Green Advocacy Invites Dialogues with DENR
San Fernando City, Pampanga (29 July) — Not content with the short rally they staged the other day in front of the DPWH Regional Office, green advocates have extended their efforts to save the trees along MacArthur Highway by way of a dialogue with other government agencies including some members of the senate.
And this time, concerned citizens from various parts of City of San Fernando and even priests and nuns from the archdiocese of San Fernando shared their pro-life sentiments to spare the decades-old trees from destruction.
The dialogue between the two contending parties was held a day after the protesters staged a demonstration on July 22 at 7:30am, in front of DPWH Sindalan where the governor spearheaded the demonstration. A’temporary suspension’ of the cutting of trees was announced shortly thereafter.
DENR Regional Executive Director Antonio Principe was unfortunately the only official from his office who was able to shed light on the querries of the advocates. However, he would not elaborate on who was really behind the removal although he admitted that the DENR was given the permit to cut the trees. This fact made the advocates all the more disappointed.
Nuns, residents and other advocates spokeout as several local media men covered the protest action. Also in attendance was Governor Panlilio’s Chief of Staff Amelito Vitug, Rev. Fr. Marius Roque of the Metropolitan Cathedral, broadcast journalist Ces Yumul, City of San Fernando Tourism Officer Ching Pangilinan and Lito Ocampo of FEDHOA. (PIO)
Army plants 4,000 trees in Rizal
According to 1Lt. Adonis Banez, the Army’s activity is in support to the government’s campaign against climate change and global warming which he described as posing threat on planet earth. “We cannot deny the fact that the earth is in great distress as shown by the uncontrollable disasters happening today,” he said.
Timed this celebration of disaster consciousness month, Banez said the “Valiant Troopers” under the leadership of Col. Remegio De Vera, 501st Brigade Commanding Officer, planted the surrounding boundaries of the 462-hectare reservation area including access roads and rolling parts of the terrain.
Dubbed as “Sagip Santor”, the composite teams came from the 21st Infantry Battalion (IB) under LtCol. Antonio Lastimado; two platoons of CAFGUs from the “E” Company of the 77thIB under 1Lt. Lawian; one section of the 32LAC Armor personnel under 1Lt. Banez; one section from the 513rd Engineering Battalion under LtCol. Bautista; and two companies of ROTC cadets from the 206CDC under 1Lt. Manuel.
De Vera said the activity is the Army’s contribution in preserving ecological balance and their share in community efforts of addressing climate change. “Planting trees this rainy season is an opportune time since their survival rate is high,” he said.
He encouraged his troops to continue protecting the environment from further destruction, telling them that planting trees is one way of restoring the degraded forest. “Tree planting is also a form of penance to correct the uncaring acts of the past generation,” Col. De Vera stressed as he recalls how the forest was denuded because of human neglect.
Banez said that aside from reforestation activities, nurseries and mini-forests are also established and maintained in every military camp under the area of responsibility of the 501st brigade. “From our major task of securing civilians from enemy threats, we have to shift strategy by countering the armed revolution of the New Peoples’ Army by becoming “green revolutionists” against global warming,” he quipped. (PIA-Kalinga)
DOST to conduct science and technology week celebration
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (16 July) — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Cagayan Valley will be conducting the celebration of the Science and Technology Week from July 27-31 at the Reale Mall in Tuguegarao City.
Urdujah Tejada, DOST regional director said this year’s celebration carries the theme: “Responding to Global Challenge thr
ough Science and Technology.”
The highlight of the celebration, according to Tejada will be the conduct of the Philippine Coconut Summit to showcase the benefits, opportunities and recent breakthroughs on coconut in the country and around the world. Other DOST regional offices will also ran a series of activities such as exhibits, seminars, public talks, competitions and demonstrations, cultural shows and other interesting and worthwhile activities.
In Cagayan Valley, Tejada said the week-long celebration will kick-off with a press conference for mediamen to impart the DOST’s new trends, technologies and other programs and projects designed to help accelerate the country’s economy. (PIA NVizcaya)
photo credit: anne_jimenez
Anti-illegal logging task force gives computer to PNP Ilagan
Ilagan, Isabela (17 July) — The province’s anti-illegal logging task force has turned-over one unit laptop computer to the Philippine National Police- Ilagan Police Station through its police chief.
Environment and Natural Resources Officer Gerry Cabaccan, who heads the task force, said the giving of the laptop computer to the Ilagan PNP is one way of expressing gratitude for their support in the implementation of Anti-illegal logging operations.
It is recalled that since the task force
was created in 2008 by Governor Maria Gracia Cielo M. Padaca, it has topped the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army to strictly enforce environmental laws in the province.
Through the cooperation of these two law enforcement agencies, the task force has yielded more than one million bd ft of assorted logs and sawn lumbers including narra flitches and good lumbers as of second quarter this year.
“The impressive assistance of PNP Ilagan to the task force is a manifestation that our drive to protect our remaining forests will continue and will stop illegal logging in the province,” Cabaccan said.
Ilagan Police chief P/Supt Baltazar Israel committed its all out support to the province’s enforcement of environment laws and said that his police station will uphold what is right and strictly enforce the laws not only for environment but also for anti-criminal operations which are the PNP’s major activities.
P/Supt Israel said the computer unti handed by ENRO is essential for office work of Ilagan PNP and will be beneficial for Ilagan populace. (PIA Isabela)
photo credit: anne_jimenez
Administrative order on water saving technology in rice areas in RP under study
by Alice D. Tabuno
Baguio City (18 July) — A Luzon-wide consultation meeting to formulate and ratify an Administrative Order (AO) on guidelines for the adoption of water saving Technologies (WST) in irrigated Rice Areas in the Philippines was held at the Summer Place Hotel, Baguio City last July 14, 2009.
The consultation meeting was attended by DA Regional Director
s, GMA Rice Program Regional and Provincial Coordinators, National Irrigation Administration Officials and Irrigators Association Farmer members, and Rice Implementors from Region I, II and CAR.
DA RFU CAR Regional Director Cesar D. Rodriguez in his welcome remarks stressed the importance of coming -up with concrete guidelines so as to attain or continuously achieve the maximum yield in producing the number one (1) staple food or commodity which is Rice.
Rodriguez cited in his experiences outside Region CAR and Knows that insufficient water supply especially in low-lying areas will have adverse effect in rice production.
The consultation meeting participants had a chance to know what the AO is all about. They gave their inputs, suggestions, issues and concerns on the AO’s general provisions presented by the Secretariat from IRRI, PhilRice and DA.
During the program, Engr. Evangeline B. Sibayan. Technical Working Group (TWG) Chairperson from PhilRice presented the draft AO.
According to Engr. Sibayan, Agriculture is the biggest user of water amounting to 80% of the total freshwater withdrawal, more that 50% of which is used for irrigated rice production.
She further revealed that research results on WST showed that 15% to 35% of irrigation water can be saved without significant yield reduction.
She added that the Philippine Rice self-sufficiency Plan (RSSP) specifies the need for judicial use of water resources in support of the attainment by year 2013 of 100% sufficiency level of the staple food of the Filipinos.
To reach this goal, DA Secretary Atty. Arthur C. Yap issued the AO for the adoption of Water Saving Technologies in the operation of all irrigation system in the country.
The AO is formulated with a framework that considers environmental protection and conservation, sustainability and increased land and water productivity, through equitable distribution of, access to irrigation water.
It also provides for the mainstreaming and institutionalization of water-saving technologies (WST) in the functions, and responsibilities of all relevant government agencies and instrumentalities, mechanism for monitoring the level of adoption of WST among farmers, changes in water regime, in irrigation systems and potential social, economic, environmental and technical impacts.
Furthermore, the AO shall cover the technical considerations of WST, the dissemination and field implementation strategies, Institutional arrangements and other provisions for proper and sustained implementation.
The TWG was formed to oversee the implementation of the AO. They are accountable and will be reporting to the oversight committee. Members consist of Philrice, BSWM, DA-FOS, ATI, NIA, and DA-GMA rice program representatives.
NIA-CAR manager Abraham Akilit said that the Cordillera boasts of vast water resources considering its thick and virgin forests, which had been considered as watershed areas and supplies enough water in low-lying areas in the region.
As soon as the AO draft will be revised, it is ready to become a law which will benefit farmers and fisherfolks in the country. (DA)
photo credit: xornalcerto
