seven suspected mountaineer on Mt. Pulag forest fire will face charges- Cimatu
The perpetrators of the forest fire that destroyed more than five hectares of grassland, including luscious grass and dwarf bamboo plants, inside the Mt. Pulag National Park in Benguet province last Saturday will be facing criminal charges to be file by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The Section 78 of the Revised Forestry Code penalizes anyone who occupies, possesses and/or causes destruction to forest or grazing lands. This criminal offense includes negligently causing a fire within forest or grazing lands. Initial investigation revealed that the caused of blaze was from an explosion of butane gas stove used by a group of hikers from Cebu.
Regional Director Ralph Pablo of the DENR-Cordillera Administrative Region said seven mountaineers led by a certain Kristomar Mackay could face criminal charges for violation of Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act, and Presidential Decree No. 75, also known as the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines.
From the time being, some parts of Mt. Pulag have already been declared off-limits to visitors to pave the way for rehabilitation on the damaged areas. Meanwhile, to prevent a repeat of the incident, Pablo said the national park management now plan to designate an open area where cooking may be allowed and require overnight campers provided to have a portable fire extinguishers.
"The DENR is mandated to protect Mt. Pulag, but it is imperative that hikers and visitors do their part as well,” Cimatu emphasized. “The DENR recognizes the impact of the fire had on the national park and we will pursue all legal avenues to bring those responsible to account,” Secretary Roy A. Cimatu explained. (MJ Olvina- Balaguer, 09053611058, maryjaneolvina@gmail.com)
DENR suspends operations of two IFMAs blamed for killer floods in Zamboanga The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Tuesday *suspended* the operations of two big companies for alleged violation of their Industrial Forest Management Agreements (IFMAs) after President Duterte blamed them for the flash floods and mudslides which killed dozens of people in Zamboanga Del Norte at the height of Typhoon Vinta. DENR Region director Felix Mirasol Jr. confirmed that they have issued the suspension order on Dacon Group of Companies (DGC), which is operating in the province through its companies, the South Davao Development Co., Inc (SODACO) and the Sirawai Plywood o & Lumber Corp. (SPLC) in Sibuco town. Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu said that DENR investigators have been deployed in the province so that “an exhaustive probe can be conducted to see if there have been violations in their permits.” President Duterte issued the closure order to Cimatu during the Cabinet meeting on Monday after watching a five-minute video of the deforested portion of the Zamboanga mountain range where flash floods brought down logs that rampaged through the coastal communities. The environment chief said a 12-member team consisting of local DENR officers from the forestry, mines and environment bureaus has been created to look into the operations of SODACO and SPLC for violations of their Integrated Forest Management Agreements. Under their IFMA terms, SPLC and SODACO is allowed to establish industrial tree plantations which they can harvest, but are not allowed to cut residual trees unless authorized by the Office of the DENR Secretary under very strict conditions such as for site development and plantation establishment. The DENR has issued five IFMAS to the two firms with a combined area of 70,709 hectares, covering 12 towns traversing the boundaries of Zamboanga Del Norte and Del Sur. ### From DENR -30- Cimatu ascribes significant drop in New Year pollution levels to Duterte’s EO limiting firecracker use Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said he was overwhelmed by the significant drop in air pollution levels recorded in Metro Manila during the New Year revelry as compared to the previous year, owing it to a presidential directive regulating the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices. Cimatu said there was no doubt the reduction was due mainly to the issuance of Executive Order No. 28 by President Rodrigo Duterte, its implementation by relevant government agencies, and widespread public compliance. “This just goes to show that the law, if properly implemented and readily complied with by the citizenry, will bring about the needed results for everyone’s benefit,” Cimatu said. The environment chief pointed out that EO 28 – which bans the use of firecrackers and fireworks in households or places of residence nationwide and confines the use of pyrotechnic devices to “community fireworks display – was only on its first year of implementation and yet it already resulted in remarkable improvement in Metro Manila’s air quality during the New Year celebration. “We hope that this is just the start and Filipinos will get used to welcoming the New Year without the firecrackers and fireworks that pose serious danger to human health and the environment,” Cimatu said. During the first hour of Jan. 1, all air-quality monitoring stations in Metro Manila registered lower levels of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 or particle less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter and PM 10 or particle less than 10 micrometers in diameter, compared to last year. This was according to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), a line bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which supervises the monitoring stations. The monitoring station at the Caloocan City Hall annex compound consistently registered the highest PM2.5 reading at 966 micrograms per normal cubic meter (ug/Ncm) and PM10 at 1,058 ug/Ncm. While still above the safe 24-hour guideline value of 50 ug/Ncm, the EMB said the PM2.5 levels decreased by as much as 84 percent along Naval Street in Navotas City at 71 ug/Ncm compared to 2017 readings. The following stations also registered a decrease in PM2.5 levels: 73ug/Ncm or 83 per cent at Don Bosco Barangay Hall compound, Parañaque City; 183ug/Ncm or 59 per cent along Taft Avenue, Manila; and 74 ug/Ncm or 46 percent in Oranbo, Pasig City. The stations in South Caloocan and along CAA Road in Las Piñas City were well within the safe values at 23 and 5 ug/Ncm, respectively. In contrast, the stations along EDSA, Quezon City and at the Pinaglabanan Shrine compound in San Juan City recorded 155 and 149 ug/Ncm, respectively. Meanwhile, PM10 level in Bicutan, Taguig City decreased by 90 percent from 366 ug/Ncm in 2017 to 36 in 2018. Other stations that showed lower PM10 levels were the following: Naval Street, Navotas City, at 197 ug/Ncm or 60 percent reduction; Pinaglabanan Street, San Juan City at 173 ug/Ncm or 39 percent; and Oranbo, Pasig City at 95 ug/Ncm or 33 percent. Other PM10 readings elsewhere: Marikina Justice Hall open ground, 416; Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City, 322; Philippine Airlines compound, Pasay City, 222; Pateros Elementary School, 208; Muntinlupa prison open grounds, 168; and EDSA, Quezon City, 152. PM10 Readings at these stations were within the 24-hour safe value of 150ug/Ncm: South Caloocan, 112; CAA Road, Las Piñas City, 45; and Don Bosco barangay hall compound, Parañaque City, 72. PM2.5 and PM10 pollutants are much smaller than a normal hair strand which measures about 70 micrometers. These can be inhaled directly into the lungs or absorbed by the bloodstream and lead to or aggravate pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. ### form DENR
Mining firms told to review community development programs
Environment Secretary Gina Lopez has called on large-scale miners to review their social development and management programs (SDMPs) and adopt a more effective “Sustainable Integrated Area Development” (SIAD) approach to ensure their operations bring sustained economic and social benefits to their host communities.
In a recent dialog with community relations officers (CROs) of some of the country's biggest mining companies, Lopez expressed hope that the mining companies would take a hard look at SIAD as a key to strengthening the SDMP.
“What I want to do with the SDMP fund is for the DENR to jointly manage it with the mining companies and the community. I want to use their funds in the area development approach for more impact,” Lopez said.
The environment chief added that she wants to use the fund to improve the productivity of the area. “I want it to be used to achieve area development, not as dole out, but for improving the productivity of the area,” she said.
Among those present in the meeting were CROs of OceanaGold Philippines, Philex Mining Corp., FCF Minerals, Holcim Philippines, and Lafarge-Holcim Aggregates Inc. The CROs are the mining firms' frontliners, conducting consultations with communities affected by their operations.
The dialog was the first of a series of nationwide consultations with mining stakeholders being conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as it is currently in the process of reviewing the guidelines on the formulation and implementation of SDMPs by mining firms.
SDMPs are provided for in DENR Administrative Order No. 2010-21, which is the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
Lopez said a revision of the SDMP guidelines was necessary to address some concerns about the implementation of certain programs, including lack of community counterpart and weak coordination with local development plans, thus resulting in wastage of SDMP funds.
A precondition to starting a mining operation, SDMP is a five-year plan carried out during the life of the mine to bring about a sustained improvement in the living standards of the host and neighboring communities.
It serves as a partnership between the mining operator and its host and neighboring communities meant to provide alternative livelihood opportunities for mine workers and their families.
Under this setup, at least 1.5 percent of the total mining and milling costs of the company is monetized and placed in a trust fund for affected communities.
Of the amount, 75 percent must be spent on community-development programs; 15 percent on mining technology and geosciences advancement programs; and 10 percent on information, education and communication program.
"The SDMP funds should not be limited just to the host communities. Of course, they’re the ones you should take care of. But if used well, you don’t need to take care of them anymore because they will use their own money. Then you will widen the scope of the areas you can help," she said.
SIAD, according to her, creates sustainable mini-economic zones that could generate employment and livelihood activities in mining communities. ###
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DENR deploys 30 chainsaw units to hasten clearing operations
in Nina-hit areas
he Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has deployed 30 units of chainsaw to help speed up the clearing operations in areas devastated by Typhoon Nina on Christmas Day.
This is to assist our local government units (LGUs) and the Department of Public Works and Highways in the clearing operations and in harnessing fallen trees cluttering in roads, which affected the delivery of relief assistance to affected communities," said DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations Isabelo Montejo.
Nina battered the Bicol region and parts of Southern Tagalog and Samar Island, leaving six people dead and a trail of destruction in its wake. It has been described as the strongest typhoon to strike the Bicol region in 10 years.
According to Montejo, the DENR regional directors in affected areas have been ordered to coordinate with the LGUs to facilitate the deployment of chainsaws, which were earlier confiscated by the DENR for lack of permit or registration.
We are also now coordinating with other government agencies and non-government organization partners as we try to pull out all other resources of the department to facilitate other assistance we can provide,” Montejo added.
the DENR encouraged making use of the uprooted trees to build temporary shelters for typhoon survivors. It also promised to provide assistance to affected DENR employees.
Tall and big trees, including coconut, can be used to repair damaged buildings, houses and other structures.
Meanwhile, the DENR also directed the regional offices in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and Eastern Visayas to conduct damage assessment in planting sites under the National Greening Program for possible rehabilitation and replanting efforts. ###
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DENR: Air pollution levels in Metro Manila shoot up
during New Year revelry
High pollution levels hit major cities in Metro Manila as millions celebrated the start of the new year last Sunday.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said that PM2.5, a micro particle matter that causes hazardous smog, was a major pollutant.
passed on the data gathered from various air quality monitoring stations in the metropolis, many of the cities were monitored as severely polluted during the early hours of Sunday.
As of 12 a.m. of January 1, the monitoring station at the De La Salle University (DLSU) in Manila recorded a PM2.5 level of 448 micrograms per normal cubic meter (ug/Ncm), while pollution levels in the cities of Paranaque, Taguig, Valenzuela and Muntinlupa were 433, 324, 285 and 175 ug/Ncm, respectively.
s of 2 a.m. of the same day, the air quality monitoring stations in Pasig City and the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City recorded PM2.5 levels of 397 and 369 ug/Ncm, respectively.
The PM2.5 levels in the cities mentioned fall under the category of extremely dangerous. This means it is no longer deemed safe to go outside without wearing a face mask, and that is not always safe.
The healthy guideline values for PM2.5 is 25 ug/Ncm annually and 50 ug/Ncm for 24-hour averaging. All stations have registered higher levels of PM2.5 compared to last year’s festivities.
On regular days, however, such as in the month of April 2015, PM2.5 readings in selected air quality monitoring stations are generally lower values: DLSU with 7 to 182 ug/Ncm ; Paranaque, 6 to 18 ug/Ncm; and Muntinlupa with 8 to 42 ug/Ncm.
The DENR attributed the high pollution levels to the continued use of fireworks and firecrackers by New Year revellers.
This was precisely the reason why the DENR has been supportive of the proposed ban on firecrackers and pyrotechnics display, according to Assistant Director Jacqueline Caancan, officer-in-charge at the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).
The EMB, an attached agency of the DENR, regularly monitors fine particulates like PM2.5 and other pollutants present in the air.
“The DENR supports all efforts to reduce the use of firecrackers during the New Year’s Eve celebration as it significantly affects the air pollution situation in the country," Caancan said.
She added: "Experts have advised that particles in PM2.5 are able to travel deeply into a person’s respiratory tract and can cause short-term health effects and worsen medical conditions of people with asthma or heart disease."
Air pollution accounts for 1 in 8 deaths worldwide - approximately 7 million deaths in 2012, according to latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The findings doubled previous estimates from just a few years ago in 2008. WHO now characterizes air pollution as "the world’s largest single environmental health risk."
he EMB-National Capital Region operates and maintains 13 air quality monitoring stations in Metro Manila. For Quezon City, Manila and Valenzuela City, these are maintained by the EMB-Central Office.
Air quality monitoring stations are also operated and maintained in other parts of the country. A total of 14 stations are located in areas outside Metro Manila. ###
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Metro Manila air pollution up after New Year’s Eve revelry - DENR
Air quality monitoring stations in Metro Manila for Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) registered slightly higher levels of pollution on New Year’s Eve.
Based on data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), at 12:00 AM of January 1, 2017, the air quality monitoring station at De La Salle University (DLSU), Taft, Manila recorded levels of 448 ug/Ncm, Paranaque with 433 ug/Ncm, Taguig with 324 ug/Ncm, Valenzuela with 285 ug/Ncm and Muntinlupa with 175 ug/Ncm.
meanwhile, as of 2:00 am of January 1, 2017, the air quality monitoring station at the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) in Quezon City recorded levels of 369 ug/Ncm and 397 ug/Ncm at Pasig City.
ealthy guideline values for PM 2.5 is at 25 ug/Ncm annually, and 50 ug/Ncm for 24-hour averaging. All stations have registered higher levels of PM 2.5 compared to last year’s festivities.
n regular days, however, such as the month of April 2015, PM 2.5 readings recorded in selected air quality monitoring stations are generally lower values in the ranges as follows: DLSU with 7 to 182 ug/Ncm ; Paranaque with 6 to 18 ug/Ncm; Muntinlupa with 8 to 42 ug/Ncm.
DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) In-Charge, Office of the Director, and Concurrent Assistant Director Jacqueline Caancan said that the Bureau, through its EMB Regional Offices, regularly monitors fine particulates such as PM 2.5 along with other pollutants present in the air.
“The DENR supports all efforts to reduce the use of firecrackers during the New Year’s Eve celebration as it significantly affects the air pollution situation in the country. Experts have advised that particles in PM 2.5 are able to travel deeply into a person’s respiratory tract and can cause short-term health effects and worsen medical conditions of people with asthma or heart disease,” Caancan added.
Air pollution accounts for one in eight deaths worldwide - approximately 7 million deaths in 2012, according to new data from the World Health Organization (WHO). The findings, released in late March, doubled previous estimates from just a few years ago in 2008. WHO now characterizes air pollution as “the world’s largest single environmental health risk”.
The EMB-National Capital Region operates and maintains 13 air quality monitoring stations in Metro Manila. For Quezon City, Manila and Valenzuela City, these are maintained by the EMB-Central Office.
These stations are located in the following areas: Hall of Justice, Open Ground, Marikina City Hall; Caloocan City Hall Annex, North Caloocan; Don Bosco Barangay Hall, Parañaque City; Pateros Elementary School, San Pedro, Pateros; Malabon Polytechnic Institute, Malabon City; Navotas City Hall, M. Naval Street, Navotas City; Rohm and Hass Warehouse Compound, CAA Road, Las Piñas City; Bilibid open ground compound, Muntinlupa City; TUP Taguig Campus, East Service Road, Western Bicutan, Taguig City; Danny Floro Street, Oranbo, Pasig City; Plaza Hardin, Martinez Highway, Addition Hill, Mandaluyong City; PAL Compound, Pasay City; and Pinaglabanan Shrine along Pinaglabanan Street, San Juan City.
Air quality monitoring stations are also operated and maintained in other parts of the country. A total of 14 stations are located in areas outside Metro Manila. ###
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EMB meets 2016 goals; 2017 targets set
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), a line agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is ending 2016 with a number of accomplishments under its sleeve.
As of November 2016, the EMB reported that 72 bodies of water across the country were cleaned and managed under the Adopt-an-Estero program. This number is equivalent to 113 percent of its 2016 target.
The bureau had signed a total of 89 agreements with private partners and stakeholders for cleanup activities in adopted river systems and waterways.
Technical assistance was also given to 1, 688 local government units (LGUs) in line with the implementation of Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. This accounts to 116 percent of the total 1,460 cities and municipalities in the Philippines.
The National Solid Waste Management Commission, together with the Office of the Ombudsman, also conducted a dialogue with LGUs to inform them about the stricter policies of both agencies in enforcing RA 9003.
Moreover, around 88 percent of the annual target under the Clean Air Act, with 98 air quality sampling stations were maintained and calibrated, and 14,042 companies were intensively monitored as of last November.
Meanwhile, the targets for 2017 have already been set by the EMB, including the reduction of particulate matter 10 or PM10 levels in Metro Manila and the continuing rehabilitation of Manila Bay. The EMB has been monitoring close to 2,000 industrial and commercial establishments surrounding the bay.
Improving compliance with RA 9003 by LGUs is also one of top priorities of the agency. Strategies such as establishing partnership with public markets, commercial enterprises, and 24 environmentally sustainable cities are also in the pipeline.
Continuous monitoring of all environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) and strengthening of online ECC applications will also be done in 2017. This is in line with the effective implementation of the streamlined Environmental Impact Statement system, and with the more stringent measures that the agency has started to apply this year. ###
DENR welcomes BMB chief appointment
to UN body on biodiversity conservation
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has welcomed the appointment of Director Theresa Mundita Lim of the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) to the advisory body of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), calling it a recognition of the country's efforts to conserve and protect its rich biodiversity.
The CBD, which secretariat is based in Montreal, Canada, recently appointed Lim to be the next head of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), an intergovernmental body that gives scientific advice to the CBD’s Conference of Parties or COP.
CBD is an international legally-binding treaty with three main goals: conservation of biodiversity; sustainable use of biodiversity; fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. Its overall objective is to encourage actions which will lead to a sustainable future.
Lim, who will serve a two-year term starting this year, was appointed during a recent conference dubbed as COP13 held last December in Cancun, Mexico. One of her main duties is to prepare a set of recommendations for the COP14 to be held in Egypt in 2018.
DENR Secretary Gina Lopez, who had endorsed Lim to the post, said that the appointment of the BMB chief to the CBD would “allow the Philippines to show how its biodiversity programs can benefit humanity.”
“Biodiversity is the wealth of the planet. If we keep it alive, our planet will see the light of day. In the Philippines, our aim is to explore biodiversity in a way that benefits the surrounding communities,” Lopez said.
She added: "The environment is not only land, air, and water, but also people. If the people do not benefit in a sustainable manner, then our conservation efforts can be considered a failure."
Lopez’s statements jive with the objectives of the Cancun Declaration on Mainstreaming the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity for Well-Being, which was signed during the COP13.
The declaration recognizes the value of biodiversity to the “lifeblood of economies,” which include tourism, agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
It also calls for urgent, strong and responsible actions to ensure the survival of the natural capital, biological wealth and healthy ecosystems that support humanity’s development and well-being.
Lim, as SBSTTA chair, will also advise or recommend to the COP’s other bodies the assessment of the status of biodiversity and other measures taken to successfully implement the convention, if necessary.
The BMB chief is a graduate of veterinary medicine from the University of the Philippines. Her expertise and work experience in championing wildlife protection and biodiversity conservation in the Philippines has made her a very able country representative in various international fora.
The BMB under Lim’s watch has improved conservation programs, including management and sustainable financing of protected areas and key biodiversity areas nationwide. ###
Purchase of air monitoring equipment aboveboard- EMB
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has denied allegations that there were irregularities in the procurement of 48 units of air quality monitoring stations (AQMS) installed across Metro Manila and other parts of the country.
In-charge of EMB’s Office of the Director and its Concurrent Assistant Director Jacqueline Caancan said the purchase of such equipment was aboveboard and free of corruption, noting that the agency followed every step of the procurement and bidding rules.
"The procurement of said equipment went through the standard bidding procedures conducted by our Bids and Awards Committee and acquired through competitive public bidding,” Caancan said.
She added: "The procurement is in accordance with Republic Act No. 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act."
Caancan was reacting to newspaper reports claiming that the procurement of the equipment, supposedly worth P1 billion, was riddled with anomalies and irregularities.
The reports refer to the EMB's purchase of AQMS from 2011 to 2015, composed of both Open Path Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS), and Particulate Matter Stations (PM 10/ PM 2.5).
Caancan clarified that all these equipment, purchased for EMB Central and Regional Offices, cost only around P290 million, and not P1 billion.
Meanwhile, Engr. Jean Rosete, chief of EMB Air Quality Management Section, belied claims that the technology used for the AQMS acquired by the EMB was already obsolete and not intended for use in Philippine setting.
"The Open Path DOAS procured by the EMB falls under the equivalent methods certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)”, Rosete explained.
“The Open Path DOAS is one of the advanced technologies that can be used for the country for ambient monitoring. The technology offers spatial representation of a geographical area and with probability of capturing measurements of local sources of emissions. The aforecited AQMS and equipment are also five times lower in cost in terms of maintenance than the other technologies,” she added. ###
DENR adopts stricter policy for ECC issuance
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is adopting a stricter policy in the issuance of environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) to ensure that future development projects will not cause significant negative impact on the environment.
Secretary Gina Lopez said that from now on, the DENR will make sure that specific measures and conditions are first met by project proponents before ECCs are issued to them.
It was a long-standing practice that the ECCs can already be issued even if certain conditions are yet to be complied with by project proponents.
"If any ECC is cancelled now, it has to be withdrawn in the legal parameters at that time. But for the future, we are saying that if any ECC is given, it should not be given unless all the conditions are first met," Lopez said.
Lopez revealed the new policy on ECC issuance on Thursday, when she also announced the results of the regular ECC monitoring conducted by the agency.
The DENR cancelled a total of six ECCs, issued show cause orders against 12 development projects and denied one ECC application.
According to Lopez, the DENR's decision to cancel, deny or grant an ECC is "based on social justice."
"Social justice, in the context of the DENR, means that the use of the land benefits the greater majority, benefits the common good. But, when the environment is destroyed, it is the poor people around the area who suffer,” the DENR chief said.
ECC is a certificate issued by the DENR's Environmental Management Bureau following a positive review of the ECC application. This certifies that based on the application of the proponent, the proposed project or undertaking will not cause a significant negative impact on the environment.
The certificate contains specific measures and conditions that must be met by the proponent before and during the operation of the project. In some cases, conditions are listed to be performed during the project's abandonment phase to lessen identified potential environmental impacts.
One of those cancelled was the ECC issued to Century Communities Corporation for its Nova housing project, which is located on the La Mesa Watershed.
Lopez said the development could affect the reservoir that serves 12 million people in Metro Manila.
"As a matter of principle, that's the watershed of 12 million people, and I cannot see the possibility where a business interest is more important than the water that our people drink," Lopez said.
The DENR also cancelled the ECCs given to Palawan-based mining firms Ipilan Nickel Corp. and Lebach Mining Corp., as well as Davao-based Core Mining Corp. and Austral-Asia Link Mining Corp., and Donggwang Clark Corporation in Pampanga.
Lawyer Maria Paz Luna, the designated DENR undersecretary for legal affairs, said that contrary to its claim, Austral-Asia's mining site is only five kilometers away from a habitat of the endangered Philippine eagle.
"This is a signal that the DENR is no longer to keep on waiting for conditions to be fulfilled until we issue adverse findings," Luna said.
Meanwhile, the DENR has directed Benguet Corp. to explain why its ECC should not be cancelled for its Antamok open-pit mine in Itogon, Benguet in its "failure to rehabilitate the open pit site for 25 years" and "negligence leading to a toxic spill to 1.8-km river in Cordillera."
The agency also issued show cause orders to Sinophil Mining and Trading Corp., LaFarge Mindanao (formerly Mindanao Portland Cement Corp.), Philippine Sinter Corp., Century Peak Corp. (on two projects), Filipinas Systems Inc., Ore Asia Mining and Development Corp., Wan Chiong Steel Corp., Wellex Mining Corp., PhiGold Metallic Ore Inc., and Hantex Manufacturing Corp.
At the same time, the DENR denied the ECC application of Egerton Gold Philippines for its project in Lobo, Batangas due to incompatibility of its operations with the Verde Island Passage, which is considered the "global center of the center of the marine biodiversity of the planet.”
“Yearly, hundreds of new marine species are found in the Verde Passage. Any kind of mining or coal plant would adversely affect the area, which, if maneuvered well, could bring on the uplift of the entire area and be a gift to humanity,” Lopez concludes. ###
EMB halts activities inside Bataan coal-fired power plant
The regional office of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Central Luzon has ordered SMC Consolidated Power Corp. (SMCCPC) to stop any activity inside its coal-fired power plant in Limay, Bataan in the wake of an ash spill that has reportedly caused several residents to fall ill.
It also directed the nearby Petron Bataan Refinery (PBR) to "stop from dumping newly-generated bottom ash" in the area while the ash spill incident is being investigated.
The two directives, both dated Jan. 6, 2017, were issued by Regional Director Lormelyn Claudio of EMB Region 3, which is based in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
EMB, a line bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is responsible for the implementation of various environmental laws, rules and regulations, including Presidential Decree No. 1586 or the law establishing the Environmental Impact Assessment System that requires an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) to ensure that a development project will not cause adverse environmental impacts.
In a Notice of Alleged Violation issued to SMCCPC, the EMB wanted the power firm to explain why the ECC for its Limay facility should not be revoked or cancelled due to the ash spill.
"Notice is hereby served in connection with the dumping of bottom ash at [SMCCPC's] facility in Lima, Bataan. This allegedly caused unmitigated spread of ash which affected the health conditions of the residents in the host community," the notice read.
The EMB is giving SMCCPC a period of 7 days from receipt of the notice to explain why it should not be penalized under P.D. 1586, and why its ECC should not be revoked or suspended.
"Similarly, you are hereby ordered to stop from further undertaking any activity while the matters are being investigated," the EMB told SMCCPC.
The bureau also ordered the company to attend the technical conference scheduled on Jan. 9 at the EMB Region 3 office in Pampanga.
"Failure to attend will qualify you to be considered in default and the case shall be resolved based in evidence on record," the EMB warned SMCCPC.
Meanwhile, the EMB said the latest order against PBR was based on the notice of violation it issued against the oil facility last Dec. 28 when the ash spill in Limay was first reported.
The EMB said it was inclined to issue a new order against PBR "considering the most recent reports and information on the alleged skin diseases caused by the dumping of bottom ash at [SMCCPC's] facility."
SMCCPC and Petron Corp. are both subsidiaries of San Miguel Corp., one of the country's most diversified and biggest conglomerates.
Petron Corp. operates the PBR, which is the largest integrated crude oil refinery and petrochemicals complex in the country. ###
DENR to transform Mindanao into model of
social justice and upliftment
Secretary Regina L. Lopez on Thursday rallied the people of Mindanao including the officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to work together to make Mindanao a model of social justice and upliftment.
“Mindanao resources are for Mindanawans, not for business and foreign interests. Let’s make Mindanao a model of social justice and upliftment,” Lopez said during the Mindanao Environment Summit held at the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU).
Some 4,000 representatives from civil society, including indigenous peoples, farmers, fisherfolk and the academe attended the summit highlighted by the presentation of the state of the Mindanao environment (SOMEDay).
Lopez decried the environmental damage brought about by several business interests, particularly the mining sector, as shown in SOMEDay, calling the destruction, a “social injustice”.
The environment chief said that it “hurt her” to see and hear communities in damaged areas losing their livelihood and their resources due to the seeming indifference of mining and other businesses taking advantage of Mindanao’s wealth.
“Mindanao is for Mindanaoans. When its resources are used by others for business and foreign interest, that is social injustice,” she stressed.
“Mindanao is so wealthy, in resources and in intelligent minds. We should all work together to make sure that Mindanao’s resources are enjoyed by the people of Mindanao,” she stated.
Lopez then instructed all DENR officials at the venue to ensure that the agency’s mandate to enforce social justice is followed.
The Mindanao Environment Summit was jointly organized by the DENR and AdDU as a strategy for the DENR to interact closer with stakeholders of the environment.
It is also a step towards Lopez’s thrust to transform the DENR from being “merely regulatory” to being “an activator and catalyzer of change.”
Media Workshop ukol sa Ecological Agriculture pinangunahan ng Greenpeace-pagpapatuloy buhat sa frontpage ng pahayagan
Wala naman talagang tunay na masasabing organic agriculture kaya ingat rin sila sa pagsasabing ang kanilang mga produkto ay sertipikadong organiko sa halip masasabing pinalaki sa natural na paraan na lamang o yaong kung tawagin ay naturally grown.
Sa dalawang araw na aktibidad inuna sa unang araw ang pagpapailala ng kanilang mga sarili at ang introduksyon sa frm ng organic, pakikipag salamuha sa mga magsasaka at iba pang gawaing magsusulong ng tinatawag nilang ecological agriculture.
Kasama ng mga magwo workshop si Amelie Obusan, ang Country Director ng Grenpeace Southeast Asia na nakabase sa Pilipinas. Kinabukasan, sa Workshop Proper na sinimulan nang alas 9 ng umaga ay muling ipinakilala ni Obusan ang organisasyon kasunod ang unang workshop ukol sa kung ano ang masasabi ng mga mamamahayag sa kosepto ng ecological agriculture.
Kasunod nito ay tinalakay ni Daniel Ocampo Greenpeace Southeast Asia Ecological Agriculture Campaigner ang dalawang topics kabilang ang ukol sa Definition, Concepts at Principles pati framework ng ecological agriculture at ang kalagayan ng ecological agriculture campaign ng greenpeace sa southeast asia.
Sa ikalawang workshop ay ang brainstorming session kung saan sasagutin ang katanungang ano nga ba ang maaring ituring na may kuwentang alita o feature ukol sa ecological agriculture, sa workshop 3 na sumunod rito ay lilikha ng journalist checklist na may kakayahang palawakin ag prespektiba maging positibo o negatibong mga kundisyon tungkol sa ecological agriculture farming practices at ang mga prograa ng local o nasyunal na pamahalaan patungkol sa ecological agriculture.
Sinundan ito ng checklist at synthesis, talakayan at pagbubulay-bulay kung paano epektibong makakatulong ang pamamahayag na iulat ang ukol sa mga kuwento ng ecological agriculture.
Ang synthetic o may kemikal na kaparaanan sa agrikultura ay nakapaghahati ng malaki at maraming ani sa magsasaka ngunit aminado ang mga kumpanyang gumagawa nito na ang resulta naman ay ang kalusugan ng lupang sinasaka. Totoong di gaanon makapagko kontribyut sa seguidad sa pagkain ang mga naturally grown o yaong tinatawag nilang organic ngunit ayon nga kay Kapitan Panzo, kailangan munang ikondisyon ang lupa sa organiko lalo yaong mga lupang matagal na linatagan ng di organikong pataba.///Michael n balaguer.
Bagong Anti-Rabies Vaccine ng SANOFI epektibo lalo sa tag init; TRASH to DUST kasama ang DIAMARU ECO interesado ang Baliwag LGU
NILIKHA ng kumpanyang Sanofi Pasteur ang isang Anti Rabis Vaccine na sa halip ini iniksyon ay ini sparay na lamang sa apektadong bahagi, isa ang nasabing produkto sa ipinamigay ng kumpanya kasabay ng nakaraang World Rabis Day na kinober ng www.diaryongtagalog.net
Nabatid na taun taon ay may mga nai infect ng rabies dulot sa pamamagitan ng mga nakagat ng aso at madalas ay bago pa madala sa pagamutan ang mga biktima lalo kung malayo ang distansya mula sa pagamutan ay binabawian nan g buhay ang mga biktima.
Bahagi ng maituturing na pangunang lunas ang imbensyong VERORAB, inilunsad nuong 1985 at halos 115 milyong doses na ang nagagamit buhat sa 100 bansa at lubhang napaka epektibo.
Sa nakaraang World rabies Day 2014 iginiit ng kagawaran ng kalusugan na kanilang paiigtingin ang kakayahan upang maging Rabies Free ang bansa hanggang 2020, kasama ang Bureau of Animal Industry ng Department of Agriculture, National Rabies Prevention and Control Committee nabatid na sa dami nang mga nakakagat ng aso na nagtataglay ng rabies marami pa rin ang hindi nagagamot at tuluyang namamatay, sa mga malayong lalawigan naman kaht may supply ng mga gamot kontra rabies ay kinakailangang tatlong tao pa ang dapat nilang bakunahan.
Sa ganoong paraan ay lalong dumarami ang hindi nababakunahan at nabibiktima ng sakit kaya layunin ng imbensyon ay ang madala kahit saan ang paggamot ng Rabies at di masaktan masyado ang pasyente, maraming maka avail ng gamutan at higit sa lahat ay mabawasan ang mortality.///Jane Balaguer
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Isang malaking suliranin ang solid waste o basura sa malaking bahagi ng bansa. Minsan ito pa nga ang nagbibigay ng pagkakakilanlan sa anila lalo kung bantog silang napakaraming tambak ng basura sa bawat kanto o sa bawat lugar.
Ito marahil ang dahilan sa likod ng isang kumpanyang hapones upang lumikha ng makina na maaring makapagpabawas ng dumaraming basura sa isang lokalidad at kamakailan nga ay ipinakilala ito sa www.diaryongtagalog.net kasama ang Local Government Unit Head ng munisipyo ng Baliwag sa Buacan.
Tinaguriang “trash to dust”o ang prosesong pagproseso ng kahit anong solid waste o basura upang ang maging residue lamang ay alikabok. Hindi incineration o pagsunog ang nagaganap, ni hindi pagse-shred kundi ginagamitan ng teknolohiyang may kinalaman sa magnetism.
Sa paliwanag ng kumpanyang diamaru eco sa ekslusibong panayam ng pahayagan sa mga opisyales nito sa pamamagitan ng dating San Jose Baliwag Bgy Captain Edgardo Patawaran, natatangi ang teknolohiya ng mga hapones na ito dahil malaki ang maitutulong nito upang makabawas sa bilang ng basura.
Samantala, nagkaroon ng interes ang Punong Bayan ng Baliwag na Mayor Dellosa sa teknolohiya ng nasabing mga hapones at ayon sa kanya ay malaki ang magagawa nito upang matulungang mabawasan ang basura laloang solid waste di lang sa kanilang bayan sa Baliwag kundi sa buong bansa.
Si Dellosa na sisang doctor ng medisina ay exposed sa teknolohiya ng autoclave na ginagamit ngayon sa mga ospital sa pag dispose ng hospital waste kapalit ng nakagawian ng incineration. Wika ng mga hapones na nasa likod ng kumpanya, gagawin nila ang lahat upang iayos sa mga kinakailangang ahensya ng gobyerno ang lisensya upang makapag operate sa bansa at madala ang teknolohiya buhat sa bansang Hapon. Kabilang sa mga Hapones na nakapanayam ng www.diaryongtagalog.net ay sina Toyonori Sugita, ang Presidente ng Daimaru Seisakusho Co. Ltd na nakabase sa bansang Hapon, Masakatsu Takatsuka, Daimaru Eco Philippine President, ang kanyang asawang si Elsie Marie D. Takatsuka, ang Marketing Manager at Raymund Anicoche, ang kanilang Technical Engineer.///Michael balaguer
MANILA BAY, ISANG BUHAY NA YAMAN DAPAT I-CONSERVE AT PANGALAGAAN
BUWAN nang magsasaka at mangingisda ngayong Mayo at ang isa sa highlight ng kanilang mga aktibidad ay ang mga programa ukol sa pangangalaga ng sakahan at pangisdaan gaya ng look ng Maynila o Manila Bay, isang malaking ecosystem na nakakasakop sa Region 3, 4A at Metro Manila.
Sa symposium na isinagawa upang isalba ang look ng Maynila na ginanap sa Bulacan kamakailan, at dinaluhan ito ng mga stakeholders na tunay ngang apektado sa kung ano mang maging pagbabago sa nasabing body of water maging dulot ng climate change o man made phenomena.
Mga representante ng coastal town ng lalawigan gaya ng Hagonoy,
Obando, Paombong, Malolos City at Calumpit at Bulakan ang naroon na pawang fisherfolk organization kasama nina Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado, Bulacan Vice Governor Daniel R. Fernando, Regional Director Dr. Remy Ongtangco ng Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 3 (DA-BFAR R3) at Executive Director Noel Antonio Gearlan ng Manila Bay Coordinating Office ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (MBCO-DENR).
Binanggit ni Sy-Alvarado ang pangangailangan ng mga mamamalakaya sa mga biyaya ng manila Bay kaya kailangan nila itong pangalagaan para sa kanilang kabuhayan. Namigay ng gillnet at drynet sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Kaugnay nito, bago ang symposium ukol sa Manila Bay ay isinagawa ang Summit para sa mga Agricultural Extension Workers.
Isang buhay na kayaman ng bansa ang Manila Bay na tunay na dapat na isalba gaya ng mga Aian Living Treasures na binigyang pagkilala ng National Commission for Culture and the Arts kung saan binigyang pagkilala ang mga katangi tanging nagawa ni Uwang Ahadas ng Pilipinas at Supanee Chayabutra ng Thailand kasama ang Embahador ng Islamic Republic of Iran na si Ambassador Ali Asghar Mohammadi, Dr. Bahman
Samadi at kanilang National Artist na si Mr. Mostafa Akhavass.
Kilala ang bansang Iran sa makabagong teknolohiya, tanging bansang di arabo sa gitnang silangan na nagsusulong ng Atomic Science pang medisina, agrikultura atbp tulad ng Philippine Nuclear Research Institute ng Department of Science and Technology (PNRI-DOST). (jane olvina-Balaguer)
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Aytas get help in restoring their forests
MORONG, Bataan ― Through the Department of Science and Technology-funded project “Microbial inoculants to enhance reforestation and rehabilitation of forest ancestral lands of Aytas”, technical assistance is now being provided to the Aytas in reforesting their ancestral lands.
Specifically, the project seeks to decrease the mortality caused by pathogens and other stresses and increase the survivability of wildlings thereby fast-tracking forest regeneration.
To achieve project goals, optimum conditions will be determined to improve seedling’s survival rate in the nursery and on the field. Knowing the factors that can contribute to proper growth of seedlings and wildlings creates a higher probability of regaining the lost forest cover.
As cooperators, the Aytas gather seeds and wildlings from the remaining forests. The collected seeds are used for seedling production as well as for direct planting in open areas. In a field visit, project implementers learned that the Aytas supported the project because they believe that restoring the natural forests will benefit them.
Aytas depend on natural resources for their livelihood and subsistence. With the invasion of lowlanders and the consequent destruction of their lands, the Aytas’ survival was threatened. Hence, project benefits will redound among indigenous communities once trees and other flora and fauna start populating the denuded lands.
So far, the project has assessed the area’s topography and proximity to water sources to ensure ample water supply to the nurseries.
Three nursery set-ups were also established: open, partial, and full shaded, to simulate the different amount of light exposure in the forest and determine which condition is more favorable to the seedlings.
Lastly, two microbial inoculants were tested to determine which is more effective in making the wildlings grow faster and more resilient to stresses. (Mereyll Kyla Irader, S&T Media Service)
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City heeds call on solid waste management through R&D
ANGELES CITY -- This bustling city, like any other city with such stature is faced with a pressing concern in local government management ― waste accumulation and disposal. With the tons of wastes that the city produces per day to the detriment of the city’s environment, its local government saw a challenge and an opportunity.
Heeding the task of effectively managing its solid wastes, pursuant to RA 9003, the local government of Angeles partnered in a project with researchers from the Central Luzon State University-Ramon Magsaysay Center for Agricultural Resources and Environment Studies (CLSU RM-CARES).
Titled as “Solid Waste Management cum Organic Fertilizer Production in Angeles City: Support to High Value Vegetable Production,” the Project was designed to effectively address solid waste management in the city and at the same time create an opportunity for the city’s agricultural sector and other possible beneficiaries. As envisioned in RA 9003, the project drew not only the cooperation between the local government and CLSU, but also that of other players such as non-government organizations and the private sector, thus making it a community effort.
Of the 125 tons of wastes produced daily in the city, two tons of these which comprise mostly of household and market wastes, are biodegradable. These were segregated and mixed with quail or chicken manure and carbonized rice hull at 3:1:0.5 ratio. Two kilograms of the activator (Trichoderma sp.from carabao manure) produced at CLSU RM-CARES were added to every ton of piled materials to hasten the decomposition.
When analyzed, the organic fertilizer showed a total NPK of 6.72 percent (%), broken down as 2.21% nitrogen; 0.65 % phosphorous; and 3.86 % potassium. The fertilizer also contained 26.17% organic carbon. The production cost of a 50-kilogram bag of organic fertilizer is P140. The City Government of Angeles sells it at P200 giving them an income of P60 per bag.
The Angeles City-CLSU organic fertilizer proved to have positive effect on crop yield in bitter gourd, tomato, and cauliflower in terms of weight and yield volume.
Other than this beneficial effect on vegetables, the project contributed to achieving an efficient solid waste management program and decreasing environmental health hazards. It has also lessened the local government’s dependency on fossil-based fertilizer whose price continuously rises, and has provided the city with another possible business enterprise in organic fertilizer production.
Environmental benefits include the production of beneficial organic matter that enhances water and soil’s nutrient holding capacities; soil organism growth and greater soil health; and improved physical and biological properties of the soil. Commercial production will take place once the product has been registered. For the meantime, while being used in the demo farms and field trials, the organic fertilizer is also being distributed to interested farmers, schools, and households.
The Project garnered second place in the Best Development Paper category in the recently held National Symposium on Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (NSAARRD) in Los Baños, Laguna. Winners will be awarded on November 8 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. NSAARRD is one of PCAARRD’s initiatives to showcase the most outstanding contributions of individuals and institutions in the improvement of the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources sectors through research and development. (Christie A. Surara, S&T Media Service)
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12 ulo ng Philippine crocodile iri release sa wild ng isang foundation at DENR
INDEMIC sa bansa at maituturing na rare species an gating Philippine Crocodile. Dahil nga kinatatakutan ito at lubhang mas malaki kaysa ibang lahi ng buwaya, nitong mga nakaraang panahon ay halos naubos ang lahi nito sa pouching kaya isang foundation na nakabase sa ibayong dagat ang nagpakita ng concern para i-conserve ang kayamanan nating ito at buhat sa kanilang mga conservation efforts ay iri release na
nila sa wild ang 12 buwaya.
Sa pakikipagtulungan ng Isabela State University, Municipality of San Mariano, Isabela, Leiden University, Department of Environment and Natural Resources at Mabuwaya Foundation. Ang mga buwaya ay iri release ng grupo ng mga mag aaral na Pinoy at dayuhan buhat sa Isabela
State university, The Netherlands, Germany at mga taga United Kingdom kasama rin ang mga bisita galing sa Zoos Victoria ng Australia.
Isang makasaysayang aktibidad ang pagre release ng nasabing mga hayup dahil nga isa sa rarest sprecies ng buwaya an gating Philippine Crocodile at lubhang meaningful raw para sa mga dayuhan ang I conserve sila para Makita pa ng mga susunod na henerasyon.(Jane Balaguer)
Mga Seminteryo Nitong Nakaraang Undas Isang Malaking Basurahan
TIGMAK na naman ng basura na maaring makapag bara samga water
tributaries ng Kamaynilaan at sa huli ay maging dahilan ng malawakang
pagbaha sakaling umulan o bumagyo ang mga naiwang basura ng mga
bumisita sa seminteryo nitong nakaraang Undas.
Matatandaang libu-libong tao ang dumarayo sa mga seminteryo sa
lalawigan at sa Kamaynilaan tuwing sasapit ang nasabing okasyon at sa
ulat ng mga LGU na may kinalaman sadisaster gaya ng PAGASA at MMDA,
numero uno pa ring nagdudulot ng pagbagal ng daloy ng tubig sa mga
kanal at estero ang walang habas na pagtatapon ng basura.
Sa mga malalaking seminteryo sa lungsod gaya ng Manila North Cemetery,
Chinese Cemetery at Laloma Cemetery, makikita na ilang trak ng basura
buhat sa mga LGU ng Maynila, QC at Caloocan ang naghahakot pa ng mga
basura ng mga bumisita hanggang ngayon, patunay ng kakulangan sa
disiplina ng pinoy sa mga ganitong okasyon.
Bagaman, sa ilang lalawigan, lungsod at bayan di lang sa Kamaynilaan
pati sa mga malalayong lugar ay ipinasa na ang samut-saring
ordinansang nagbabawal sa paggamit ng plastic, may ibang basura pa rin
naming lumulutang sa baha di lang ang nasabing material ayon sa
DENR.(jane olvina)
DENR nakipagtulungan sa 5 LGU upang mapabilis ang pagti titulo ng lupa sa Northern Mindanao
NAKIPAGTULUNGAN ang Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) sa mga local government units (LGU) sa Northern Mindanao lalo sa Lanao del Norte and Misamis Oriental upang mapabilis ang pagti titulo sa mga lupa sa mga nasabing lugar.
Kinilala ni DENR-Region 10 Executive Director Ruth M. Tawantawan ang limang bagong mga LGU na lumagda sa memorandum of partnership agreement (MOPA) sa pagitan ng regional office upang isakatuparan ang mga aktibidad ng pagtititulo ng lupa upang makasama ang mga munisipyo ng Lala, Kolambugan, Kauswagan at Tubod, lahat ng Lanao del Norte, at bayan ng Gitagum sa Misamis Oriental.
Sinabi ni Tawantawan kay DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje sa kanyang ulat na ang mga bagong pakikipagtulungan nila ay maaring umabot sa 15 LGU kung saan positibong tumugon sa panawagan ng kagawaran ukol sa pakikipagtulungan dalhin ang mga serbisyong palupasa mga pamayanan sa pamamagitan ng MOPA.
ang mga LGU na maagang lumagda sa MOPA kabalikat ang DENR-Region 10 kabilang ang lima sa Bukidnon, kagaya ng mga bayan ng Maramag, Don Carlos, Quezon, Sumilao at Impasug-ong; tatlo sa Lanao del Norte gaya ng Kapatagan, Linamon at Bacolog; isa sa Camiguin ang Mambajao at Cagayan de Oro City.
ayon pa kay Tawantawan ang paglagda sa MOPA ay alinsunod sa DENR Administrative Order No. 2011-06 na naglalayong I-facilitate ang pagpapatupad ng public land titling sa pakikipagtulungan ng local government.
sa ilalim ng nasabing kautusan, ang LGU ay magtatalaga ng kailangang opisyales at tauhan na magtatrabaho sa aktibidad ng land titling kabilang ang isang liaison officer sa pagitan ng municipality at ng DENR. Sa kabilang dako, ang DENR ay magkakaloob ng tulong teknikal sa LGU, personnel, pati mga kagamitan at mga taong may kaalaman sa mga gagawing trabaho.
Inaasahan rin silang mag monitorat mabilis na makatugon sa mga suliranin ng munisipyo ukol sa pagti titulo ng lupa. “We have already conducted a series of orientation on DAO 2011-06, as well as training on land laws and policies, land surveys and disposition, community mobilization and land adjudication which were participated in by personnel of LGUs, non-government organizations, and other stakeholders. But just the same, we mobilize our personnel from the Land Management Service to assist the LGUs so that we both realize the objectives of the program on land disposition,” paliwanag ni Tawantawan.
Sinabi rin niyang di lamang mga may ari ng lupa ang maaring mabenepisyuhan ng programa bagkus pati mga LGU rin dahil maari itong pagkunan ng revenue. Nasa batas rin na kailangan magbigay ng suporta sa pagti titulo ng lupa ang mga tauhan ng DENR sa lalawigan at pamayanan o mga environment and natural resources offices, dagdag pa niya. (jane balaguer)
Pamunuan ng DENR inutos ang malalimang imbestigasyon ukol sa paglusob sa ISF areas sa Region 12
INIUTOS ng isang mataas na opisyal ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources sa Region 12 ang malalimang pagsisiyasat sa napabalitang paglusob ng ng ilang grupo sa lugar na nasasakupan ng Certificates of Stewardship Contracts (CSC) na inisyu ng DENR sa ilalim ng Integrated Social Forestry Program (ISFP).
Nagbaba ng direktiba si DENR-Region 12 Datu Tungko M. Saikol sa gitna ng mga reklamo na ipinahatid ng CSC holders sa Regional People’s Organizations Strengthening and Capability-Building Seminar na ginanap kamakailan sa Barangay Tambler, General Santos City.
Isang miyembro ng Kabalantian Farmers Association, Inc. (KAFAI), na di nagpabanggit ng pangalan, ang nagsabing isang tribu mula sa Bukidnon ang umano ay lumusob sa kanilang Integrated Social Forestry (ISF) project area na may nasasakupang humigit kumulang 5,402 hectares.
Ang KAFAI ay isang rural workers association na rehistrado sa Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), na may mga miyembrong aabot sa 200. ang kanilang mga miyembro ay karamihan Ilongos na kabilang sa Manobo-Kulamanon tribe, na nagke claim ng prior rights sa area by virtue daw ng Certificate of Stewardship Contract na inisyu ng DENR nuong 1997.
Ang paglusob ng nasabing unnamed tribal group mula sa kalapit na bayan ay umano sanhi ng instability sa ibang bahagi ng Barangay Kabalantian, ang northernmost barangay ng bayan ng Arakan sa (North) Cotabato.
Ayon sa mga magsasaka, ang ibang benepisyaryo ng ISF ay nagpapabayad na lamang upang di na maabala at makaiwas sa gulo. Ang nasabing paraan ay nakapagdudulot pa ng maraming adverse claimants, ayon sa kanya. Nanawagan ito sa mga local at national leaders na tulungan ang kanilang grupo upang mabigyang kalutasan ang kanilang sinapit at “get what rightfully belongs to us and in order for us to live and work peacefully.”
Isang magsasaka buhat sa Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat ang lumapit rin sa DENR management sa umano ay pagsakop ng isang mining company na nagko conduct ng exploration sa kanilang lugar.
“We were surprised to see a sign board of GRCO Mining within our project area which is covered by our CRMF,” ayon sa nasabing magsasaka. ang CRMF ay Community Resource Management Framework Plan. (mn nodalo)
Ilang grupo planong ipa alis ang mercury sa small-scale mining
WAKASAN ang paggamit ng asoge sa artisanal at small scale-mining sa bansa, ito ay sa ginawang pakikipagtulungan ng mga Government agencies, BAN Toxics at ng United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) upang paghandaan ang isang proyektong mag tatanggal sa paggamit ng mercury.
Nakipagtulungan ang Environmental Management Bureau ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-EMB), UNIDO, BAN Toxics, at ang Department of Health (DOH) sa proyektong ‘Improve the Health and Environment of Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) Communities in the Philippines by Reducing Mercury Emission’.
Pangunahing layunin ng proyekto ay palakasin ang pambansang kapasidad upang I- manage ang asoge sa pamamagitan ng paglikha ng formal national institution at training ng mga stakeholders.
Dumalo ang mga representante ng DENR-EMB, DOH, local government units at small-scale miners groups sa project’s inception workshop nitong nakaraang August 28-29, 2013 sa BSA Twin Towers sa Ortigas, Pasig City.
“We fully support the Philippines’ efforts to address the issue of mercury use in small-scale mining. This project is a testament to the efforts being undertaken by the Philippines in taking a lead in solving this difficult and complex issue,” ayon kay UNIDO representative Ludovic Bernaudat.
Sa pamamagitan ng proyekto, ang pambansang ASGM institution ay lilikhain upang makapagbigay ng pagsasanay at sertipikasyon para sa mga minero na naglalayong bawasan at kalaunan ay alisin na ng tuluyan ang paggamit ng asoge sa kanilang mga trabaho.
Ang proyekto rin ay makalilikha ng maayos at maaasahang health education, techniques, at technology training programs, kasama ng maagang pagkilala at pagkatuto sa mercury poisoning sa libel ng pamayanan.
“The beneficiaries of this project are the communities around small-scale mining areas. If we are able to change the mining methods, the approach, and bring a common vision and goal among the miners and the community, BAN Toxics and its partners would have secured a strong measure of success and pave the way for a long-term solution to the problem,” pahayag ni BAN Toxics executive director Atty. Richard Gutierrez sa project’s inception workshop.
Ayon sa pag aaral ng United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), ASGM ay ang single largest mercury emitting sector sa bansa na kinilala sa pagde discharge ng tinatayang 70 metric tons o higit pa ng 30 bahagdan kada taon.
Ang walang habas na paggamit ng asoge sa ASGM ay nagdadala ng malala at seryosong suliranin sa kapaligiran at kalusugan na magiging sagabal sa social, technical at institutional na isyu kaakibat na ang pagpapatupad ng mga patakaran. nitong 2006, iniulat ng United Nations na ang mga minero sa bansa ay napag alamang may mercury levels up to 50 times above sa pamantayan ng World Health Organization. (mike balaguer)
Recycling Sagot Sa Kalikasan-Sec. Paje (DENR)
MAAYOS na pagbu bukod-bukod ng basurang maaring magamit muli, maging abono, at maibenta nang maka dadagdag kita upang magsilbing malaking katipiran sa pamahalaan at pamayanan.
Nakatulong na sa kalikasan, healthy life style ang mga mamayan sa tamang pamamahala ng basura at pagrerecycle ayon kay DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje, sa nakalipas na 10 taon ang Local Government Units(LGUs) ay aktibo sa pagpapatupad ng RA 9003 – segregation at source, segregated collection, recycling, and resource recovery, mandatory establishment of Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in every barangay or cluster of barangays.
Ayon sa Asian Development Bank (ADB) tinatayang ½ kilo o 7,000 tonelada araw araw ang basura tinatapon ng kada isang mamayan sa metro manila.
Ang taunang gastos sa basura sa buong Metro Manila umaabot sa Php 1,500 tonelada ng basura na Php 10.5 milyon. Kung ang mga nabubulok na basura ay maibubukod ng tiyak na makatitipid Php 3.61 bilyon.
Ito isang paraan kung saan ang mga Filipino magkakaroon ng malalim na kaalaman at benipisyo ng proper waste management sa pamamagitan ng recycling na makatutulong sa kalikasan, kalusugan at antas ng pamumuhay ng mga Pinoy dahil tunay na may pera sa basura.( mj balaguer)
makikita sa larawan ang Executive Vice president ng MAPECON na si Inventor Gonzalo O. Catan Jr. sa anibersaryo ng kanilang branch sa Olongapo City na kabilang sa Pampanga-Bataan-Olongapo.
MAPECON Activated Carbon green technology na maraming silbi, isang imbensyong pinoy na aprubado ng DENR
MAITUTURING na isang malaking milagro ng agham at teknolohiya ang pagkaka imbento ng activated carbon kaya nga nang matuklasan ito ay nalamang napakarami nitong silbi, ito rin ay aprubado ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Ayon kay Inventor Gonzalo O. Catan Jr., ang kanyang activated carbon ay maaring gamitin sa water purification process, maari nitong gawing malinis ang tubig at makakatulong upang magamit for disaster stricken areas kagaya nang nakaraang kalamidad.
Detoxifier at air purifier, isang teknolohiyang ginagamit upang gawing malinis ang hangin. Bilang waste treatment na gamit sa mga water concession at water treatment na maaring magamit sa potable water.
Bukod sa nasabing mga katangian ng activated carbon ng MAPECON na likha ni Catan, ginagamit rin ito sa gold processing ayon sa DENR-MGB (mines and geosciences bureau).
Isa sa mga isinusulong ng DENR sa pangunguna ni Sec. Ramon Paje ay ang green technology at ang MAPECON activated carbon ay napatunayang 100% green technology, gawa sa high grade bao ng niyog sa pamamagitan ng green hydrogen fuel na buhat sa biomass.
Wala itong greenhouse gas contamination, sulfur dioxide at ibang petroleum pollutants, bagay pang water purification at wine making at food grade ibig sabihin, kung aksidenteng makain ay di ikamamatay. (Mary Jane Olvina-Balaguer)
MAPECON GRAMP, ang big four kontra peste
PESTE ang malaking problema di lang ng mga bukirin, industriya, maging sa ating mga kabahayan. Inuubos ng anay ang mga kahoy ng ating bahay dahilan upang pag di sinulusyunan ay maaring magiba ito ng di mo inaasahan, matindi ring sakit ang dala ng ipis, daga at mga insektong di naman welcome sa ating kabahayan.
Upang pigilan ang pamamayagpag ng mga gumagapang at lumilipad na mga insekto kaya nilkha ang MAPECON GRAMP o General Pest Abatement Maintenance Program kung saan ito ay binubuo ng apat na patented products ng numero unong pest control company sa bansa. Ang Big-R, NORO pellets, F3 Powder at EZP o Encapsulated Zinc Phosphide.
Pinapatay ng nasabing mga produkto ang mga daga sa ating kabahayan na nagdadala ng leptos pirosis na isang nakamamatay na sakit buhat sa ihi ng daga, mga lumilipad gaya ng langaw at lamok na kadalasang nagdadala ng sakit gaya ng diarrhea, dengue at malaria, ipis at langgam na kapwa nagdudulot ng karamdaman.
Magiging ligtas sa peste ang ating mga bahay, opisina, pagawaan at maliligtas pa ang ating buhay laban sa mga sakit sa pamamagitan ng mga produktong ito, bukod sa tinatangkilik pa natin ang sarili nating produkto bilang Pilipino dahil ang MAPECON ay 100% Pilipino owned, isang makabayang paraan upang pumatay ng peste. (michael n balaguer)
mga balitang ukol sa kalikasan
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