real for those who do want to advance academically—and who may rely on loans to do so.

If you’re still planning to go to the U.S. for nursing, here’s my advice: get informed, not alarmed. Don’t believe unverified rumors. Read official DOE notices, talk to financial aid counselors, and stay connected to nursing associations, which are pushing back hard. 

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What Can Be Done — A Systems View

This is a classic systems-thinking problem. Educational finance policy directly impacts healthcare workforce sustainability. The removal of financial support for advanced nursing education threatens a feedback loop: fewer advanced nurses → fewer educators → fewer new nurses → deeper shortage.

Possible responses:

• Advocacy: Nursing associations and educators must push for reversal or revision. The ANA has already called on the DOE to reinstate nursing in the “professional degree” category.
  
  

• Alternative financing: Schools and employers could increase scholarships, tuition reimbursements, or loan-forgiveness tied to working in underserved areas.
  
  

• Modular education models: Build “stackable” credentials so nurses can advance in smaller steps, reducing reliance on large loans at once.
  
  

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My Final Thoughts

This policy change is not a slap at your professionalism — but it is a financial blow. And in the long run, it undermines the ability of nurses to grow into advanced, leadership, and educator roles.

If you are a nurse in the U.S., don’t let fear guide you alone — let informed action guide you. Write to your congressperson, support your nurse organizations, and speak out. Because for the health of our patients and the future of our profession, we need advanced nurses more than ever.

RAMON IKE V. SENERES

www.facebook.com/ike.seneres iseneres@yahoo.com senseneres.blogspot.com 09088877282/08-21-2026