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National (as of 1/5/2008 3:29 AM)

‘Corruption to blame for wasted environment’


By KATHERINE ADRANEDA
The Philippine Star

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza Friday blamed corruption as among the reasons for the rapid deterioration of the country’s environment.

Atienza admitted that, for instance, the issuance of licenses and permits, especially concerning timber, has become the "milking cow" or money-making instrument of some crooked employees since bribery usually marks transactions involving such permits.

However, Atienza vowed to make transactions of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), especially on the issuance of logging permits, transparent, as he stressed the pressing significance of acting decisively to protect the environment from the negative impacts of global warming or climate change, notably to island nations like the Philippines.

"I can’t say we are 100 percent bribery-free or corruption-free, but we will be very sensitive on corruption, bribery, and special privileges from DENR as we’d like to protect every inch of our motherland, for the benefit of all," Atienza said.

"But now we see that one of the main reasons for environmental degradation is corruption, we’re stressing on it. If we can make (this) agency corruption-free, and the dealings transparent, then we would really be more effective," he also said.

According to Atienza, it has been common knowledge that there were instances in the past when licenses and permits were being "sold" or "issued for a price" even in areas where permits should not have been granted.

"That’s why our forests become bald. Even if there is a log ban, the circumvention of the law continues," Atienza lamented.

Atienza announced that for 2008, he will lead efforts to put a stop to such illegal and corrupt practices in the DENR in order to better protect the country’s forests.

He stressed that this time around, businessmen "will have to follow the law" while DENR employees, particularly field personnel, have to obey the guidelines "to the letter."

"We will definitely not allow anyone to get any special privilege from the DENR. We will make sure that all existing forest covers (are) not only protected, but even improved. And we can’t do this if we’ll be giving 50,000 hectares to be logged by anybody. Imagine, one concessionaire getting 50,000 hectares?" Atienza said.

"Businessmen will be part of the effort, and they will realize that when they deal with us, they’ll be dealt with in the most transparent manner. The guidelines we issued Saturday will be followed to the letter by our people in the field. Businessmen will also have to follow the law. They can’t try to pull a fast one. I’ll be very careful along this line," Atienza added.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=104440

^^ may dapat pa bang ibang sisihin sa pilipinas?

Reforest with tuba tuba, solve poverty - PhilForest

by Rey Anthony Chiu

Tagbilaran City (11 January) -- IDLE LANDS plus idle people is a bad combination. But, put in jatropha (jatropha curcas) or tubatuba in the equation and it tilts the balance for sustainable bio-fuel that may just spur micro economies but macro economies as well.

This is basically the gist of the presentation by Rodolfo Noel Lozada, President and chief Executive Officer of the Philippine Forest Corporation [Philforest], a young sprout of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources family during the League of Municipalities of the Philippines presentation last Wednesday, January 9 in Talibon Bohol.

The presentation momentarily suspended the baffling questions hounding every common farmer faced with the choice of what to grow.

Boholano farmers have been asking, if jatropha is really the best crop with the least environmental footprint?

Questions have also been raised on the impacts of large scale jatropha plantations in developing nations to feed the energy demands of western world or how does the jatropha economics work for the developing nations?

While PhilForest did not attempt to respond to these questions, its representatives who came to the LMP invitation through Jagna Mayor Exuperio Lloren presented the endemic tubatuba as a turn key solution to poverty and deforestation, especially in Bohol.

In the zooming price of oil and the world eyes a shift to sustainable alternative fuel sources, a shift to jatropha may be the most viable option for the small farmer who could not invest that much, stressed Philforest.

Jatropha in the Philippines has mostly been used as fencing material and has proven itself to grow be easily here, but with 38% of jatropha fruit's weight as its weight in oil, the prospect of growin it becomes all too tempting.

Jatropha belongs to the plants that produce bio-diesel like coconut, oil palm, soya, talisay, tangan-tanagn and some other plants, while bioethanol also comes from rice, corn and sugarcane.

In PhilForest's presentation, given in front of the 26 LMP members pointed out that the Philippines has currently about 14 million hectares of denuded and idle lands and another 25 million Filipinos without work.

He said the country uses up 330 thousand barrels fuel of per day or buys roughly P450 B worth of fuel per year to oil producing countries.

If we could use the same money to draw our own bio-fuel sources, then it may mean so much to our people.

It not only solves unemployment, it also puts up a sustainable and environment friendly alternative to the carbon-emitting substances we pour in our vehicles, he said.

Calling in for help from the otherwise powerful and yet un-reined labor force, PhilForest is pitching its sales to LGUs willing to partner with small and medium farmers and groups to enter into a lease agreement with the DENR to start replanting otherwise idle lands.

There's no other reason why we are using jatropha, it is fast growing and gives in a fast cash flow, he adds.

Jatropha can be harvested beginning its tenth month onwards and a good and well-cared farm produces at least 1.5 tons of fruits which can be processed in the backyard, Philforest bared.

The government scientists have been studying jatropha despite the unsettling debates that has polarized the global energy sector.

Currently, proponents of fossil fuels and renewable energy could not meet on common grounds on what to use, in the lull, the biofuel industry spin-off pops up as among a spectrum of energy options.

"When we came in, we saw some patches of idle hills, Phil Forest authorities said, citing some areas in north-western Bohol.

"We are proposing, with the help of local government units to use these idle lands and make them productive, through jatropha plantations, PhilForest said.

"Let's bring back the life in the forest as a basis of commerce and progress", its presentation ended.

Over this, LMP Chairman Exuperio Lloren has also goaded mayors of town especially those with idle lands to take a look at jatropha so they can start getting their areas more productive. (PIA (http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p080111.htm&no=60&r=&y=&mo=))

Davao Norte gov asks wood sector to help save critical watershed

by Noel Baguio (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080111.htm&no=52)

Tagum City, Davao del Norte (11 January) -- Governor Rodolfo P. Del Rosario urged the stakeholders of the wood industry to join crucial efforts in saving the critical watershed areas of the province.

The wood sector in the province is facing bright prospects this year since the demand for processed wood products continue to increase in the local and foreign markets.

But, while they make profits out of nature's endowments, Del Rosario said the tree farmers and producers and wood processors have the responsibility to make a stand and contribute to the preservation of our depleting natural resources.

"It is time that you, as consumer of raw material, must take the cudgel for the environment too, not only the government. That should be part of your corporate social responsibility," the governor enjoined the participants of the Wood Sector's Forum held at the Bulawagang Panlalawigan last January 10, 2008.

Governor Del Rosario dwelt on the all-important role of the watershed in maintaining ecological balance, stressing how "our life now hangs by a thread because of the fast-paced depletion of our forestlands."

Davao del Norte's two major watersheds – the Tagum-Libuganon-Saug and Tuganay watersheds cover a total of 258,375 hectares or 67% of the total land area of the province.

But, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources reported that the remaining forested area of the two major watersheds is now only 25,785 hectares or 10% of the total area.

In pursuing sustainable development for the province, Del Rosario identified environmental protection and rehabilitation as one of his priority agenda summarized as the RDR WHEELS.

To save the remaining forestlands and rehabilitate the watershed areas, the local chief executive revived the inter-agency, multi-sectoral Provincial Task Force on Anti-Illegal Logging last year, appointing supervising tourism operations officer Felix Abangin as the action officer.

Recently designated as the officer in charge of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, Abangin has appealed for support and vigilance from the citizenry to help them in their difficult task of preserving the remaining watersheds of the province for the benefit of the next generation of Dabaonons. (ID)

Comval eyes jathropha, Filipino inventions for energy conservation

By janice on Jan 11, 2008 in News

Compostela Valley Provincial Governor Arturo Uy said a Norwegian investor is eyeing about 300,000 hectares in the province to be used as Jatropha plantation.

During a press conference before the Governor’s State of the Province Address (SOPA), held last January 9 at the Provincial Capitol in Nabunturan, Governor Uy bared that he met and talked to a Norwegian investor who asked him if the province can provide the 300,000 hectares of land which the investor would develop as a Jatropha plantation.

The Governor said that with the rising oil prices we would be force to look into the utilization of Jatropha as a source of bio-fuel which could lessen our dependence on imported fossil fuels which is getting more expensive.

Jatropha is a drought-resistant fast-growing shrub, its fruits can be processed into oil that can be refined into diesel or burned in home stoves. The Government under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is pushing for cultivation of the shrub as a means to develop its Bio-fuel program.

Governor Uy said that Jatropha will not just provide a source of bio-diesel but would also provide livelihood opportunities for the people in the countryside. He also said that aside from Jatropha the province is also eyeing palm oil for bio-fuel source.

Meanwhile in the same press conference, Compostela Valley 2nd District Representative Manuel Way Kurat Zamora said that aside from looking into Jatropha and Palm oil the province could perhaps look into technology, particularly creations of Filipino inventors for its energy conservation efforts.

He said that his trips around the country he found inventions using century-old science principles which doesn’t use electric power. One invention he observed was a gravity-based pump/sprayer made by an inventor in Bacolod which could be used for homes and farms.

“After his SOPA, I will be talking to Governor Uy about the technology I’ve seen.” Rep. Zamora said. (PIA) by RG Alama

http://mindanao.wowphilippines.com/compostelavalley/2008/01/11/comval-eyes-jathropha-filipino-inventions-for-energy-conservation/

Saving the Turtles

IT IS a Chinese belief that good luck befalls the person who sets a turtle free. If so, then I hope that luck will rub off on those who gathered to witness the flurry of activities that ensued at the Pawikan Sanctuary of Punta Dumalag in Matina Aplaya on September 23.

Scheduled for release was a sea green turtle christened “Liloh.” This seagreen was acclimatized first at the Pawikan Sanctuary before he is set free. The reptile is tagged so that sightings can be reported in the future.
Davao City Councilor Leonardo Avila, who officiated the send offs, explained that domesticated turtles forget how to survive in the wild. Instead, they keep returning to the sanctuary and gravitate towards humans thinking that they will be fed. It is the job of the Pawikan Task Force Davao to retrain the survival instincts before sending them back to the ocean.

As one is set free, one is taken in. Another happy event was the turning over of a Hawksbill turtle by former owner, Michael Tan through the help of Vice Mayor Sara Duterte.

Michael rescued the turtle six years ago from some fishermen who were planning to kill it for the shell. Purchasing it for 500 pesos, he kept it under his care, until the day his uncle started talking about turtle soup.

VM Sara convinced him to surrender the pet to the sanctuary. Among the five kinds of pawikans, it is the hawksbill that is critically endangered because of their tortoise shell that are made into combs and bracelets. Hopefully this one can be rehabilitated and be set free in due time.

Originally intended to be a coal plant by the Aboitiz, this stretch of beach is now turned over to the DENR and to the city of Davao after turtle sightings.
In what is the only pawikan sanctuary and nesting site in an urbanized city, 2,638 turtles have hatched within the two years that it has been established.

The place is kept guarded and made conducive for nesting. No lights and loud sounds. After they nest, the eggs are transferred to a hatchery. Aside from poachers and animals, the eggs must be protected from seawater or rain.

The survival rate, if left on their own is only 30 percent. Now, the survival rate has shot up to 90 percent Once out on the sea, only one or two turtles in a thousand survive, a rate of 1 percent.

Pawikans return to nest on their birthplace after thirty years. This means that Punta Dumalag has long been a nesting site. If this spot was left unprotected, it could mean the extinction of pawikans.

Trading, collecting, transporting, inflicting injury and killing are all illegal acts that are punishable by law with a minimum of three months to six years in prison depending on the species. A ban on fishing is also imposed in the area.

Because of this, it has become a spawning area for fishes, as evidenced by the silvery schools of fishes glinting in the sunlight on our visit. Other wildlife have flourished. Several species of birds have been spotted like the egret and the seagull.

Dolphins and whales are sometimes seen in the early morning. The area itself has already become rich in natural resources — a source of food. Already, WWF has contacted them because a one ton leatherback from Japan was sighted at the Davao gulf.

“We are doing this for our children” Councilor Leo said. Future plans include setting up a marine learning center for educational purposes.




http://theunlonelyplanet.wordpress.com/

Monfort Bat Sanctuary

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/7186/pict3591xf6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8766/902012219f58ef8d77dzw4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/1853/batdark3ca2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Bats during Circadian Flights


The Bat Sanctuary was featured on the front page of the winter issue of the BCI Bat Magazine. This feature will be distributed to over 90 countries, allowing the Bat Sanctuary a chance to serve as inspiration to other bat conservationists around the globe. Maraming Salamat, BCI!

Since the developments of the park, Norma Monfort, trustee and founder of the park, has been spreading conservation messages to the rest of the Philippines. Along with other organizations, Norma Monfort founded the Philippines Bat Conservation Incorporated, or PBCI. The Bat Sanctuary will serve as its headquarters.

February 2007-

It has been a little over one year since the grand opening of the Bat Sanctuary, and since then, so much progress has been made for the sake of the bats. We would like to thank all of our supporters and volunteers who have helped bring our mission to life. This progress only means that more collaboration will take place, and already, there is one on the way.

This coming April, the 16th Annual Philippine Biodiversity Symposium hosted by the Wildlife Conservation Society of the Philippines (WCSP) will be held across the waters in Davao City. This allows for an exciting opportunity to showcase the conservation efforts at the Bat Sanctuary and the Monfort Bat Conservation Park, as well as receive support from other wildlife conservation movements. The newly formed non-profit organization, Philippine Bat Conservation, Incorporated (PBCI) will assist Dr. David Waldien of Bat Conservation International in presenting the 2006 Management Report on the Monfort Bat Cave.

The Monfort Bat Cave is included in the field trip options for the participants of the WCSP symposium. This will hopefully bring more conservationists of all types into the Bat Santuary and Monfort Bat Conservation Park to witness the efforts and progress that has been made in just one year!

A documentary about the history of the bat caves and its relationship to WWII is already in the works. This film will capture the history of the bats and how history has also affected the caves.

We hope you continue to check back into this website for further information.

May 2006 -


We are fortunate to have some wonderful visitors coming to the Bat Sanctuary this June!
Dr. Tuttle, the founder and president of Bat Conservation International (batcon.org), has stumbled across our website and will be coming for a few weeks to do extensive photography and research. Dr. Dave Waldien, head of BCI's cave management program, will accompany Dr. Tuttle to study the bats at our sanctuary. We will also have a workshop and forum among many things. This is a great advancement for our mission, and we are excited to have such prestigious bat experts come and research our bats.

Many other advancements have also come underway since the grand opening. The farmhouse is almost completely renovated to house volunteers that wish to stay and research the bats and help with conservation efforts. Please visit our volunteer page for more information.

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/8477/adoptqx1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)




http://www.batsanctuary.org/home.htm

Headlines
SC approves creation of 117 environmental courts
By Mike Frialde
Monday, January 14, 2008

In a bid to improve the handling of cases related to violations of environmental laws, the Supreme Court has approved the creation of 117 environmental or “green courts.”

In a two-page resolution, the SC granted the recommendation of the Philippine Judicial Academy for the designation of environmental courts as one of the options to improve environmental adjudication in the country.

Lawyer Midas Marquez, SC spokesman, said the creation of the green courts was proposed during an international environmental conference held last year at the EDSA Shangri-La hotel sponsored by the Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN).

The SC has designated 45 lower courts as Forestry Courts. Forty-eight first level courts and 24 second level trial courts will handle cases involving violations of Republic Act 8550 (Fisheries Code) and Republic Act 7586, otherwise known as the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992.

“The Court further resolved to consider all single sala first and second level courts as special courts to hear and decide environmental cases, in addition to their regular duties,” the Court said.

First level courts are the Municipal Trial Courts (MTC), Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTC) and Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCC). Meanwhile, second level courts refer to Regional Trial Courts (RTCs).

Marquez said that there is a need to establish green courts because regular courts tend to prioritize criminal and civil cases over cases involving violations of environmental laws.

“The Court will soon be identifying these courts as we are still verifying the number of environmental cases still pending before our courts,” Marquez said.

In addition, the Court has also agreed to conduct capacity-building programs or trainings for the personnel of environmental courts and appellate courts after the formal designation of these environmental courts.

Data from the Philippine Judicial Academy show that 3120 cases are currently filed in the various lower courts in relation to violations of environmental laws.


http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080113122

DENR says 3M seedlings planted in Cordillera in ’07


Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20080114-112175/DENR-says-3M-seedlings-planted-in-Cordillera-in-07)
First Posted 06:05:00 01/14/2008

BAGUIO CITY -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said it has surpassed its target of planting a million seedlings in the Cordillera Administrative Region through tree-planting activities last year.

Samuel Peñafiel, DENR Cordillera director, said their reports indicated that about three million seedlings have been distributed and planted in various provinces in the region, exceeding its one million seedlings target.

These were planted in at least 2,800 hectares and surpassed the target coverage area of 1,750 hectares.

“We will be happy if 50 percent of what we planted last year will survive,” he said.

Peñafiel said they would check on the seedlings’ survival rate as the rainy season sets in late May or June.

The DENR, he said, is expecting more groups and individuals to join tree-planting activities this year because people are now more aware of the impact of climate change and air pollution on the environment.

“For a time, the people’s attitude toward the campaign was [lukewarm] because they got tired of the repetitious tree-planting activities. But they saw results, like the success of the Green Philippine Highways. They also saw the effects of climate change, that is why we are sure that more will join us in planting a million seedlings this year,” said Peñafiel.

The DENR, under then Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes, launched the Green Philippine Highways in August 2006. The project aimed to improve the air quality in urban centers and the provinces by planting trees along major roads and highways.

Peñafiel said the DENR plans to plant at least 40 million seedlings in various regions in the country this year. These will be planted in watersheds and protected areas, agroforestry areas, along highways, in rural and urban parks, and school compounds.

Last year, the DENR in the Cordillera distributed indigenous tree species, like the Benguet pine, and these were planted in critical habitats and watersheds in the provinces of Mountain Province and Benguet.

In Ifugao province, the seedlings of acacia, nganga, mango, guava, malunggay, katuray and santol were also planted. Desiree Caluza, Inquirer Northern Luzon

SC designates 117 environment courts

MANILA, Philippines -- The Supreme Court has designated 117 trial courts as “environmental courts” to hear cases involving violations of laws protecting the country’s natural resources and to speed up their resolution.

In a resolution, the tribunal approved the recommendation of the Philippine Judicial Academy to designate such courts “for improved environmental adjudication” in the country.

The resolution, dated Nov. 20, 2007, was received by the Supreme Court’s public information office only on Jan. 9, a copy of which was obtained by the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).

Of the 117 environmental courts, 45 were earlier designated as forestry courts.

Forty-eight “first-level” courts and 24 “second-level” courts will handle all types of environmental cases, including violations of the Fisheries Code and the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, which establishes national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

Metropolitan and municipal trial courts belong to the “first level,” while regional trial courts comprise the “second level.”

Other laws pertaining to the environment include the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, the Coconut Preservation Act, and the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act.

The high court said all single-sala first-level and second-level courts would be considered special courts which can hear and decide environmental cases.

Indispensable

As part of the program, the tribunal will conduct training seminars for the personnel of the environmental and appellate courts.

Chief Justice Reynato Puno earlier said the environment was an important component in ensuring that fundamental human rights to life, health and well-being were upheld.

“Happily, it is now beyond argument that environmental protection is indispensable to support and sustain some of the most fundamental of human rights, such as the rights to life, to health and to well being,” Puno said in a speech in July last year at the Asian Justices Forum on the Environment held in the country.

Economic and social costs

A World Bank (WB) report placed the economic cost of water pollution at P67 billion a year.

It is estimated that a third of patients in hospitals in the country are suffering from water-borne diseases, such as diarrhea and cholera.

Another WB study placed the yearly economic loss from the effects of air pollution on health and productivity in Metro Manila at $392 million.

The social and economic costs of deforestation and illegal logging are also staggering as they lead to flooding, landslides, deaths and loss of wildlife habitat.

Warning bells

Puno said the destruction of the environment had been recognized for over two decades but the problem persisted despite the enactment of many laws to stop it.

“Unfortunately, they have not put a brake to the bothersome decline of the environment,” he said.

Puno noted that the warning bells on the negative effects of climate change “keep on ringing and ringing loud and clear.”

Climate change also negatively affects developing countries that rely on industries like agriculture and fishing, which are climate-sensitive, he said.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2007 along with former US Vice President Al Gore, has warned that rising temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions will cause widespread drought, floods, higher sea levels and worsening storms.

Severe typhoons

In the Philippines, between 1980 and 2002 alone, 19 severe tropical storms and typhoons each caused damage of more than P1 billion and deaths of at least 100 people, according to the Greenpeace report, “Crisis or opportunity: Climate change impact and the Philippines.”

The report said another 10 storms during the period caused either more than 100 deaths or at least P1 billion in damage.

Puno said the effective enforcement of laws to protect the environment would need the cooperation among countries.

The United Nations is frantically trying to forge a deal to address climate change. At the UN climate conference in Bali last December, world leaders adopted a plan to negotiate a new global warming pact by 2009.

The talks over the next two years could determine for years to come how well the world will cut emissions of greenhouse gases.

Courts for killings

It was not the first time that Puno created special courts to handle special cases. In March last year, he designated 99 courts to handle cases involving political killings.

The special courts were tasked with resolving the cases in 90 days, with the warning that delays would be punished.

Puno has been a staunch advocate of respect for human rights and has spoken out against extralegal killings and enforced disappearances.

He has also deplored the human rights violations that have taken place as a result of the war on terrorism.

Ist Philippine Eagle born in captivity marks 16th birthday (http://www.positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Article_Features_22/Ist_Philippine_Eagle_born_in_captivity_marks_16th_birthday.shtml)

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 15 (PNA) – Pag-asa, the first Philippine eagle that was bred and born in captivity 16 years ago, celebrates its natal day on Tuesday with a birthday bash inside her giant cage here.

Doming Tadena, deputy director for breeding conservation at the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC) in Malagos, Baguio District, will leadwell-wishers to greet the Big Bird "Happy Birthday!"

Pag-asa which means hope was born on Jan. 15, 1992 after conservationists conducted a thorough study and research of the great Philippine Eagle at its habitat at the foothills of Mt. Apo inBaracatan, Toril this city.

The Philippine Eagle, one of the largest birds in the world, is an endangered specie. Its head is adorned with long brown feathers similar to a lion's mane.

What makes it the Philippine Eagle as a colorful bird is that its upperside is brown and the underside heavy white. Its heavy legs are yellow with large, powerful claws, the prominent large, high arched,deep bill is a bluish-gray, with blue-gray eyes.

Another unique feature of the Philippine Eagle is that the female is bigger than the male.

The average female is about one meter (3.3 feet) long, weighs about7 kilograms (15.5 pounds), and has a wingspan of two meters (6.7 feet)that makes the Philippine Eagle one of the largest eagles in theworld.

The adult male has an average weight of about five kilograms or 11pounds. The life expectancy for the Philippine Eagle is between 30-60years.

Tadena said: "The dedication and effort invested to eagle conservation eventually paid off with Pag-asa's birth in 1992."

It was this successful breeding in captivity of this magnificentbirth that the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) was formed to ensure that the Philippine Eagle will continue to proliferate.

Sixteen years after Pag-asa was born, the 22nd Philippine eagle wasborn in captivity on December 7, 2007, giving the Foundation highhopes that the Philippine Eagle will continue to fly over Philippineskies through the years.

In line with Pag-asa's birthday celebration, the Foundation willalso release Kagsabua, a juvenile Philippine Eagle which was rescuedon September 7, 2006 in Barangay Kaatuan, Lanatapan, Bukidnon after itwas hit by a hunter's gun.

The wounded eagle was turned over by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)of Bukidnon led by Felix Mirasol to the PEF retrieval team.

When recovered Kagsabua sustained a minor bullet wound that grazed its neck. An X-ray examination showed an air gun pellet lodged between the skin and the skull at the back of the bird's head. Fortunately,no skull fracture was seen.

"This release is a reintroduction of Kagsabua to the wild," PEFExecutive Director Dennis Salvador said.

"We hope that hunting and deforestation can be effectively stopped so that the eagles and other species will continue to thrive and benefit future generations," Salvador added.

On the other hand, Eddie Juntilla, Pag-asa's caretaker, will blowPag-asa's birthday cake.

Conservationists are expected to troop to PEC's office here to greet Pag-asa a sweet sixteen birthday. (PNA)
.....

Saturday, 19 January 2008

Most taxis in DC run on LPG
MindaNews
Friday, 18 January 2008 23:30
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / January 18) – Three of every four taxis in this city are now running on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as government moves in to wean consumers from dependence on gasoline and diesel and to be more friendly to the environment, an official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said.

Of the city's 2,500 taxis, 75 percent have been using LPG on specially-installed LPG tanks, said Edgar Violan, action officer of the regional office of the LTFRB here.

In a press conference Thursday at the Task Force Davao headquarters here, Violan said that the campaign on shifting to LPG among airconditioned taxes was already started last year through LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2006-0027.

Sixty percent of all the taxis in the city are air-conditioned.

"Of 2,500 units in Davao City, 75 percent are already LPG-fed," he said.

He said that autogas, the LPG used as automotive fuel, "is cleaner than conventional fuels.” Compared with gasoline-fueled vehicles, LPG typically has around 20 percent less ozone- forming potential, he added. (Ozone-forming potential is a measure of the tendency of a vehicle fuel source to generate photochemical smog, which causes cancer and respiratory problems).

He said that autogas has also at least 15 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions, and up to 80 percent less toxic emissions.

Besides, he said, autogas "also costs less than gasoline.”

To encourage taxi operators to convert their taxis from regular fuel to LPG, the LTFRB has increased the franchise term by more than three years than regular franchise. The latter's franchise for the taxis expires in 10 years but LPG-fed taxis expires in 13 years. (MindaNews)


http://www.mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3669&Itemid=50

Cut back on beef, save the ozone layer -- Greenpeace

By Jocelyn Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080124-114549/Cut-back-on-beef-save-the-ozone-layer----Greenpeace)
First Posted 18:26:00 01/24/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- If you want to help save the ozone layer, you might want to cut back on your meat intake.

Launching its latest report on the impacts of agriculture to climate called "Cool Farming," the environmental group Greenpeace Thursday said that limiting the demand for meat will help curb greenhouse gas emissions.

It noted that animals are among the biggest source of these gases in agriculture, releasing carbon and methane when digesting fodder.

On top of the list is the overuse of chemical fertilizers, which is responsible for the "highest single share" of agriculture's harmful emissions currently equal to roughly 2.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually.

The 43-page report was written for Greenpeace by Professor Pepe Smith, a lead author on the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and his research team at the University of Aberdeen.

It outlined how agriculture is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions and enumerated recommendations as to how this can be transformed from a key contributor to climate change into a "carbon sink"-- or a reservoir that absorbs these hazardous emissions.

The report showed that a kilogram of beef produced releases 13 kilos of carbon into the air while 17 kilos of the same gas are emitted from a kilo of lamb. Pork and poultry, on the other hand, produce less than half of that.

The group expected an increase in the demand for food, even in the absence of dietary changes, fueled by the booming population in developing countries.

According to the report, the United Nations has predicted a continued increase in the world population from the present about 6.5 billion and stabilize at over nine billion.

It also observed a surge in the demand for animal products in developing countries from 11 to 24 kilograms per capita per year in over three decades beginning 1967, with an annual growth rate of more than five percent.

A 60-percent increase in global demand by 2030, mostly in the South and Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, has also been projected.

With the surging demand for meat, especially for beef and lamb, methane and carbon emissions are expected to rise continuously over the coming decades, it said.

"Intensive production of beef, poultry and pork is increasingly common, leading to increases in manure with consequent increases in greenhouse gas emissions," it said, adding that this was particularly true in the developing regions of South and East Asia, Latin America and in North America.

Greenpeace Thursday added that cutting the demand for meat would diminish the environmental damage caused as a result of increased demand for feed, fuel for related transport and land that has to be cleared for grazing.

The group also called on the government to stop spending agricultural funds on chemical fertilizers saying that the overuse of such results in the emission of climate change-causing gas, nitrous oxide-- which is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

"The saturation of farmland with fertilizers can and must be stopped. As a start, the government must phase out chemical fertilizer subsidies and implement fertilizer reduction policies ensuring that farmers use less fertilizer with more precision," said Daniel Ocampo, Greenpeace Southeast Asia campaigner.

He noted that in 2005, the country has used 70 kilograms of fertilizers per hectare of farmland, which is 180 percent more than what farmers used some 20 to 40 years ago.

b'z2;17924709"]Cut back on beef, save the ozone layer -- Greenpeace

By Jocelyn Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080124-114549/Cut-back-on-beef-save-the-ozone-layer----Greenpeace)
First Posted 18:26:00 01/24/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- If you want to help save the ozone layer, you might want to cut back on your meat intake.

Launching its latest report on the impacts of agriculture to climate called "Cool Farming," the environmental group Greenpeace Thursday said that limiting the demand for meat will help curb greenhouse gas emissions.

It noted that animals are among the biggest source of these gases in agriculture, releasing carbon and methane when digesting fodder.

On top of the list is the overuse of chemical fertilizers, which is responsible for the "highest single share" of agriculture's harmful emissions currently equal to roughly 2.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually.

The 43-page report was written for Greenpeace by Professor Pepe Smith, a lead author on the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and his research team at the University of Aberdeen.

It outlined how agriculture is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions and enumerated recommendations as to how this can be transformed from a key contributor to climate change into a "carbon sink"-- or a reservoir that absorbs these hazardous emissions.

The report showed that a kilogram of beef produced releases 13 kilos of carbon into the air while 17 kilos of the same gas are emitted from a kilo of lamb. Pork and poultry, on the other hand, produce less than half of that.

The group expected an increase in the demand for food, even in the absence of dietary changes, fueled by the booming population in developing countries.

According to the report, the United Nations has predicted a continued increase in the world population from the present about 6.5 billion and stabilize at over nine billion.

It also observed a surge in the demand for animal products in developing countries from 11 to 24 kilograms per capita per year in over three decades beginning 1967, with an annual growth rate of more than five percent.

A 60-percent increase in global demand by 2030, mostly in the South and Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, has also been projected.

With the surging demand for meat, especially for beef and lamb, methane and carbon emissions are expected to rise continuously over the coming decades, it said.

"Intensive production of beef, poultry and pork is increasingly common, leading to increases in manure with consequent increases in greenhouse gas emissions," it said, adding that this was particularly true in the developing regions of South and East Asia, Latin America and in North America.

Greenpeace Thursday added that cutting the demand for meat would diminish the environmental damage caused as a result of increased demand for feed, fuel for related transport and land that has to be cleared for grazing.

The group also called on the government to stop spending agricultural funds on chemical fertilizers saying that the overuse of such results in the emission of climate change-causing gas, nitrous oxide-- which is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

"The saturation of farmland with fertilizers can and must be stopped. As a start, the government must phase out chemical fertilizer subsidies and implement fertilizer reduction policies ensuring that farmers use less fertilizer with more precision," said Daniel Ocampo, Greenpeace Southeast Asia campaigner.

He noted that in 2005, the country has used 70 kilograms of fertilizers per hectare of farmland, which is 180 percent more than what farmers used some 20 to 40 years ago.

and also Cut Back Beef and Save Lives from Heart Attack :colgate:

Anger in Philippines as hunters posted pictures of killed threatened birds on their websites (http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=122560)
24 Jan 2008

http://assets.panda.org/img/news20071213a_172160.jpg
Threatened Philippine mallards are some of the preferred "game birds" of the hunters.
© Birdwatch.ph

http://assets.panda.org/img/news20071213b_172162.jpg
Zebra and spotted doves exhibited on hunting clubs websites.
© Birdwatch.ph

The practice of hunting groups posting grisly pictures of shot birds on their websites has provoked a backlash in the Philippines, WWF said.

Hundreds of doves, mallards, whistling ducks and snipes have been exhibited on club websites, many protected by Philippine and international laws.

WWF and the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) have issued a petition to gather 10,000 signatures to put a stop to this action. Afterwards, the pictures were rapidly pulled out.

Both organizations also reminded the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources that, according to the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, collection and hunting of threatened wildlife is prohibited.

“The spirit our environmental regulations were crafted upon reflects the critical status of our natural resources, dwindling on the verge of collapse”, says Yeb Sano, WWF-Philippines project manager. “Birds and wildlife have important role to play in the circle of life and decimating their populations would threaten the viability of all ecosystems.”

More than 200 Philippine birds, out of 600 resident and migratory species, are included in the Wold Conservation Union’s red list of critically-endangered species. Among them the Philippine cockatoo, the negros fruit-dove and the Philippine eagle, considered by some experts as the largest eagle on earth.

Birds play a key role for the Filipinos environment. Their eating fruits and dispersing of the seeds over wide parts of land is crucial in revitalizing forests. Some nectar-feeders such as the olive-backed sunbird are important pollinators.

Seabirds improve the ecology of small islands by producing large amounts of guano which enriches island soil, allowing less adaptable plants to root.

“The exposure of groups hunting threatened species illustrates the huge chasm between policies and implementation. In a democracy symbolized by an unshackled bird, it is ironic that gun-toting groups are deliberately violating national law while hunting threatened birds”, adds Yeb Sano.

Further information:
Gregg Yan
Education and Communication Officer
WWF-Philippines
Tel. +63 2 920 7923; gyan@wwf.org.ph

^^ oi diba sa news may isang prominenteng tao still hunting endangered species of bird?

How barbaric and ruthless. What's the need to kill hundreds of birds? ISSUES MUCH??

b'z2;17926213"]Anger in Philippines as hunters posted pictures of killed threatened birds on their websites (http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=122560)
24 Jan 2008

http://assets.panda.org/img/news20071213a_172160.jpg
Threatened Philippine mallards are some of the preferred "game birds" of the hunters.
© Birdwatch.ph

http://assets.panda.org/img/news20071213b_172162.jpg
Zebra and spotted doves exhibited on hunting clubs websites.
© Birdwatch.ph

The practice of hunting groups posting grisly pictures of shot birds on their websites has provoked a backlash in the Philippines, WWF said.

Hundreds of doves, mallards, whistling ducks and snipes have been exhibited on club websites, many protected by Philippine and international laws.

WWF and the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) have issued a petition to gather 10,000 signatures to put a stop to this action. Afterwards, the pictures were rapidly pulled out.

Both organizations also reminded the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources that, according to the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, collection and hunting of threatened wildlife is prohibited.

“The spirit our environmental regulations were crafted upon reflects the critical status of our natural resources, dwindling on the verge of collapse”, says Yeb Sano, WWF-Philippines project manager. “Birds and wildlife have important role to play in the circle of life and decimating their populations would threaten the viability of all ecosystems.”

More than 200 Philippine birds, out of 600 resident and migratory species, are included in the Wold Conservation Union’s red list of critically-endangered species. Among them the Philippine cockatoo, the negros fruit-dove and the Philippine eagle, considered by some experts as the largest eagle on earth.

Birds play a key role for the Filipinos environment. Their eating fruits and dispersing of the seeds over wide parts of land is crucial in revitalizing forests. Some nectar-feeders such as the olive-backed sunbird are important pollinators.

Seabirds improve the ecology of small islands by producing large amounts of guano which enriches island soil, allowing less adaptable plants to root.

“The exposure of groups hunting threatened species illustrates the huge chasm between policies and implementation. In a democracy symbolized by an unshackled bird, it is ironic that gun-toting groups are deliberately violating national law while hunting threatened birds”, adds Yeb Sano.

Further information:
Gregg Yan
Education and Communication Officer
WWF-Philippines
Tel. +63 2 920 7923; gyan@wwf.org.ph

Philippines: Manila Losing Billions In Potential Income From Biopiracy (http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=19447&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1718&hn=pacificnewscenter&he=.com)

Jennifer A. Ng, Pacific News Center Correspondent 25.JAN.08
5:25 p.m. Manila, Philippines - The Philippine government complained that the country is losing billions in potential income from illegal bio-prospecting and bio-piracy of biological diversity (biodiversity) and genetic resources.

"A number of Philippine biodiversity and genetic resources have been lost to foreign patenting without the corresponding benefit sharing for the country," said Attorney Adrian Cristobal, Jr., director-general of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IP Philippines).

In a report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) last 2002, the Philippines ranked number one in the world's top 10 coral reef hostpots. The report added that the annual estimated economic value of the country's coral reef system alone is $1.1 billion.

"In the Philippine Intellectual Property Policy Strategy which IP Philippines spearheaded, it indicates that the country is one of 17 megadiverse countries. We have over 52,000 species of flora and fauna found within our national borders and there are more species that are waiting to be discovered. The various species in the country are among the most threatened in the world," said Cristobal.

Biodiversity, as defined by the Global Biodiversity Strategy, covers the genes, species and ecosystems in a region. Genetic diversity refers to the variation of genes within species while species diversity includes the variety of species within a region. Biodiversity and genetic resources have been identified as one of eight sectors in the policy strategy led by the agency.

To prevent biopiracy, Cristobal said his office would undertake seven strategies including the establishment of a dedicated support unit for intellectual property rights (IPR) concerns in the area of biodiversity and genetic resources and a digital database or registry of the country's biodiversity and genetic resources.

The agency would also review and amend the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act to clarify and enhance IPR of indigenous people over their knowledge and the various uses of genetic resources and formulate policies and rules to govern enforcement agencies to combat bio-piracy and bio-prospecting, including the creation of a central enforcement body.

Cristbal said they will also formulate and implement capacity-building programs for government agencies responsible for enforcing IPR over biodiversity and genetic resources, review policies and enhance implementation of the Plant Varieties Act and formulate policies on the exploitation and commercialization of the use of biodiversity and genetic resources.

The seven other IP sectors representing the country's assets and approaches include public health; patent reform; universities, and research and development institutions (RDI); indigenous knowledge, systems and practices (IKSP), folklore and geographical indications (GI); small and medium enterprises (SME); copyright and creative industries and; institutional capacity-building and IP enforcement
- Pacific News Center International

Atienza cracks down on pebble extraction, beach mining

Sunday, January 27, 2008
The Philippine Star online

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza ordered yesterday the filing of charges against entities and individuals involved in the illegal extraction and shipment of pebbles, packed in hundreds of sacks and loaded in 10 container vans.

“I want to see people going to jail for violating environmental laws,” Atienza said during ocular inspections of the contraband yesterday morning at the container yard of Sulpicio Lines in Balut, Navotas.

DENR-National Capital Region Executive Director Corazon Davis estimated the shipment to weigh about 90,000 kilos with an estimated value of half a million pesos. According to Davis, pebbles are being sold as decorative materials for pathway cover, garden accent, decorative ground cover, aquarium and flower pots.

“Batas Pambansa 265 prohibits pebble extraction and beach mining to preserve the natural beauty of Philippine beaches and protect biodiver*sity. This must be enforced, with the violators being prosecuted and penalized,” Atienza said.

The pebbles, believed to have been extracted in Dipolog City and Ozamis City were loaded on board MV Sulcon V.V.-755 from Ozamis City. They were declared as empty bottles but, with a tip from an informant about the true contents of the container vans, authorities opened the vans and confirmed the contraband shipment. The illegal cargo was confiscated at Pier 12 on Dec. 3, 2007.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Nation&p=49&type=2&sec=28&aid=2008012669

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1361/927926300_51c9907fdf.jpg

A little help from our friend.

Newly discovered cave system in Nueva Vizcaya could be RP’s longest
By Charlie Lagasca

Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The Philippine Star online


BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – Another cave system here –-probably the country’s longest –-was discovered by a group of veteran mountaineers and spelunkers in a remote mountain area, which already hosts a series of spectacular cave formations, including the fifth longest cave system in the country.

Based on estimates, the newly discovered cave in barangay Pao, Kasibu town is at least 20 kilometers long, not including other passages and arteries, said Genaro Basilio, one of the founding members of the Nueva Vizcaya Mountaineering Club.

Basilio said they came across the cave system during one of their recent spelunking adventures in one of the province’s vast mountain areas, particularly in remote barangay Pao.

Basilio’s group also explored the 4.5-km Alayan cave located in the same town, which is the country’ fifth longest cave system.

“The possibility that the cave system in Pao is the longest in the country came about after an hour of exploring the cave and seeing that there seemed to be a long way ahead,” said Basilio, who also heads the provincial government’s public affairs, information and assistance division.

The new, largely unexplored cave system, which begins at Barangay Pao, swerves around underground through centuries-old crystal clear stalactites and stalagmites –-both giant-sized and medium sized -– until it reaches barangay New Gumiad in another town, Dupax del Norte. It is estimated to be a 15.7-km stretch.

Using the spelunkers’ practical method in measuring a cave system, rice bran or ipa was poured into the river at the cave entrance in barangay Pao and ended up in barangay New Gumiad.

“Our group decided to put a lot of rice bran (ipa) in the fast-flowing water inside the cave. Later, we found out that the rice bran reached as far as New Gumiad (formerly barangay Diayan), which was 15.7 km away, presuming the cave went straight there,” Basilio said.

Basilio said their group, with some recognized caving experts, both from the government and private sector, is now in the process of further exploring the cave with the use of appropriate gadgets to validate its total estimated length for it to be officially recognized as the longest cave system in the country.

“We, local outdoor enthusiasts, have plans to explore the whole cave system pending our request for funding of an expedition by sponsors so that this part of the province may become not only a geological find but also an ecotourism potential,” he said.

Present records of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources show that the 15-km Saint Paul Cave in Palawan is the country’s longest cave system; followed by the 8.87-km Odloman Cave in Mabinay, Negros Oriental; the 7.65 km Odessa-Tumbali Cave in Peñablanca, Cagayan; the 5-km Langun-Gomingob Cave in Calbiga, Samar; and the 4-km Sumaging-Latipan-Lomyang Crystal System in Sagada, Mountain Province.

However, in the records of the Philippine Caving Society, the Alayan Cave System in Barangay Capissaan in Kasibu was recorded to be the fifth longest at 4.5-km.

Early explorers, including Basilio’s group who had only been able to enter within one-hour’s distance from the cave entrance in barangay Pao, said that the cave system has centuries-old spectacular rock formations and a swiftly flowing underground river stretching from Pao to New Gumiad.

“There is a big possibility that it has a big cavern underground formed by the flowing river,” Basilio said.

This landlocked province has long been known for its spectacular caving system in Kasibu town. The Alayan cave is touted by the Department of Tourism to be world-class for its magnificent rock formations.

Seeing the province’s tourism potential, the local government led by Gov. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma is keen on transforming Kasibu, also one of the region’s major vegetable and citrus-producing towns, into one of the country’s major ecotourism destinations.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080129146

RP to phase out incandescent bulbs by 2010 -- Arroyo

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines will phase out incandescent bulbs by 2010 in favor of more energy-efficient fluorescent globes to help cut greenhouse gas emissions and household costs, the president said Tuesday.

Acknowledging similar plans in Canada and Australia, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the Philippines was the first Asian nation to decide to ban incandescent bulbs.

"Like Australia, we should phase out incandescent lights by 2010," Arroyo said in her closing remarks at the Philippine Energy Summit.

The Asian Development Bank, a technical adviser at the summit, lauded the plan, saying the most effective way to reduce the demand for electricity and greenhouse gases was to use energy more efficiently.

The bank "will support and encourage other developing countries to follow the Government of Philippines' lead and make the switch to more energy-efficient products like compact fluorescent lamps," Thomas Crouch, deputy director general of ADB's Southeast Asia Department said in a statement.

The Manila-based development bank said it was considering extending a US$30 million loan to the Philippines to help fund energy-efficiency programs, including projects for low-income families to mitigate the financial impact of changing from incandescent globes to the more expensive fluorescent alternative.

Fluorescent bulbs need just 20 percent of the electricity that incandescent bulbs use to produce the same amount of light. They also last six to 10 times longer than the average incandescent bulb.

The Asian Development Bank said the switch would cut household lighting costs by as much as 80 percent and -- because the amount of electricity used would be drastically lower -- reduce the Philippines' annual greenhouse gas emissions by two million metric tons starting in 2010.

Whoa, that's somewhat surprising. But it's for the better. What I'm just wondering is, how will this be carried out? Will the country stop the production or import of incandescent bulbs?

Whoa, that's somewhat surprising. But it's for the better. What I'm just wondering is, how will this be carried out? Will the country stop the production or import of incandescent bulbs?

doable , most of incandescent bulbs are made in RP and 2 years it should be phase out, just make the PL lights more affordable. :)

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/redesign_2007/images/ngm_subHeader.gif
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2008-02/philippine-eagles/images/eagle-hdr.jpg
By Mel White Photographs by Klaus Nigge

Philippine eagles: Runaway logging threatens to wipe out one of the world's largest raptors. Now people are waking up to its plight.

If the irrevocable transition of one species from rarity to extinction causes a rent in the fabric of our planet, exactly how big a hole would be left by the loss of the Philippine eagle? No disrespect is meant to the basking malachite damselfly or the fine-lined pocketbook mussel, because all creatures—and plants too—help turn the infinitely complex cogs of the biosphere. But the loss of this glorious bird would steal some of the world's wonder. It glides through its sole habitat, the rain forests of the Philippines, powerful wings spread to seven feet (2.1 meters), navigating the tangled canopy with unexpected precision. It is possible that no one has ever described this rare raptor, one of the world's largest, without using the word "magnificent." If there are those who did, then heaven heal their souls.

In the kind of irony all too familiar to conservationists, however, the very evolutionary adaptations that made it magnificent have also made it one of the planet's most endangered birds of prey. There is no competition for prey from tigers, leopards, bears, or wolves in the Philippine archipelago, the eagle's only home, so it became, by default, the king of the rain forest. Expanding into an empty ecological niche, it grew to a length of three feet and a weight of up to 14 pounds. A nesting pair requires 25 to 50 square miles of forest to find enough prey—mammals such as flying lemurs and monkeys; snakes; and other birds—to feed themselves and the single young they produce every other year.

"The birds had the islands all to themselves, and they grew big," says Filipino biologist Hector Miranda, who has studied the eagles extensively. "But it was a trade-off, because the forest that created them is almost gone. And when the forest disappears—well, they're at an evolutionary dead end."

Indeed, with deforestation rates in the Philippines among the highest in the world (more than 90 percent of primary forest may have been lost to logging and development), the eagle has been reduced to a population estimated at several hundred breeding pairs.

Awareness about conservation issues, however, is rising in the Philippines. A series of devastating floods and mud slides in the past decade has convinced Filipinos that the loss of forest affects not just wildlife but people too. In recent years new protected land areas have been established in the Philippines; one, the 17,300-acre Cabuaya Forest, specifically protects the eagle. And in an effort to prevent the eagle population from dwindling further, the Philippine Eagle Foundation on Mindanao island is working to educate Filipinos about the bird, which was declared a national emblem in 1995. At least some of those who once would have shot an eagle for food or sport now let it soar unmolested.

Meanwhile, visitors to the foundation's education center can see more than a dozen eagles, some of which were rescued after they were trapped or shot. Twenty-one birds have been raised as part of a breeding program that aims someday to release birds back into restored habitat on the Philippine Islands. Will the efforts be enough? Perhaps. The first surviving chick in that program just celebrated his 16th birthday. When he was born he was given the name Pag-asa, the Tagalog word for hope.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2008-02/philippine-eagles/mel-white-text.html

photo gallery: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2008-02/philippine-eagles/nigge-photography.html

^^ They look majestic. I wish i could see one in the wild one day.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/paulkrps/Picture13.png

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/paulkrps/Picture12.png


http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2008-02/philippine-eagles/nigge-photography.html

Wild birds find sanctuary inside power plant

February 12, 2008 02:19:00
Delfin Mallari Jr.
Southern Luzon Bureau (INQ Linkie (http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/thegoodnews/view.php?db=1&article=20080212-118270))

PAGBILAO, QUEZON – Migratory and other endangered birds are flocking to Isla Grande, home to a coal-fired power plant criticized by environmentalists as highly pollutive.

The plant site is “a virtual bird watchers’ paradise,” said Greggy Romualdez, external affairs head of TeaM Energy Philippines (formerly Mirant) that owns the 735-megawatt facility in the coastal village of Ibabang Polo here facing the Tayabas Bay.

At least 433 Philippine mallards (Anaz luzonica), also called Philippine ducks, peregrine falcons, great egrets, spotted doves, white-breasted wood swallows and other migratory birds were spotted there and listed in the Asian Waterbird Census last month, Romualdez said.

The census was undertaken by the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) during a bird-watching activity led by its president, Michael Lu, and other foreigners.

“The high number of ducks in the ash lagoons indicates that the power plant continues to enact sound environmental practices,” Lu told the Inquirer in confirming Romualdez’s report.

In its last survey sometime in 2006, Lu said around 800 Philippine mallards were found. The WBCP has been conducting bird-watching expeditions in the plant premises since 2004.

With less than 10,000 of the species left, the Philippine mallard is listed as “vulnerable” by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the world’s largest conservation network based in Switzerland.

The ducks inhabit the ponds that serve as receptacles for ash coming from burnt coal. Pond linings are made from clay and synthetic materials.

“It has provided a virtual haven for the various bird species often sighted in the plant grounds. The birds find security inside the plant grounds,” Romualdez said.

TeaM Energy Philippines also maintains a mangrove experimental forest in another part of Pagbilao, which Lu described as “another revelation.”

“The two kinds of habitat (there), mangrove forest and coastal mudflats, are home to a high diversity of birds, which include forest species such as the Red-crested Malkoha and the Philippine Coucal, as well as coastal water birds, such as Whimbrels and Kentish Plovers,”he said.

The WBCP official, however, was disappointed with the continuous bird-hunting activities in the vicinity.

DENR embarks on massive reforestation to mitigate climate change - Atienza (http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p080214.htm&no=56)

by CG Valdez and MC Locsin

Koronadal City (14 February) -- Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose L. Atienza bared recently that massive reforestation is a major thrust of the Department for 2008 to mitigate climate change, now a growing a global concern.

Secretary Atienza made the pronouncement during his visit to the regional office of the DENR in Koronadal City as the guest of honor on the inauguration of the multi-million peso DENR building (now on Phase III). He was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Evelina Ilagan-Atienza, who assisted him during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"We can help slow down the effects of climate change through planting of trees and making our forests green and thick," Atienza declared. The DENR's top honcho even urged hundreds of officials and employees to work harder as a team and to remain vigilant to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment for the people.

"We have not done all things yet. Thus, I am challenging everyone especially the workforce of DENR to be responsible stewards of our environment. It is a matter of good environmental governance coupled with greater productivity but the end result will redound to having a new generation who are more environmentally conscious," Secretary Atienza said.

As he closed his message delivered before hundreds of DENR personnel and guests, Secretary Atienza enjoined the continued support and cooperation not only of the DENR but the media and other sectors as well. "Let us all get involved with massive information, education, and communication efforts to also encourage everybody to do the same," Secretary Atienza stressed.

According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change, it is a "change in climate which is attributed directly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods."

Climate change is caused by both natural events (like volcanic eruptions and human activities). It is also influenced by greenhouse gases (for example carbon dioxide and methane) since the higher the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect. (DENR XII/PIA SarGen)

DENR conducts inventory of islands, wetlands (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Local%20News&p=54&type=2&sec=2&aid=2008021633)

Saturday, February 16, 2008 04:27 PM

The Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is conducting an inventory of all islands, bodies of water and wetlands to determine areas illegally taken over by private individuals.

As initial salvo of the inventory Environment Secretary Lito Atienza stopped the reclamation of two wetlands on the world famous Boracay island to conserve the area and prevent further enviromental degragation in the area.

Target of the new campaign is reclamation of the four-hectare wetlands in Barangay Yapak and another one hectare in Barangay Balabag, which are proposed to be developed for commercial porposes.

He also ordered DENR regional office to cause the cancelaton of the tax declaration issued to claimants the of wetlands.

Wetlands serve as storage for surface water or act as flood control mechanism. The reclamation of wetlands explains why the island isnow susceptible to flooding during heavy rains. Atienza said wetlands also stabilize the shorelines by tempering the wave and coast line erosions.

Zubiri files bill phasing out incandescent bulbs by ’10

By Donnabelle L. Gatdula
Sunday, February 17, 2008
The Philippine Star

Sen.Juan Miguel Zubiri has filed a bill proposing the nationwide phase out of incandescent bulbs by 2010.

In Senate Bill 2065, the discarding of these bulbs, Zubiri said, would result to the savings on avoided annual greenhouse gas emissions of about two million tons.

He said this is equivalent to taking 250,000 cars off the road, or planting two million trees a year.

“The total switch to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) would mean that the country can cut its electricity demand by 2,000 megawatts (MW) equivalent to electricity generated by six power plants,” he said.

On a voluntary basis, he said greater savings will be realized once government offices, schools, hospitals and other public buildings and infrastructure totally switch to CFLs.

Zubiri explained that whenever government wants the private sector to do something, “we will need a law to compel them and lay the ground work for easier compliance both among consumers and manufacturers of incandescent lamps.

With the phase-out, commercial and industrial establishments will bring greater benefits for themselves, the environment and government’s finances with reduced demand for fossil fuels such as imported oil and crude, he added.

“The 130-year old incandescent bulb technology of inventor Thomas Alba Edison has outlived its use for most of our activities. Incandescent bulbs are wasteful because 80 percent of the energy is lost in the form of heat, with only 20 percent electricity used to produce light. Likewise, experts computed that the electricity needed to power one million incandescent bulbs is equal to the power generated by a 50 megawatt power plant built at the cost of $50 million,” Zubiri said.

Exemptions on the phase-out of incandescent bulbs provided for in SB 2065 cover only a few, such as for medical and scientific purposes.

Of 16.48 million families in the country, the low income classes or around 8.6 million families earning the equivalent of the minimum wage and below would benefit the most since electricity for lighting accounts for 80 percent of their electricity bills, Zubiri noted.

He said with 97 percent electrification, the country has over 10.4 million households in urban and rural areas using electricity for lighting. Regardless of their annual family income, these households would cut 80 percent of their electric bills by approximately four-fifths, or enjoy reduced electricity expenditures by around 64 percent.

“The savings is the result of advances in technology,” Zubiri said. A 15-watt CFL gives the same lumens or has the same lighting capacity as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. Most important is that a CFL uses 80 percent less electricity used by a 60-watt incandescent light bulb.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2008021667

Environmentalists recommend
alternatives to sanitary landfills

By Ramon Lazaro
Correspondent
The Business Mirror

CITY OF MALOLOS—As personnel of the Waste Custodian Management Inc., the operator of the newly inaugurated sanitary landfill in Norzagaray town, are busy preparing for its inaugural operation, environmentalists in Bulacan have proposed alternatives to prevent the sanitary landfill from operating.

With the problems besetting the garbage dumps in Rodriguez, Rizal, the newly inaugurated sanitary landfill in sitio Tiakad, barangay San Mateo in Norzagaray town is being eyed by the environment department and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as an alternative dump for Metro Manila’s garbage.

Arthur Legazpi, secretary of the Waste Custodian Management, told the BusinessMirror that the company is just waiting for the confirmation of MMDA officials before it accepts garbage from Metro Manila.

Legazpi also said that a memorandum of agreement is waiting to be signed between the company and City of Malolos officials, as well as the Marilao local government, for the company to accommodate the garbage from the said areas.

With these developments, Martin Francisco, executive director of Lake Galilee-Katribu Foundation, a member of the Sagip Sierra Madre Multisectoral Coordinating Council, said the operation of the sanitary landfill may pose irreversible damage to the environment, and added that there are now alternative solutions to the mounting garbage problem that can be constructed in the barangay or municipal level where people can work together and make it as a source of livelihood.

He said “the solution to the problem of solid-waste disposal is so simple, it is staggering…even a five-year-old child can do it…it can be done anywhere: households, offices, schools, hospitals, markets, etc.,” and that is through segregation.

Francisco said segregated garbage like “recyclables and factory-returnables should be returned to the factories for recycling back to paper, plastic, bottles and cans.”

“All food, animal and garden waste should be converted into compost right in your own backyard; if not available [backyard], it is the moral duty of your local government to build or buy a composter [from the Department of Science and Technology] and collect compostable materials from households in separate trucks.

“Discarded rubber tires should be collected by your local government and palletized [machines are available at DOST] for mixing with asphalt.”

“All markets and slaughter houses should have a digester tank that converts organic waste [such as animal entrails and hair] and food waste into methane gas.”

He added, “All residuals or unrecyclables should be processed in the now-available hydromex plants, which are locally produced and very cheap, compared with the state-of-the-art plants such as sanitary landfills.”

Francisco said, “The hydromex plants are cheap. A hydromex plant big enough to process Metro Manila’s residual garbage costs only P50 million.

These simple solutions to the mounting garbage problem of the country, Francisco said can be made much easier if local governments concerned are persuaded to collect solid waste in separate trucks for easy and convenient handling.

With reference to the sanitary landfill in Norzagaray town, Francisco noted that the Tiakad area is part of the ancestral domain of the Dumagat.

He added that “solid waste and hazardous waste landfills emit toxic gases that may cause cancer and respiratory ailments.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/02202008/nation08.html

Government to clean up heavily polluted Meycauayan river

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine government Thursday announced plans to clean up the Meycauayan river, described as one of the most polluted places on the planet.

The river, which runs through areas that host the country's jewellery and leather industries, feeds into commercial fish farms downstream that supply most of Manila's freshwater fish.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Joselito Atienza said the government will work with the private sector and international donors to clean the river up of heavy metals and organic pollution.

The river was named last year by the New York-based environmental watchdog Blacksmith Institute as one of the 30 most polluted areas in the world.

Atienza said in a statement the government will name a board to prepare an "action plan" to clean up the river but gave no further details.

A study funded by the Asian Development Bank recently found that goldsmiths upstream dump toxic heavy metals into the Meycauayan while leather tanners also pollute it.

The ADB report said that water quality in areas where fish and shellfish were harvested failed to meet environmental standards.

"The country's position as a major international player, being the fourth largest producer of aquaculture products in the world and the largest in Southeast Asia, may not be sustained," it warned.

The ADB is funding a 10-month, $50,000 pilot program to survey the extent of the river's pollution and raise local awareness of the dangers of contaminating the food chain.

The study will also test cheaper local methods of reducing and possibly clearing up the heavy metal pollution.

The Blacksmith Institute, which specializes in identifying the most polluted places in the developing world, will undertake the study.

The institute estimates that 20 percent of deaths in the developing world are due to pollution.

Agence France-Presse

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http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/paulkrps/Picture12.png


http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2008-02/philippine-eagles/nigge-photography.html

haribon

To moderators, i was not sure where to start this topic, or if it is even allowed. So pls, you do the rest, but let me know though if you gonna move it. Thanks!

Read on.

Its a sad state to hear that some filipinos are still killing and hunting our endangered wildlife species. Most of these people were either ignorant of our wildlife laws, but some are simply happy triggers who couldn't wait to see a dead animal! Some police and soldiers like the person in a photo on this video, said, "they wondered to my background so i shot that poor deer!". Many more pinoys out there are like him. They simply don't care about the animals they shoot. I dont mind if they shoot those alley cats, but shooting an endangered animal, is something different, and indeed has to pay the price.

However, we need more honest and non happy-trigger law enforcers to apprehend these people.

HD-yqDUByug

BTW, the person who did this have actually boasted and bragged about his kill, then posted his photo w/ the dead hog deer hanging on the tree. The person is a regular forumer from Philippine Defense Forces Forum. I hope this video will send some reminders to us, and hopefully be treated as a warning for everybody that endangered species are here around us to find shelter, and not to be killed or hunted. Thanks in advance for your supports.

Napocor gets P87-million fund for watershed management
THE ENERGY Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved the release of P87 million from the universal charge fund for the National Power Corp. (Napocor) watershed management program.

The Business World

In a decision dated Jan. 16, the ERC said it sees "reasonableness and wisdom" of Napocor’s proposed project portfolio, which had originally been pegged at P214.89 million.

Napocor in August 2006 has discovered that its financial advisor, the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp., only held P87 million in collections from the environmental fund.

One-fourth of every centavo collected for the universal charge goes to the environmental fund, which is intended for the rehabilitation and management of watersheds nationwide.

Napocor currently manages a total of eleven watersheds, plus two watershed reservations — Pantabangan and Magat — which are under an area sharing scheme with National Irrigation Administration. Another two, Lake Lanao-Agus and Pulangui Watershed Area, are managed under a memorandum of agreement with the Environment department.

For 2006, Napocor proposed to spend the top price of P11 million for developments in Lake Lanao and Upper Agno.

The Watershed Management Office at the Napocor headquarters in Quezon City was allocated P11.83 million.

Some of the developments, especially those which involve infrastructure, have not yet been begun. But bulk of the programs are continuous activities like the reforestation initiative, biodiversity conservation, and community engagement.

Napocor said watersheds provide water for drinking; power and irrigation; food and shelter for wildlife; and recreation.

Watershed management is the process of guiding and organizing land and other resource uses in a watershed to provide desired goods and services without adversely affecting soil and water resources, the state-run power firm said.

Besides the environmental fund, the Energy department also extends financial benefits under the ER-1-94 fund. Twenty five percent of one centavo per kilowatt-hour of the total electricity sales is set aside for reforestation, watershed management, health and environment enhancement projects. — Maria Kristina C. Conti

--------------------

Story Location: http://www.bworldonline.com/BW022608/content.php?id=044

Thursday, March 06, 2008


Philippine eagle gets chance
to return to Mount Kitanglad


The Department of Environment and Na*tural Resources (DENR) is set to release a two-year old Philippine Eagle back to the forest of Mount Kitanlad today.

The DENR, the Philippine Eagle Foun*dation and the provincial government of Bukid*non, will release the juvenile male Phi*lippine Eagle today at Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park in Bar*ngay Lupiagan, Su*milao, Bukidnon.

Park guards confiscated the Philippine Eagle named “Kag*sabua” from a resident of Ba*rangay Ka*antuan, Lan*tapan, Bukidnon on September 6, 2006.

“Kagsabua,” when rescued, weighed 3.5 kilograms only, sustained a gunshot wound at the back of its head. After receiving first aid treatment at the Bukidnon Provincial Veterinary Office, the bird was transported by a team led by Mount Kitanglad Park Superintendent Felix S. Mirasol to the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City for further treatment and rehabilitation.

Kagsabua, now about two years old and fully rehabilitated, will add to the six individual Philippine Eagles already recorded in separate locations within the Mount Kitanlad park.

The Philippine Eagle is the largest eagle in the world. It measures up to about one meter high with a wingspan of about two meters. Its massive arched beak and narrow and pointed crown feathers that form a crest characterize the rare bird.

Also known as the monkey-eating eagle, the Philippine Eagle can be found in Luzon (Sierra Madre Ranges and Cordillera Region), Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.

The bird builds its nest on top of tall trees, nests once every two years and lays only one egg that is incubated alternately by both parents for about 60 to 61 days. The eaglet remains on the nest up to about 5 1/2 months. Once the young fledges, the parents look after it for about 17 months.

The Philippine Eagle is listed as critically endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red Data Book. Its present status is due to destruction of dipterocarp forest brought about by logging and agricultural practices and collection for illegal trade and trophy.

Because of this, trade is strictly prohibited and collection may only be allowed for conservation-related research purposes as may be granted through a permit by the DENR.

Hunting and killing of Philippine Eagle is punishable under the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (R.A. 9147) with penalties or fines ranging from P100,000 to P1,000,000 and imprisonment of a minimum of six years and one day to 12 years.
--Ira Karen Apanay


http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/mar/06/yehey/prov/20080306pro7.html

Cordillera losing its water due to watershed destruction

Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20080310-123803/Cordillera-losing-its-water-due-to-watershed-destruction)
First Posted 08:38:00 03/10/2008

LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET—The Cordillera Administrative Region is losing more water than saving its sources, and irrigation officials are afraid the region may fail in its bid to become a major cushion against climate change.

Abraham Akilit, National Irrigation Administration (NIA) regional manager, said declining forest cover and watershed degradation continued to imperil the region’s remaining water supply sources. “More water is being lost than kept,” he told reporters in a forum here on March 4.

Akilit said expanding commercial vegetation remained to be the main human activity that had threatened the life of watersheds, bringing to a head-on collision the government’s poverty mitigation agenda and watershed protection.

The government, he said, must balance food security program in the region that puts premium on vegetable production and the need to preserve the ecosystems, particularly in areas where farming has become viable.

“The food program must be pushed with regulation to avoid agriculture encroaching on watersheds,” he said.

Akilit admitted, however, that the food security program that dwelt on intensive food production might not ignite a massive conversion to agriculture lands since other reasons might have also caused the depletion of the watersheds.

Forest fires, illegal logging and slash-and-burn farming, called the kaingin system, were also hurting the forests and other natural resources.

The impact of commercial vegetation, Akilit said, was most felt when vegetable terraces were carved out of mountain slopes that loosen the soil, making them vulnerable to slides, erosion and siltation.

This can be seen in the cases of Mt. Data National Park in Bauko, Mt. Province, and of Mt. Pulag, the country’s second highest peak that straddles Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya.

The felling of trees and the elimination of mossy forests in these areas have compromised the ability of the forests to survive for a long time, he said.

This was the reason that pushed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the NIA to launch a massive tree nursery and tree planting program of more than one million trees as a measure to arrest the forest and watershed decline, Akilit said.

Records showed that the NIA had scored some success in its campaign to rehabilitate the watersheds and make full use of the distribution of water to the farms.

Reynaldo Apil, NIA engineering and operations chief in the Cordillera, said more drainage canals, water reservoir, pipe lines and other water conveyors were constructed for rice, corn and vegetable farmers.

Bulacan firms, residents raise P16M to clean river

Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20080310-123804/Bulacan-firms-residents-raise-P16M-to-clean-river)
First Posted 08:39:00 03/10/2008

CITY OF MALOLOS—There is hope for Bulacan’s dirtiest rivers.

Private firms and residents have pooled their resources and raised $410,000 to revive the Marilao and Meycauayan rivers, named two of the 30 dirtiest rivers in the world by the New York-based environment group Blacksmith Institute.

The money came from the Japan International Cooperation Agency and foreign-based companies, like Nestle and Coca Cola, and pledges from local businessmen and residents.

Gov. Joselito Mendoza, vice chair of the Water Quality Management Area (WQMA) governing board, urged 300 businessmen who participated in the recent First Bulacan Business Conference to help generate funds for the rehabilitation of the rivers.

While nongovernment groups lead the rehabilitation, they are closely working with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, provincial and local governments to clear the rivers of debris, Mendoza said.

He said the provincial government would release another $10,000 to help sustain the financial needs of the rehabilitation project.

Marlo Mendoza, Philippine coordinator of Blacksmith Institute, said the Asian Development Bank has also pledged $50,000 for the project.

He said the aid from ADB would be used for the pilot testing of technologies for gold refineries in Meycauayan town.

He said they would also use the money to study gold refinery and tannery practices so they can protect the rivers.

Based on a Blacksmith study, gold refinery and tannery factories in Meycauayan that have been operating for over 100 years have contributed to the pollution of the rivers.


*** *** ***


Giant clams reappear off Eastern Samar
(http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20080310-123800/Giant-clams-reappear-off-Eastern-Samar)
By Ven S. Labro
Visayas Bureau
First Posted 08:29:00 03/10/2008

GUIUAN, EASTERN SAMAR—Giant clams are returning to the seabeds of Guiuan, an ancient town in Eastern Samar at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, several decades after the delectable bivalves disappeared, probably due to over-harvesting.

The comeback of the endangered clams (Tridacna gigas) was first noted in the early 1990s, when efforts to restore the coastal environment of the old town were started. Over-fishing and illegal fishing methods, like the use fine-meshed net and dynamites in the previous years almost wiped out marine life in this part of the country.

Drop

Alarmed by the resulting sharp drop in fish catch, the municipal government and the private sector worked together to save, restore and protect Guiuan’s coastal surroundings. One initiative was the establishment of the Guiuan Development Foundation Inc. (GDFI) in August 1988, which committed itself to rehabilitate the marine areas and develop the fishing industry of Guiuan and nearby towns.

The GDFI lobbied hard for the enactment by the municipal council of a fisheries ordinance that would identify marine sanctuaries.

“We started first at Bagong Banua,” recalls Margarita de la Cruz, a marine biologist who heads the foundation and teaches at the University of the Philippines in the Visayas in Tacloban City. She refers to an uninhabited islet where the GDFI established the 68-hectare Bagong Banua Marine Reserve and Fish Sanctuary in late 1991.

The islet, then devastated by dynamite fishing and other illegal fishing methods, could be reached by a 30-minute boat ride from the Guiuan town proper.

With a grant of about P200,000 from the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the GDFI started enclosing the Bagong Banua area and seeding it with abalone, sea cucumber and tap shells, among others. “Our seeding was working, so we removed the enclosure so that marine life could spread out. After five years, the corals started to grow,” De la Cruz says.

Marine hatchery

After a few more years, many corals, including species that the foundation did not plant, appeared.

De la Cruz also brought to the sanctuary several giant clams from the UP Marine Science Institute in Pangasinan, where she took her doctorate. “These clams had come from the Solomons Islands,” she says, adding that more than a hundred of the yearlings were seeded in Bagong Banua.

She says it is easy to seed the clams because they stay put in their places. “At first, we thought the clams could be a livelihood of people’s organizations,” she says, referring to the groups that the GDFI formed in Guiuan and nearby towns. “But we found this to be not feasible because it takes years for clams to grow or mature.”

In 1993, the GDFI put up a marine hatchery and research station, in collaboration with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, at the BFAR compound in Guiuan. The facility has been spawning giant clams and abalone, among others.

Today, Bagong Banua is teeming with marine life. Sturgeons, butterfly fish and other species frolic in the clear waters. The giant clams are also reproducing.

Digging ban

Guiuan has regained its marine resources, and it is now widely known for its abundant marine products. But it has forever lost the indigenous giant clams that the early inhabitants consumed to extinction. Only their fossilized shells remind people of their existence.

Bigger than bicycle wheels, some of the shells were unearthed a few years ago off Calicoan Island in Guiuan and reportedly sold in town and even as far as Cebu and Manila for P500 to P1,000 each. Fortunately, the digging of the shells has been banned.

The shells are also used as decoration, jewelry and even as baptismal and holy water fonts in churches.

Giant clams usually breed after seven years, De la Cruz says. “The population of clams [may have] declined because it takes time for them to grow, but then it is easy to harvest or get them out of the sea. So, it easily became depleted,” she explains.

De la Cruz, who is married to a native and has been residing in Guiuan for about two decades, recalls a folk tale about “very big” clams that could even contain a newborn or very young calf of a carabao (water buffalo).

Giant clams can grow to more than 1.5 meters and weigh more than 250 kilograms. Although they are called “giant,” there is a need to protect the bivalve mollusks from people who seek their meat and shell.


Edit: added MORE good news...:cheers:
^^ the Tridachna Gigas was part of my grade school lessons
would be a shame if it becomes extinct.

Philippines' largest lake under threat
http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/03/philippines-largest-lake-under-threat

Posted by Jane Abao 9 hrs ago

Pollution, slums and an invasion of foreign fish species are threatening the Philippines’ largest lake, one of the nation’s major fish farming regions, according to a study published Tuesday.

Laguna de Bay on the outskirts of eastern Manila covers more than 90,000 hectares but since 1965, fish pens and cages have been built out across some 15 percent of the lake.

The study, by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre, said the lake’s ecosystem was also being threatened by pollution caused by residential, commercial and industrial development and the encroachment of squatters along its shores.

BTW, the person who did this have actually boasted and bragged about his kill, then posted his photo w/ the dead hog deer hanging on the tree. The person is a regular forumer from Philippine Defense Forces Forum. I hope this video will send some reminders to us, and hopefully be treated as a warning for everybody that endangered species are here around us to find shelter, and not to be killed or hunted. Thanks in advance for your supports.

shame :ohno:

Tree-planting seen to wean farmers
from destructive charcoal-making

By Carlos D. Marquez Jr.
Correspondent

PANTABANGAN, Nueva Ecija— Charcoal makers and slash-and-burn mountain farmers (kaingeneros) will have to give up their activity that destroys the forest ecosystem on a part of the Sierra Madre as they start working under the proposed P247-million agro-forestry project under a government-private sector tieup here.

The project will not only provide alternative income to local residents, but also boost the economy of the province. The project will be led by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Smart Communications.

Pantabangan Mayor Romeo Borja Sr. said Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Smart president Manuel V. Pangilinan will launch the project this March.

Smart has pledged an initial P75 million for mobilization expenses for the project, which will involve local charcoal-makers and slash-and-burn farmers, Borja said.

The project calls for planting of several tree species considered high-value, including those with herbal characteristics, like jatropha, in about 20,000 hectares in a portion of the Pantabangan watershed that had been previously denuded due to the building of the Pantabangan Dam.

After the dam was constructed in 1974 and the residents were resettled in their new housing sites, many of them lost their income from farming as their farmlands were submerged by the dam water. They then resorted to other sources of income like charcoal-making and slash-and-burn farming. These became the local small-scale underground industry.

It is common here for town officials to see some 30 tricycles loaded with sacks of charcoals. A tricycle can load about 40 sacks of charcoal each costing P200 at the market.

Charcoal-making and hauling were so rampant that it raised a political debate here. Recently the town’s parish priest, Fr. Ernesto Desimo, denounced the practice, urging the town government to order a crackdown.

But Senior Insp. Reulito Barcelo is apparently hesitant to round up charcoal-makers, they being his townsfolk. “It is their cheap source of survival. It is better than for them to engage in robbery,” he said. He added that “they will have a chance to make amends for what they did to the forest even in their small way, unlike how big illegal loggers had done previously,” when the Smart-DA agro-forestry project begins.

About 8,000 illegal charcoal-makers and slash-and-burn farmers could be accommodated as tree-planters in the proposed DA-Smart agro-forestry project. Each group of 10 of them will be alloted one hectare to plant, while selected forestry and agricultural technicians will supervise their own plantation area. The planters will sell their tree harvests and other farm crops upon maturity, with the DA finding the market for them.

Source: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/03112008/economy07.html

Congress urged to help push e-jeepneys as safe and cheap alternative to diesel-fired

Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Manila Bulletin

Electric jeepneys, taunted as the clean and safe alternative to diesel-fired and pollutive jeepneys, are being grounded on their track by the inaction of the Department of Transportation and Communication and its attached agencies—the Land Transport Office and Land Transport Franchise and Regulatory Bureau—to register these units and give them license plates as public conveyance.


The Green Renewable Independent Power Producers (GRIPP), project implementer of the e-jeepneys in Bacolod, wrote Rep. Monico O. Fuentebella of the lone district of Bacolod, last Jan. 15, 2008 lamenting what they called as DoTC’s inaction to the project. The letter was written by Reina Garcia, coordinator of GRIPP on behalf of Athena Ballesteros, chairman of GRIPP board of trustees.

"As you know, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself inaugurated the project in Bacolod City. It has been more than six months and since then GRIPP has been meeting with several officials from the DoTC, LTO/LTFRB, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Science and Technology for the registration of the e-jeepneys for them to be able to run as public utility vehicles, "GRIPP said.

Despite such repeated attempts to register the electric jeeps, in which GRIPP and its partners have completed and complied with all the paperwork required, LTO and LTFRB returned our application saying they are unable to act on the registration pending the classification procedures of DoTC.

The e-jeepneys made their debut in the country on July 4, 2007 in Makati City by Mayor Jejomar Binay, with the launch resulting in massive media mileage for the Philippines in global and local newspapers, magazines and broadcast networks.

Funded by the Doen Foundation of the Netherlands, the e-jeepney project was supposed to bring in for use in Bacolod 40 units. GRIPP is a consortium composed of Greenpeace and Solar Electric Co., the designer and exclusive distributor locally of the e-jeepneys founded and owned by Robert Lopez-Puckett.

The e-jeepneys are part of a larger project called the Climate Friendly Cities project, whose goal is to introduce an alternative to the local, diesel-based, public transport system that will not only reduce air pollution, carbon emissions and the solid waste stream but will also provide increased incomes to the jeepney drivers in view of continuing rising world crude prices.

At the meeting in Makati City Hall last Sept. 21, 2007, the consortium was advised that as prerequisite to registration, an environmental technology verification (ETV) of the DoST-Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) must be secured. The request for us to undergo the ETV process came from the office of DoTC Undersecretary Annelie R. Lontoc for Roads Transport and DoTC Director Ildefonso Patdu. The application was submitted on November 7, 2007 and GRIPP and SOLARCO were advised that the standard processing time for the ETV was one month.

Follow up made on Dec. 13, 2007 showed that the ITDI was yet unable to form the ETV Technical Panel consisting of 2 experts to conduct the inspection of the electric jeepneys. By Dec. 20, 2007, GRIPP was informed by DOST that ITDI was awaiting the two experts from DOE to complete the panel and that DOST projected to finish the inspection before the end of 2007. GRIPP contacted the office of Secretary Reyes to get help in fast tracking the formation of the ETV panel.

On Jan. 10, 2008 the inspection finally took place at the DOE in Taguig City, with representatives from DOST, DOE, GRIPP and Solarco. After said inspection, the next step was to create a test protocol/plan for the ejeepneys in 20 days. A one-day testing will then be scheduled in Bel-Air village alongside a traditional diesel jeepney. The panel will then produce a technical report. Given the delays so far this process would bring the ETV application schedule to three months instead of the standard one monthprocessing time.

During the said meeting, members of the ETV panel from both DOST and DOE were surprised to hear from us that DOTC Usec Lontoc asked us to undergo the ETV process prior to the classification and registration of the ejeeps. We found out that other ‘alternative’ transport projects such as the LPG taxis and the CNG buses did not go through this process.

The panel members said the ETV is a voluntary not a prerequisite process to any government licensing procedure. GRIPP still vowed to pursue the ETV process as a parallelcomplementary effort to the DOTC and LTO registration procedures.

GRIPP said many cities like Puerto Princesa, Pasay, Baguio, Taguig, Bago, Talisay, and Silay in Negros have started placing orders to acquire their own units of ejeepneys and replicate the Climate Friendly Cities project.

Makati and Bacolod are also eagerly awaiting the day the ejeepneys could finally ply public roads. Todate, the electric jeeps are relegated only to subdivision and private roads. We would like to reiterate the project’s objective which is to mainstream the use of electric jeepneys as commercial public transportation vehicles.

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS20080311119045.html#

P5 billion fund allocated for environment protection (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2008/03/12/p5.billion.fund.allocated.for.environment.protection.(8.47.p.m.).html) (8:47 p.m.)

MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said government has allocated P5 billion for conservation activities, including P240 million for protected areas, as part of the P8-billion budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for 2008.

Arroyo made the announcement Wednesday in Morong, Bataan where she led the release of about 30 three-day old Olive Ridley sea turtles into the beach of Morong, which eventually leads to the South China Sea.

The activity is done to heighten the awareness of the people on the importance of conservation, particularly on saving the turtles.

According to Arroyo, the P5 billion fund would be used to beautify villages and cities, build more urban parks and recreation areas, purify water systems and clean up industrial sites. She said this underscores government's commitment to take care of the environment.

The President said the protection of national parks and wildlife refuges also ranks high in government's priorities. She said P240 million will be spent for protected areas so that they could be developed into international sanctuaries for eco-tourism and scientific research.

She said P5 million would be spent for the Pawikan Conservation Project in Barangay Nagbalayong, Morong, Bataan. She ordered the Philippine Tourism Authority to give additional funds for the shelter and gave the project officers a check for their livelihood and for the setting up of lodging rooms for tourists and marine biologists.

ADB to grant 1.5 mln usd for plan to save Coral Triangle, Heart of Borneo (http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2008/03/14/afx4772490.html)
03.14.08, 6:22 AM ET

MUMBAI (Thomson Financial) - The Asia Development Bank (ADB) said it will provide a 1.5 mln usd grant for an environmental plan in collaboration with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to protect the Coral Triangle, which has the highest marine biodiversity in the world and the Heart of Borneo rainforests among others.

The four governments will each contribute 50,000 usd of in-kind support to complete the required funding for the program, the bank said.

The ADB added the grant will provide funding for the World Wildlife Fund for Nature to undertake an environmental and socio-economic profile of the region, geographic information system mapping and stakeholder consultations in these countries for a long-term program.

The program will establish a framework for regional cooperation in managing natural resources and biodiversity as well as develop joint investment projects in forestry, fishing, minerals, and energy, the agency said.

PHILIPPINE EAGLE FREED IN BUKIDNON

A young male rehabilitated Philippine eagle was released to its natural habitat in Barangay Lupiagan, Sumilao in Bukidnon last March 6, according to Dennis Salvador, Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) Executive Director.Salvador said the Philippine eagle named “Kagsabua” (Higaonon word for unity) rescued from Mount Kitanglad Natural Park, Bukidnon by the Kitanglad Guard Volunteers (KGVs) from a hunter last September 2006 while doing rounds of the park.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and local officials brought the bird to the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC) for treatment and rehabilitation for almost one-and-a-half years.

Hundreds of well-wishers witnessed the released of Kagsabua led by PEF President and retired Air force commanding General William Hotchkiss.

Two event hosts, Mayor Marie Ann Baula of Sumilao and DENR Region X Director Maximo Dichoso were also present as community leaders, residents and kids mingled with government, NGO, and media personnel witnessed the glorious event.

“The occasion was definitely festive as the eagle release was the first in this part of Mindanao,” Salvador said.

Meanwhile, Salvador said a total of 59 Philippine Eagles were already admitted at the center from 1970 to 2006, and 36 of these died because they are either too sick to be cured or too injured to be saved.

“Not only are eagles being shot, their forest homes are also cut down and destroyed out there as we speak,” he said.

The beleaguered state of the Philippine Eagle, the country’s biological emblem and one of the world’s most endangered animal, is a reminder not only of the gloomy state of our natural environment, but also of the lack of environmental care and concern among some of our fellow men.

”By releasing Kagsabua and all other rehabilitated Philippine Eagles back to the forests and making the public know about these releases, DENR and PEF hope to make more Filipinos become aware of how precious our national bird is,” Salvador added.

For Gen. Hotchkiss, he believed the greatest threat to the country’s national security is environmental degradation.

“The story of Kagsabua and how various sectors of the government and civil society worked together to bring him home inspired me. I hope our fellowmen get equally inspired and cooperatively end the environmental meltdown we now face,” Hotchkiss added.

http://durianpost.wordpress.com/

It's funny how they use the eagle puppets to feed them to "prevent birds imprinting on humans", yet the person is clearly seen by the bird. :D I've seen this method before for the Californian Condor, and the person was completely hidden from view.

Just curious: What is our largest natural reserve/park by land area?

^^ Sierra Madre National Park is the largest national park in the country. Other smaller national parks like the Quezon National Forest Park in the south is within its range.

Manila's City of Garbage
http://www.vbs.tv/shows.php?show=894543038

A BRIEF NOTE FROM VBS PRODUCER TRACE CRUTCHFIELD ON MEETING THEIR FILIPINO TRANSLATOR AND FINDING A WAY INTO THE PAYATAS

We met Maki, our Filipina godsend, for the first time in the lobby of a Manila hotel, as well as stylish Ivar from Sweden and mustachioed Jeff of Hollywood, California (he's the one holding the camera). None of us had ever been in the same room together, yet we were about to embark upon one of the most bonding experiences any band of buddies can go through together, exploring a place nearly unimaginable to Western sensibilites: an ultradump.

After ten minutes of your standard blah blah blah how was your flight? business we decided to head straight away to the Payatas. Half the people at the hotel were genuinely astonished we wanted to go there and nobody had any idea of how to go about it. City dumps are apparently rarely a destination for the average travelers and never a concierge concern. And the Payatas is notorious even in the Philippines as the end of the line. It's the place where hope goes to die and be buried under pounds of filth. Most Filipinos don't even like to think about it much less see it in person.

Finally a cab relented and took us to the outskirts of the infamous landfill, but from there we would have to find our way to the heart of the matter alone. "Too risky," the driver exclaimed. Maki surmised that we could take a tricycle deeper into the area but that getting back out might prove next to impossible. I tried to envision a world of garbage only accessible via one-way tricycle ride. I felt like we were drifting into some sort of bizarro Murakami world, but even his sci-fi nonsensicals weren't enough to prepare me for what was waiting for us at the end of the road and quite possibly at the end of the world. Welcome to the Payatas. Hold on tight to your recyclables.

Consumers urged to cut use of bottled water (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=112695)

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

BRINGING bottled mineral water may be the most convenient way to quench your thirst during long trips, but they do have some drawbacks.

Aside from being expensive, they cause problem of disposing their plastic containers, which sometimes contribute to the garbage woes—not to mention the pollution caused by producing the plastic containers to meet the ever-increasing demand for bottled mineral water, which greatly contributes to global warming.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a waste and pollution watchdog, is urging consumers to cut their consumption of bottled mineral water, especially during the Holy Week, as millions of Filipinos flock to bus terminals, seaports and airports to journey back to their hometowns or go on a pilgrimage during the Lenten season.

“Many consumers find bottled water convenient as they carry on with their plans for the Holy Week. However, it is worth reminding the public that the ever-increasing demand for bottled water is polluting and warming the planet,” said Baby Reyes of the Mother Earth Foundation and the EcoWaste Coalition.

“Cutting back on the number of plastic water bottles that we consume is a simple act that will have tremendous benefits to the environment and the climate. It will be eco-friendly to use reusable water container and fill it with clean tap water from home or, if necessary, with filtered or boiled water,” Reyes said.

“If buying bottled water cannot be avoided, we remind consumers not to throw the empty ones out of vehicles, leave them on the sidewalk or beach, or burn them along with their trash, but to place them into the ‘recycling’ bin,” she added.

The EcoWaste Coalition explained that fossil fuels such as coal and oil are burned to produce, ship, deliver, advertise and dispose plastic water bottles. The burning of fossil fuel energy and the ensuing toxic pollution, the group said, is mainly to blame for the climate change.

Last year’s report “Take Back the Tap” by the US-based Food and Water Watch confirms that the production of plastic water bottles “consumes energy, pollutes the environment and contributes to global warming.”

To illustrate how much fossil fuel energy is used in the production of plastic water bottles, the EcoWaste Coalition, citing figures from the Earth Policy Institute, revealed that 1.5 million barrels of oil is consumed annually in the US to produce plastic water bottles.

This is said to be enough to fuel some 100,000 cars in the US for a year.

The World Watch Institute estimates that 86 percent of the used plastic water bottles in the US get dumped instead of being recycled.

In addition to the pollution issue, the EcoWaste Coalition also raised concern about the possible leaching of chemicals from the plastic bottles into the water, specially Bisphenol A, which is a known endocrine disruptor. This chemical is widely used in the manufacture of plastic polycarbonate bottles.-- Business Mirror

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20080328-127016/Manila-to-take-part-in-Earth-Hour

Manila to take part in 'Earth Hour'
To plunge millions into darkness March 29

Agence France-Presse, INQUIRER.net
03/28/2008

SYDNEY -- Twenty-six major cities around the world, including Manila, are expected to turn off the lights on major landmarks, plunging millions of people into darkness to raise awareness about global warming, organizers said.

“Earth Hour” founder Andy Ridley said 371 cities, towns or local governments from Australia to Canada and even Fiji had signed up for the 60-minute shutdown at 0900 GMT on March 29.

"There are definitely 26 [cities] that we think, if it all goes to plan, we are going to see a major event of lights going off," he told Agence France Presse.

Cities officially signed on include Chicago and San Francisco, Dublin, Manila, Bangkok, Copenhagen and Toronto, all of which will switch off lights on major landmarks and encourage businesses and homeowners to follow suit.

Ridley said it was also likely that other major European cities such as Rome and London, and the South Korean capital Seoul, although not officially taking part, would turn off lights on some attractions or landmarks.

The initiative began in Sydney last year and has become a global event, sweeping across 35 countries this year.

From 8:00 p.m. local time in Sydney, the energy-saving campaign will see harborside icons such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House bathed only in moonlight, restaurant diners eat by candlelight and city skyscrapers turn off their neon signs.

Organizers hope the initiative will encourage people to be more aware of their energy usage, knowing that producing electricity pollutes the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels which are contributing to global warming.

But they are also aware that it will be just a small step in solving the problem of rising temperatures around the globe.

"Switching the lights off for an hour is not going to make a dent in global emissions," organizer Charles Stevens, of the environmental group WWF, told AFP.

"But what it does do is it is a great catalyst for much bigger changes. It engages people in the processes of becoming more energy efficient," said Stevens.

Stevens said the initiative encouraged businesses to be more careful with their electricity use while at the same time sending "a fairly powerful message to governments that people are demanding action."

Some 2.2 million people participated in last year's “Earth Hour” in Sydney, cutting the central business district's energy usage by more than 10 percent.

While no cities from China or India are involved this year, Stevens said it was hoped that the movement would expand in 2009, which he said would be a particularly significant year given that it is the deadline for United Nations talks to determine future action on climate change after the Kyoto Protocol.

Ridley, who began “Earth Hour” last year while working with WWF Australia, said the initiative was about individuals and global companies joining together to own a shared problem -- climate change.

"Governments and businesses are joining individuals, religious groups, schools and communities in this terrific movement that's all about making a change for the better," he said.

"It's staggering to see so much support from across the globe in just our second year and we're hoping that this will continue to grow year after year," he said.

Cities officially involved in “Earth Hour” include Aalborg, Aarhus, Adelaide, Atlanta, Bangkok, Brisbane, Canberra, Chicago, Christchurch, Copenhagen, Darwin, Dublin, Hobart, Manila, Melbourne, Montreal, Odense, Ottawa, Perth, Phoenix, San Francisco, Suva, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Toronto and Vancouver.

--------------------------------------------------------

http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/theenvironmentreport/view.php?db=1&article=20080329-127177

Asian cities prepare to kick off Earth Hour
March 29, 2008 14:45:00
Agence France-Presse

SYDNEY -- Several Asia Pacific cities were Saturday preparing to plunge into darkness as they kick off the first leg of the Australia-led 'Earth Hour' campaign to raise awareness about global warming.

Sydney will be the first major metropolis to endure the self-imposed 60-minute black-out, turning out the lights on landmark buildings and corporate skyscrapers from 8:00 p.m. (0900 GMT), with homes and businesses also encouraged to take part.

From there the initiative, which aims to engage the community in combatting global warming, will see lights dimmed or turned off at 8:00 p.m. local time in Manila and Bangkok, before spreading further to Europe and the Americas.

'Earth Hour' founder Andy Ridley, who has said up to 30 million people could participate this year, said he was amazed at how far the initiative had spread since it was launched by environmental group WWF in Sydney a year ago.

"When we first talked about it, right at the beginning, our dream was to come up with something that made sense to a lot of people to do," he told Agence France-Presse.

"And what seems to have happened is that it does seem to make sense to a lot of people to do it."

'Earth Hour' encourages governments, companies and homeowners to voluntarily switch off power to non-essential appliances for one hour to illustrate how, by working together, people can make a difference by using less energy, thereby producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

About 2.2 million people are estimated to have participated in the 2007 Sydney event which left the city's iconic harbourside Opera House and nearby Harbour Bridge bathed in moonlight as restaurant diners ate by candlelight and company logos on office buildings were dimmed.

The Australian government has this year urged people and businesses to take part and more than 100 government departments and agencies have signed up to switch off for the hour.

"The Australian government is throwing its full support behind the efforts of WWF in organizing Earth Hour," Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said.

"It is vital that we raise awareness that we can all make a difference by saving energy in our homes."

In Manila, several major thoroughfares will go dark as street lights and billboards are switched off on the designated hour, Philippine Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country's main business group, has called on members "to participate in this global hour of action by encouraging their employees and stakeholders to turn off or reduce the lights and appliances in their homes, offices and product billboards."

In Bangkok, the lights on some of the Thai capital's most famous landmarks, including the riverside Temple of the Dawn, the Rama 8 Cable Bridge across the Chao Phraya River and the main boulevard in the city's historic core will be turned off.

Thai TV and music stars will also join events organized by the city to raise awareness of global warming, as street lamps are turned off on eight main thoroughfares and business are urged to dim their lights.

Twenty-six cities around the world are officially signed on to turn off their lights on Saturday night, including Chicago and Atlanta in the US and the Irish capital Dublin, but hundreds more towns and local governments are expected to be involved in the 60-minute shutdown.

Cities involved in 'Earth Hour' include Aalborg, Aarhus, Adelaide, Atlanta, Bangkok, Brisbane, Canberra, Chicago, Christchurch, Copenhagen, Darwin, Dublin, Hobart, Manila, Melbourne, Montreal, Odense, Ottawa, Perth, Phoenix, San Francisco, Suva, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Toronto and Vancouver.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=113479

Earth Hour: Putting off lights to shed light on global warming

KRIS DANIELLE SUAREZ
abs-cbnNEWS.com
March 31, 2008

Towns and cities around the Philippines and all over the world flicked off their light switches for one hour from 8 p.m. Saturday evening during the observance of Earth Hour, a global movement aiming to show the impact of global warming and climate change, specifically the impact of intensive energy use.

During the kick-off ceremony at the front lawn of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City – in front of the complex's landmark fountain – government officials and people from the private sector, led by Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, switched off the lights along Roxas Boulevard.

"We would like to raise awareness that climate change is happening," World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines’s Lory Tan said.

Among those in attendance during the ceremonial switching off of the avenue’s lights were WWF-Philippines' David Valdez, CCP President Nestor Jardin, Mayors Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad of Pasay, Florencio Bernabe of Parañaque, and Alfredo Lim of Manila, and heads of major sponsors and participants such as Phillips Lighting Systems, the SM Group, and the environmental advocacy group Green Army.

Lights out for an hour

When the clock struck exactly 8 p.m. local time, the lights of the boulevard, as well as the CCP, Star City, and neighboring hotels and establishments all turned off most of their lights.

For the duration of the lights-out, live performances and a giant pledge board kept the crowd of people at the CCP lawn - a mix of families, civic groups, teenagers, couples, even some nuns - busy and entertained.

Aside from Roxas Boulevard, another notable avenue "left in the dark," literally, was Metro Manila’s main artery EDSA.

In Makati, one of the participating cities in the Philippines, street lights were also switched off along Kalayaan Avenue, South Avenue, Makati Avenue, J.P. Rizal, Buendia, and F. Zobel St., as well as in the city’s Central Business District and 33 barangay halls.

Around the metropolis, landmarks such as the CCP, Luneta, and even Malacañang also turned off their lights.

Numerous malls and establishments, billboards, streets, and even houses all over the metropolis also switched off a significant part of their lights in support of the event, although many still left their lights switched on during the hour.

Notable participants include SM and Ayala mall chains which turned off 50 percent of their lights during the hour, the coffee chain Starbucks, and fastfood giants Jollibee and McDonalds, whose branches turned off lights on their iconic signages.

Police and other security forces were highly visible in the darkened areas like the Manila Bay area to ensure public safety.

Aside from Metro Manila, organizers said that over 50 cities and towns around the country joined in observing the event.

According to the WWF, among the cities outside the National Capital Region involved in the event were Gen. Trias, Legazpi, Baguio, Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, Zamboanga, Iligan, Laoag, Santiago City, and Calbayog, among others.

Australia, NZ, Fiji kick off movement

Prior to the Philippine blackout, cities in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific island countries have already switched off their lights.

Sydney, Australia - the city where the movement started last year - was the first major metropolis to endure the voluntary 60-minute black-out, turning out lights on landmark buildings and corporate skyscrapers from 8 p.m. local time, with homes and businesses also taking part.

From there the initiative saw lights dimmed or turned off in Manila, which was followed by Bangkok in Thailand, before spreading further to Europe and the Americas.

The initiative that began in Sydney last year has become a global event, sweeping across 35 countries this year, from Australia in the east to the United States in the west.

The symbolic turning off of lights and other unnecessary appliances for an hour, according to the WWF, is to "express that individual action on a mass scale can help change our planet for the better."

"The event itself will clearly demonstrate in participating cities, the connection between energy usage and climate change, showing that we as broader community can address the biggest threat our planet has ever faced," the WWF added.

Organizers hope the initiative will encourage people to be more aware of their energy usage, knowing that producing electricity pollutes the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels which are contributing to global warming.

Optimism for the future

Organizers also hope that Earth Hour will be the start of a movement that would help halt the downhill slide of the environment, particularly in the area of climate change.

"[In] one hour, we can change the world… sometime in the future we could say that it all started in Earth Hour," Tan said.

Lim, meanwhile, said that the event is proof that people from different political and socioeconomic backgrounds can unite for a common cause.

"Ang pangyayaring ito ay patunay lamang na ang pagkakaisa, sa pagsasama-sama, marami tayong magagawa," Lim said, citing that political differences were set aside to express support for the movement.

"We are here fighting for a noble cause and we can only make it happen if we will work together," Reyes said.

"Earth Hour will send a strong signal that people all around the world are deeply concerned and expect their leaders to take action before it’s too late.

Climate change is a global challenge that requires global solutions and it’s clear that the people of this planet are ready to get involved and find the answers," WWF Director General James Leape said in a statement.

At the end of the hour-long event, WWF's Dave Valdez announced that the Philippines will again participate in Earth Hour next year, scheduled on March 28, 2009.

Earth Hour Philippines was a joint initiative of WWF, the Department of Energy, Presidential Task Force on Climate Change, Green Army and the Earthday Network. Corporations like Intel, Canon, Colliers, Honda, HSBC, Coca-Cola, and Starbucks also participated.

Business
Saving the environment: Is it worth dying for?
TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS By Babe Romualdez
Thursday, April 3, 2008

I received very disturbing information that Hanjin Shipping, a Korean company that’s supposedly investing a lot of money in Subic has reportedly finished construction of a 22-story building right in the middle of the tropical rainforest in Subic to house its employees. This is really very disturbing considering that everyone all over the world is talking about preserving natural resources, the effects of deforestation and other activities that could potentially destroy the environment and their impact on global warming. If this is true, officials have a lot of explaining to do. Why did they allow this to happen and who was responsible for this?

One of the few things that we have, thanks to the Americans who have painstakingly made sure it remained preserved during their stay in Subic, is the rainforest which is home to a lot of flora and fauna and perhaps even other species that remain undiscovered to this day. Several studies revealed the critical role rainforests play in slowing down global warming since they trap more amounts of carbon dioxide and evaporate more water, thereby producing clouds that reflect sunlight back to space. Due to the large amounts of oxygen they produce, tropical rainforests are also called the lungs of the world. As a matter of fact, an expert from the Carnegie Institution of Washington even described them as “like earth’s air conditioner.”

In Bangkok, experts are holding a UN-sponsored summit to discuss climate change, the reduction of carbon emissions, etc. and how countries can mitigate the effects through technology, financing and other activities – underscoring the importance of global warming and climate change. Just recently, reports came out about snakes showing up in a city near the Amazon River because of the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, one of the largest in the world. Authorities are naturally worried about the impact of deforestation to humans in more ways than one could imagine. In Costa Rica, experts are monitoring the rainforest canopy in La Selva to study everything from frogs to snakes to global warming and use the data to assess the impact of rainforests on climate change.

It’s ironic that while other countries are trying so hard to preserve their forests and other natural resources, here we are just allowing our emerald heritage to be eroded. We’re already suffering from worldwide rice and food shortage; we’re overbuilding commercial areas, turning agricultural lands into residential areas and even golf courses. And now, we have this reported construction in an area that has long served as a refuge for Aetas who depend on the forest for their survival. What about the many wild plants and animals that thrive in the vicinity? And then there’s the possibility that surrounding areas could be polluted with human and chemical wastes from the inhabitants of the building. And for what – a couple of billion dollars in investments that in the end will cost this country and its people more?

It can be recalled that last year, a South Korean group also initiated the construction of a six-hectare, high-end spa and resort at the edge of Taal’s crater. Taal is an active volcano and was declared a protected area in 1996 under the government’s National Integrated Protected Areas System law. Constructing a high-end spa on the edge of an active and deadly volcano was no doubt a ridiculous idea – and it would have pushed through had local residents and environmental groups not protested the project – which in the end, would have done more harm than good.

The furor was such that DENR – which initially issued an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) that allowed the Korean group to push through with the project – cancelled the ECC at the last minute with a flimsy excuse that the company did not meet all requirements. If the DENR had not backtracked, it would have cost Angelo Reyes – who was then DENR secretary – his job.

It’s a good thing there are still a number of concerned and responsible people who are trying their best to preserve the environment, like Gina Lopez and her Bantay Kalikasan foundation. Gina’s group has been batting for the preservation of the La Mesa watershed, which is critical in supplying potable water to most of Metro Manila’s residents. Bantay Kalikasan is trying to slow down the degradation of the watershed since, if left unchecked, could result in the loss of more than 85 percent of the forest cover. We should really support Bantay Kalikasan and do our part in protecting our remaining resources.

In fact, big tour operators in Europe have now made it a standard to check out the environmental compliance record of a country before they send large numbers of tourists to resort areas. Boracay of course is very popular but it is one place that’s also overbuilt, with commercial structures seemingly built haphazardly without considering environmental impact. I’m also told that Shangri-La Hotel cut down a portion of a mountain just to build its 217-room Resort and Spa.

A paper by National University of Singapore professors said some of the issues the Philippines needs to address with great urgency include pollution, poverty, climate change and overpopulation. It’s already bad enough that we face an impending rice and food shortage compounded by a growing population with more and more hungry mouths to feed. But it’s even worse to see our natural resources getting destroyed – and for what – a few billion pesos of short-lived profit? Is saving the environment worth dying for? Certainly, we have to fight to save our resources in order for the next generation to survive. Otherwise we will all die in the end because of pollution, climate change and all the other serious consequences of global warming.


http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2008040212

Philippines, now more than 90 million people living, is facing a rapid urbanization in the countryside and an expanding metropolitan Manila and seemingly insatiable need for resources in order to keep the Philippines oiled.

Right now, the country is said to be facing a "rice crisis", a crisis of a primary necessity of every Juan de la Cruz.

In this thread, are we to blame directly rapid urbanization or lack of planning with our government and ourselves?

Lack of proper planning I guess. Urbanization, I believe is not bad at all. However, I think we were not able to 'balance' things properly. Our very high population growth, I believe plays a role to this. The more population, the more housing areas, entertainment and recreation areas we need. Therefore, forcing us to cut trees and convert supposed farmlands to residential and commercial areas.

Korean edifice complex in Subic forest slammed
April 05, 2008 01:15:00
TJ Burgonio Tonette Orejas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
http://www.inquirer.net/propertyguide/aroundtown/view.php?db=1&article=20080405-128485

MANILA, Philippines—It looks like it is being built for people who want to commune with nature, but some environmentalists are raising a howl.

“It’s horrible. It’s horrific,” Gina Lopez, managing director of the ABS-CBN Foundation, which oversees Bantay Kalikasan [Nature Watch], said in a phone interview Friday.

“Foreigners should respect our environmental laws when they come here.”

Lopez was referring to the ongoing construction of two buildings by a Korean investor right inside the lush rainforest of the Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales province, northwest of Manila.

“How can you do that? I’m sure that’s not private property. I feel very bad about it,” Lopez said.

Concerned individuals have called the Inquirer’s attention to the two structures being constructed by the South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction (HHIC) Ltd.

The company denied reports that the two buildings were commercial hotels, saying these were residential condominiums intended for its staff.

“These are going to serve as quarters for our Korean staff and, in the future for some Filipino employees,” Shim Jong Sup, HHIC-Philippines president, said by phone.

The first building is 10-story-high and the other is 20-story-tall.

“We want to provide accommodations for our staff,” Shim added, ruling out reports that HHIC had ventured into a hotel project.

The units are designed for Korean expatriates working for Hanjin who have families or who are bachelors, he said.

Shim could not immediately say how much the construction of the condominiums would cost, saying only that “we spent a lot of money to make the structure very strong against earthquake.”

Administrator Armand Arreza of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), which runs the free port zone, estimated the costs of the housing project at $20 million.

‘No environmental violation’

Shim said the construction of the buildings near the lush forests of Subic, a former US naval base, did not violate any environmental regulations.

“We got an ECC [environmental compliance certificate],” he said. It was obtained from the SBMA ecology department.

Amethyia de la Llana-Kovak, SBMA ecology department chief, confirmed the issuance of an ECC last year to the housing project.

Regarding the location, she said the structures were being constructed near the “built-up area” of the Subic forests.

In the protected area management plan of the SBMA, the built-up areas—those allowed for development activities—are marked in pink, De la Llana-Kovak said.

She said the marking indicated that the former tenants, the United States Navy, had previous uses for those areas within the forests.

The HHIC site is near a naval magazine, De la Llana-Kovak said.

She said the project cost was not indicated in the company’s application for an ECC.

The SBMA business development department said the condominiums were a “subsequent” project to Hanjin’s $1.65-billion investment at the free port.

The housing project came more than a year after the HHIC went full-blast in its shipbuilding operation in late 2006, it was learned.

The shipyard, off the Redondo Bay in Subic, Zambales, employs more than 10,000 workers.

Koreans account for about 15 percent of that labor force, the Inquirer learned.

At least seven Filipino workers have died in separate incidents at the shipyard since December 2007 due to what officials said was lack of safety measures at the sites.

Ecological impact

ABS-CBN Foundation’s Lopez expressed concern at the ecological impact of building the condominiums in the Subic rainforest.

“Seventy-five percent of our rainforest has disappeared because nobody knew what was happening. This same thing is happening here,” Lopez said.

“That’s what they wanted to do with La Mesa. Because of high public awareness, this was stopped.”

Bantay Kalikasan, an environmental arm of ABS-CBN Foundation, fiercely fought against the construction of housing projects for executives and former employees of the Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) in the La Mesa watershed in Quezon City.

Lopez said the use of the land and the issuance of environmental compliance certificate by local authorities to the Korean company for the right to build the structures should be the subject of an inquiry.

“Who issued the ECC? Who sold the land? How did that happen?” she said.

Saving the environment: Is it worth dying for?
TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS By Babe Romualdez
PhilStar
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2008040212

I received very disturbing information that Hanjin Shipping, a Korean company that’s supposedly investing a lot of money in Subic has reportedly finished construction of a 22-story building right in the middle of the tropical rainforest in Subic to house its employees. This is really very disturbing considering that everyone all over the world is talking about preserving natural resources, the effects of deforestation and other activities that could potentially destroy the environment and their impact on global warming. If this is true, officials have a lot of explaining to do. Why did they allow this to happen and who was responsible for this?

One of the few things that we have, thanks to the Americans who have painstakingly made sure it remained preserved during their stay in Subic, is the rainforest which is home to a lot of flora and fauna and perhaps even other species that remain undiscovered to this day. Several studies revealed the critical role rainforests play in slowing down global warming since they trap more amounts of carbon dioxide and evaporate more water, thereby producing clouds that reflect sunlight back to space. Due to the large amounts of oxygen they produce, tropical rainforests are also called the lungs of the world. As a matter of fact, an expert from the Carnegie Institution of Washington even described them as “like earth’s air conditioner.”

In Bangkok, experts are holding a UN-sponsored summit to discuss climate change, the reduction of carbon emissions, etc. and how countries can mitigate the effects through technology, financing and other activities – underscoring the importance of global warming and climate change. Just recently, reports came out about snakes showing up in a city near the Amazon River because of the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, one of the largest in the world. Authorities are naturally worried about the impact of deforestation to humans in more ways than one could imagine. In Costa Rica, experts are monitoring the rainforest canopy in La Selva to study everything from frogs to snakes to global warming and use the data to assess the impact of rainforests on climate change.

It’s ironic that while other countries are trying so hard to preserve their forests and other natural resources, here we are just allowing our emerald heritage to be eroded. We’re already suffering from worldwide rice and food shortage; we’re overbuilding commercial areas, turning agricultural lands into residential areas and even golf courses. And now, we have this reported construction in an area that has long served as a refuge for Aetas who depend on the forest for their survival. What about the many wild plants and animals that thrive in the vicinity? And then there’s the possibility that surrounding areas could be polluted with human and chemical wastes from the inhabitants of the building. And for what – a couple of billion dollars in investments that in the end will cost this country and its people more?

It can be recalled that last year, a South Korean group also initiated the construction of a six-hectare, high-end spa and resort at the edge of Taal’s crater. Taal is an active volcano and was declared a protected area in 1996 under the government’s National Integrated Protected Areas System law. Constructing a high-end spa on the edge of an active and deadly volcano was no doubt a ridiculous idea – and it would have pushed through had local residents and environmental groups not protested the project – which in the end, would have done more harm than good.

The furor was such that DENR – which initially issued an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) that allowed the Korean group to push through with the project – cancelled the ECC at the last minute with a flimsy excuse that the company did not meet all requirements. If the DENR had not backtracked, it would have cost Angelo Reyes – who was then DENR secretary – his job.

It’s a good thing there are still a number of concerned and responsible people who are trying their best to preserve the environment, like Gina Lopez and her Bantay Kalikasan foundation. Gina’s group has been batting for the preservation of the La Mesa watershed, which is critical in supplying potable water to most of Metro Manila’s residents. Bantay Kalikasan is trying to slow down the degradation of the watershed since, if left unchecked, could result in the loss of more than 85 percent of the forest cover. We should really support Bantay Kalikasan and do our part in protecting our remaining resources.

In fact, big tour operators in Europe have now made it a standard to check out the environmental compliance record of a country before they send large numbers of tourists to resort areas. Boracay of course is very popular but it is one place that’s also overbuilt, with commercial structures seemingly built haphazardly without considering environmental impact. I’m also told that Shangri-La Hotel cut down a portion of a mountain just to build its 217-room Resort and Spa.

A paper by National University of Singapore professors said some of the issues the Philippines needs to address with great urgency include pollution, poverty, climate change and overpopulation. It’s already bad enough that we face an impending rice and food shortage compounded by a growing population with more and more hungry mouths to feed. But it’s even worse to see our natural resources getting destroyed – and for what – a few billion pesos of short-lived profit? Is saving the environment worth dying for? Certainly, we have to fight to save our resources in order for the next generation to survive. Otherwise we will all die in the end because of pollution, climate change and all the other serious consequences of global warming.

wala naman talaga akong nakikitang RAPID urbanization, actually mahina nga...pero tama ngang walang maandang plano ang pilipinas, poor tayo sa logistics at mobilization, i mean marami naman tayong resources, pero parang iba talaga ang priorities natin... sa tingin ko d tayo tumatanaw sa LONG RUN, patchwork lang tayo palagi, pantapal sa mga problema, sa tingin ko naman, bumubwelo na tayo, at were are going to the righr direction, ang problema talaga nating mga pinoy yung sustainability at maintenance, tingnan nyo nga lang T1, parang nabubulok na nilulumotan pa!

actually here in negros occidental CARP has spooked many landowners to turn their plantations into subdivisions, or commercial areas,..those lands that were distributed were in turn sold by the beneficiaries or turned into homelots since small lands aren't really productive, this isn't happening in a rapid pace, although ethanol bio-feul has encouraged landowners to retain farm lands, but not to rice farms though.....

^^ thats what i heard in the news, yung lupa na sana daw para sa bigas na pangkain, ginagawang pang-jathropa...

^^ yes bio fuels and the lack of agricultural subsidies have contributed to a low production of food, aside from that CARP hasn't helped, poor farmers are still poor, and rich landowners are unwilling to invest anymore in agriculture

Pollution destroyed 50 rivers — Atienza
Business World
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW040308/content.php?id=075

FIFTY RIVERS in the country have been destroyed because people are using them to dump their rubbish, leaving some ecologically dead, an official said yesterday.

Of the country’s 421 major rivers and 20 large river basins, 50 are "highly degraded because of man’s abuse and neglect," Environment Secretary Jose L. Atienza, Jr. said in a statement.

"History tells us that rivers have played an important role in the country’s economic growth. Yet, we have disregarded this and continue to dirty our rivers and lakes by turning them into giant septic tanks and trash bins," he added.

One of the ecologically dead rivers is the Pasig which bisects Metro Manila. The government has been relocating thousands of squatters from its banks, but those who remain "continue to throw their domestic waste into the river," he said.

Mr. Atienza said 53% of the pollution in rivers is due to domestic waste. "In the face of climate change, it is important that Filipinos should now adopt water conservation as a way of life," the official said, urging them to plant trees.


_____________________________________


Megamall, Santis fined for dumping pollutants
Manila Standard
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=news4_april5_2008

THE government has fined six companies—including SM Mega-mall in Mandaluyong City—for dumping polluted water and warned others no one violating the Clean Water Act will be spared in the anti-pollution campaign.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said two of the companies fined were operating in Mindanao and two each were doing business in the Visayas and in Metro Manila.

SM Megamall was assessed P5.07 million for dumping its wastewater in the Pasig River.

Euro Swiss Foods Inc., a food-processing firm on Yakal Street, Makati, which owns and supplies the Santis chain of deli items, was fined P1.76 million for the same offense.

Pacific Cement Philippines Inc. in Surigao City was fined P160,000 for throwing its wastewater into a creek. White House Oil Mill Inc. in Pagadian City was ordered to pay P1.06 million for the same offense.

In the Visayas, Profood International Inc. in Mandaue City was fined P810,000 for polluting a creek, and shoemaker Rikio Southeast Asia Inc. in Naga was assessed P1.03 million for the same offense.

In a statement, SM Megamall said the Environment Department made its findings when the mall was just starting to operate, and that “these have been rectified already.”

Atienza announced the names of the companies fined for pollution ahead of World Water Day today and called for a joint effort to save the country’s creeks, rivers and seas.

“We are serious and clear with our message that no single violator will be spared from the Environment Department’s enforcement of environment laws,” he said.

ZTE in Diwalwal
PhilStar Editorial
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Opinion&p=49&type=2&sec=25

Unless the government wants another scandal, it should show utmost transparency in yet another deal with China’s ZTE group. A corporation has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider a decision handed down on June 23, 2006, which canceled mining operations in the Diwalwal gold rush site, or the Agusan-Davao-Surigao Forest Reserve. The SC’s First Division ruled that the mining permit of Southeast Mindanao Gold Mining Corp. or SEMGMC, a local subsidiary of Marcopper Mining Corp., had expired in February 1994.

SEMGMC probably would not have pursued the case if the government had not entered into a deal with ZTE less than three weeks after the SC ruling was issued. In its petition, SEMGMC said that on July 12, 2006, the government signed a memorandum of understanding with ZTE for a joint exploration of Diwalwal for possible mining operations.

Who knew ZTE was also into mining? The company, whose operations are global, is better known in telecommunications, at least in the Philippines, where it gained notoriety after it became embroiled in a corruption scandal involving a $329-million national broadband network deal with the Department of Transportation and Communications. ZTE has lost this deal.

Marcopper, for its part, is equally notorious for the mining disaster in Marinduque in 1996, when the company was in partnership with Canada’s Placer Dome. That disaster, which has left serious long-term damage to the environment and the health of residents in Marinduque, might have influenced the high court’s ruling against the company.

Villagers at the gold rush site, who pan for gold under dangerous conditions, don’t want any of the major mining firms entering Diwalwal. Shantytowns have mushroomed around the gold rush site, where fatal accidents are not uncommon. There have been efforts to rationalize small-scale mining operations in the area.

Mining in this country is controversial enough. If the government wants to bring a major mining firm to the gold rush site, the best way to avoid a repeat of the ZTE broadband controversy is to show transparency in the Diwalwal exploration. Or will details of this deal also be covered by executive privilege?

Editorial
Monument to deceit

Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/editorial/view/20080405-128634/Monument-to-deceit)
First Posted 23:01:00 04/05/2008

MANILA, Philippines—The startling image of high-rise buildings in the middle of a rain forest could have been a scene from Burma (Myanmar) or North Korea, where secretive cabals of official live and luxuriate with impunity. But while the buildings are indeed owned by Koreans, they are being built in Subic. Are they a case of deceitful foreigners, diminishing a precious resource under the very nose of our government? No. The construction of the buildings has been made possible with the connivance of our officials. Hanjin Heavy Industries, which claims that the buildings are meant to house its workers, says it has an environmental compliance certificate.

It probably does. And even if it doesn’t, the fact is, the buildings are already going up. Environmentalists can raise a howl, but the best they can hope for is for the buildings to be knocked down—which won’t bring the rainforest back. The rainforest in Subic has been touted as a tourist attraction, a great ecological resource. But obviously, even as the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority was bragging about its forests, it was handing out permits (with the help of the national government) to allow the planting of buildings where trees used to grow.

And it took whistle-blowers from the citizenry to alert media: otherwise no one would be the wiser.

But now that the public knows what’s taking place, what’s next?

The usual finger-pointing will follow: Who are responsible for this depredation? And the foreign investors will be the target of criticism, though the real criticism should be aimed at the local and national officials who allowed the foreign investors to do what they pleased.

We predict that no one will take the blame, because incumbent officials will point to their predecessors; and officialdom, past and present, will claim that much as it makes no sense, they have lovely maps showing that indeed, building apartments in the middle of a rainforest had been well-planned all along.

And if environmentalists insist on making noise about the ongoing construction, and demand that officials should be held to account, why then, officials can resort to that tried and tested government line, “Show us your evidence,” followed by “Bring it to court.”

Of course the public can point out that the buildings are there, and the rainforest has obviously been reduced, and the damage has been done. But officials will likely go scot-free; the buildings will remain, a monument to deceit.

We can all repeat Jose P. Laurel’s injunction that no one can love the Filipinos better than the Filipinos love themselves—and keep doing so until we’re collectively blue in the face. The problem is no one can sell out Filipino interests better than Filipino officials. It doesn’t matter if a plan allowing the construction of the “Subic forest apartments” exists, or if a cover-up would take place after the fact to justify it. The point is, it clearly makes no sense to punch a hole in the rainforest to build apartments.

Lip service goes hand in hand with a general policy that encourages the trumping of transparency to ensure impunity for the accountable. The ongoing construction in the Subic rainforest points to a government that views governance as a race—to do what it wants, so long as it keeps a step ahead of anyone who might have a contrary opinion to whatever it has set out to do. Anyway, in the end, so long as government gets what it wants, it will be generations of Filipinos yet to come who will pay for it.

Anywhere else, a society that cares for the environment and believes in public servants being held accountable for their actions would see the SBMA purged of its incumbent board, the environment secretary handing in his resignation, and Congress initiating an investigation due to pressure from an outraged environmental movement.

Instead, only in the Philippines would we get what we will get: nothing.

At least, when the present government wanted to lay waste to the La Mesa watershed area, environmentalists raised the alarm in time. This time, they got to be heard too late. And the fixers who made this latest ecological depredation possible are laughing all the way to the bank—confident that they can get away with it after telling the compliant public, again, not to destabilize the “resurgent” economy, and to just move on.

Palace vows transparency in Diwalwal accord
By Marvin Sy
Sunday, April 6, 2008
PhilStar
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080405167

Malacañang vowed to be transparent in any agreement the government may reach regarding exploration and mining activities at the gold rush area of Mt. Diwalwal.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo, however, could not confirm the reported memorandum of agreement (MOU) signed by the government with China’s ZTE Corp. for a joint exploration of the trouble-laden area.

Fajardo though noted the claims made by Southeast Mindanao Gold Mining Corp. (SMGMC), a local mining firm, which cited the supposed joint agreement with ZTE for mining operations in the area.

SMGMC urged the Supreme Court to reconsider its 2006 ruling that canceled all mining operations in Mt. Diwalwal and effectively allowed the government and ZTE to come into play.

Fajardo assured that any agreement entered into by the government would be very transparent and aboveboard.

“The government will apply the strictest and most transparent system in reaching any agreement with ZTE or any other companies that may show interest in coming to a joint agreement with it,” Fajardo said.

“We set rules and regulations and laws that prescribe the conduct of such joint ventures,” she added.

Fajardo said ZTE could have been treated as any other private commercial firm by the government but she admitted that because of the controversy brought about by the national broadband network (NBN) contract with the Chinese telecommunications firm, they have to be more prudent and exercise more caution.

“This time we could be more cautious so what happened before would not be repeated. We would still be welcoming partners especially if it’s aboveboard,” Fajardo said.

A ranking mining official also denied any agreement between ZTE and the government for a joint exploration of Mt. Diwalwal.

“Where is that ZTE contract? It is not with us either. That one (ZTE contract) was never formally provided our office. Since I assumed office in February 2007, I never got hold of any memorandum (of agreement) or any contract with ZTE,” Philippine Mining Development Corporation (PMDC) president Oliver Butalid said.

PMDC, a government-owned and controlled corporation, has taken full control of the Mt. Diwalwal mineral reservation area following the SC ruling.

PMDC now controls the 8,100-hectare Mt. Diwalwal mineral reservation area, of which 729 hectares is considered a gold ore-producing site.

“As far as PMDC (is concerned), there was no such contract signed,” Butalid said.

Butalid also denied allegations PDMC secured a P500-million loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines to finance the government project with ZTE.

Butalid said the loan was earmarked for the development of the Balite vein of the Victory tunnel project in Mt. Diwalwal which would be sub-contracted to the mining cooperatives in the area.

Butalid said there was nothing that indicated ZTE would come into play in the mining operations in Mt. Diwalwal when he assumed office in February last year, succeeding Artemio Disini as president of the Natural Resources Mining Development Corporation (NRMDC).

Butalid said his first move when he assumed office was to change the name of the corporation from NRMDC to PMDC in order not to confuse it with another government entity.

Butalid said Disini did not turn over to him any document involving the ZTE transaction when he took over.

“I understand Disini never signed anything. That was to my knowledge that he did not sign anything with ZTE,” he said.

Laying the predicate

Even as Butalid made the denials, it was learned that President Arroyo personally accompanied ZTE chairman Hou Weigi and an official of the China Development Bank to the area during a visit to Monkayo, Compostela Valley on July 8, 2006.

The visit was made a few weeks after the SC handed down its decision on the issue.

Mrs. Arroyo announced ZTE’s plans to put in at least $1 billion in new investments in Compostela Valley, particularly in mining,

“I brought with me the chairman of the ZTE, Hou Weigi, the Chinese corporation with the largest value traded in the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. They are bringing into Compostela Valley $1 billion in new investments,” the President announced during the visit.

Hou and the other Chinese businessmen were even left behind in Monkayo as Mrs. Arroyo flew to Cotabato City for a meeting with Cabinet members and the regional development council in the area.

Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila also confirmed ZTE’s intention to bring in more investments to Mt. Diwalwal during the visit.

Former elections chief Benjamin Abalos was also a frequent visitor to Mt. Diwalwal before the May 2007 elections, accompanying Chinese investors although he did not say exactly what particular company the Chinese businessmen were representing.

Commission on Higher Education (Ched) Chairman Romulo Neri also went to Mt. Diwalwal on several occasions in the past and reportedly brought with him a number of investors when he was still chairman of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

A militant environment group, on the other hand, urged the government to come clean and drop its supposed mining deal with ZTE to avert “bloodshed” in Diwalwal.

The Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment said an investigation should also be called on the government’s planned mining agreements with ZTE, not only in Mt. Diwalwal, but also in Davao del Norte.

“The Arroyo administration should have no business entering into a mining deal with a firm as controversial and tainted with allegations of corruption as ZTE,” said Clemente Bautista Jr., national coordinator of Kalikasan.

“There is no guarantee that the ZTE-government mining deal in Mt. Diwalwal is different from the anomalous NBN-ZTE broadband deal being investigated by the Senate. This mining deal should be cancelled immediately and be subjected to a probe by the Senate,” he added.

According to Bautista, the two mining agreements that the government wants inked with ZTE is clear proof that the government is selling off the country’s natural resources and national patrimony to foreign firms.

‘Condos beyond treetops’
Gordon: ‘Travesty’ of environmental zoning

By Tonette Orejas, Dona Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080406-128674/Condos-beyond-treetops

MANILA, Philippines—The construction of two high-rise condominium buildings by Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Ltd. in the Subic rainforest came under fire yesterday from Sen. Richard Gordon, a former administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

A “shocked” Gordon said the buildings were only the latest “travesty” done to the former US naval base since he was replaced by Felicito Payumo as SBMA administrator during the Estrada administration. The SBMA is the government agency that manages the Subic Bay Freeport.

“I would not have accommodated it,” the senator said, adding that he would have convinced the Koreans to build the condominiums for their company staff in Olongapo City—”so they could mix with the populace”—or in neighboring Bataan province.

The site of the Hanjin condominium buildings is within the Subic Watershed Forest Reserve, a check by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net, showed.

Covering 10,000 hectares and cared for by the US Navy until its pullout in 1992, the site was classified as protected by virtue of Proclamation No. 926, which then President Corazon Aquino issued on June 15, 1992.

The reserve, located on the Morong, Bataan, side of the free port, was declared protected for “purposes of protecting, maintaining, or improving its water yield and providing a restraining mechanism for inappropriate forest exploitation and disruptive land use.”

An official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Bataan said the proclamation had been amended, shrinking the reserve to 8,000 ha.

While the original proclamation had assigned executive control and administration of the area to the environment secretary, the SBMA has actually been managing it, the official said.

Gordon said the three-ha area where the 10-story and 20-story condominium buildings were put up had already been cleared of trees when Subic was still a US naval base.

He said an ammunitions and explosives testing area, warehouses and bunkhouses used to stand in that area.

“There were no trees anymore. Maybe 18 or 19 trees were cut, but these were small ones,” Gordon said, correcting the impression that the buildings were put up in the middle of the forest.

He said the structures only appeared to be in the middle of the rainforest because the photo run by the Inquirer was taken “as you enter the naval magazine.”

“What I disagree with is that [a building went too high], beyond the treetops. They allowed the Koreans to go beyond 10 stories. Nakakainis iyon (That’s annoying),” Gordon said.

He said he himself was shocked to see the structures, which cannot be seen from the ground because of the tree cover and can only be seen from the sea or from the air.

Environmental zoning

According to Gordon, whom then President Joseph Estrada replaced with Payumo as SBMA administrator, his successor did away with the Americans’ careful environmental zoning and planning, which he himself had strictly followed.

He said that if environmentalists were up in arms against the Hanjin condominiums, they should also assail the eight-story structure that was allowed to be built “very close to the forest” during Payumo’s term.

He pointed out that there was no “brouhaha” raised when that structure was built.

“I’m glad the Inquirer reported this, so everybody will see how Subic has been opened up to the rapaciousness of some,” Gordon said.

“There were areas that were not supposed to be occupied, yet they were occupied. Subic now is very different from the one left by the Americans and the one I left after my term,” he said.

‘Mere political appointee’

Gordon defended SBMA administrator Armand Arreza and laid the blame on SBMA environmental manager Amethya dela Llana Koval (not Amethyia de la Llana Kovak, as earlier reported) who, he said, was not qualified to hold the post but was a political appointee of Payumo.

He said Arreza had only followed the revised zoning plans made during Payumo’s term.

“I asked him why he (Arreza) approved it. He said they accommodated Hanjin because it was Subic’s biggest investor. He said he was not told by the staff that there was something wrong,” Gordon said.

In 2005, Hanjin’s P1.65-billion shipyard was the biggest single investment in the country.

The senator said Koval should be sacked: “She has no business holding that office.”

Not in core zone

Koval had earlier told the Inquirer that Hanjin obtained an environmental clearance certificate (ECC) for the two condominium buildings “last year.”

The SBMA was empowered to issue ECCs when then Environment Secretary Michael Defensor and SBMA officials signed a memorandum of agreement recognizing its “self-regulatory power” over the free port.

Koval said the Hanjin site was not within the “core zone,” the heart of the protected forests.

“The core zone is strictly no-touch,” she said, adding that the other areas were allowed for “sustainable use and recreation.”

“It’s among the built-up areas or sites that were previously used by the US Navy,” she said.

Arreza said the built-up areas had been “zoned for light industries with low-intensity use.”

“There were pockets of development there long before Hanjin came,” he said.

Double standard in housing

In Zambales, officials are seeing a double standard in Hanjin’s housing policy.

“There’s an imbalance, a discrimination,” Zambales Gov. Amor Deloso said after seeing a photograph of the high-rises in the Inquirer on Saturday.

Arreza earlier said the cost of building the high-rises was some $20 million. But in a press statement issued Saturday night, the SBMA put the figure at P455.6 million or $13 million.

In contrast, said former Zambales Vice Gov. Ramon Lacbain II, the Agusuhin resettlement project for the families displaced by the Korean shipyard turned out badly.

Lacbain heads Task Force Hanjin, which Deloso formed to oversee the social and employment aspects shipyard.

Agusuhin

Sitio Agusuhin, located on the hilly and rocky slopes of Barangay Cawag, was where the Subic local government transferred some 400 families from Sitio Quarry.

Portions of Quarry are now occupied by the 400-ha Hanjin shipyard just off the coast of Redondo Bay.

Hanjin funded the families’ relocation, donating P18 million to the local government for the construction of basic facilities like schools, day-care centers, chapels, water systems and electricity.

But Task Force Hanjin reports showed that most of the facilities were left unfinished, and a school building collapsed in August 2006 before the 300 students could use it.

A team from the Department of Public Works and Highways reported in August 2007 that structures worth P3 million had been built on the site.

Nagyantoc

Another relocation project for 280 families living in a portion of Sitio Nagyantoc that will be occupied by Hanjin’s expansion has been proceeding at a snail’s pace. Only 100 houses had been built at the 9.4-ha relocation site, also in Nagyantoc, as of last week.

The SBMA, which has jurisdiction over the former base lands in Subic, is having the units built at P90,000 each with funds from the land rental paid by Hanjin, Lacbain said.

“Hanjin put our fellow Filipinos in Agusuhin in a pitiful situation,” he said. “It showed that it has the capability to build beautiful condominiums. But why did it not at least offer a safe and livable place for those in Agusuhin? Why is it that it’s easy to part with money when their own Koreans are involved, and [not when it concerns] Filipinos?”

Hanjin president Shim Jong Sup did not reply to a request for comment.

But in September 2007, Hanjin asked the SBMA to set aside at least 40 ha for a planned workers’ village for its 15,000 Filipino employees.

Arreza confirmed this Saturday, saying President Macapagal-Arroyo had issued a proclamation assigning 40 ha of public land for the housing needs of Hanjin’s Filipino workers.

Rejoinder

Reached for comment on the phone, Payumo said Gordon was “shooting from his mouth without verifying the facts.”

“It was not during my term that the SBMA board approved [Hanjin’s] housing project. You can check with the SBMA ecology center and it would show that it was approved last year,” he said.

Payumo’s term ended in 2005.

According to Payumo, talks on Hanjin’s shipyard project began during his term but it was during the term of his successor, Francisco Licuanan, that the SBMA board approved it.

Payumo also said Gordon was “responsible for the cutting of trees.”

He was referring to that part of the Subic forests that was cleared to make space for at least 21 luxury villas built for the use of the heads of state who attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit held at the free port in 1996.

“He did not only order the cutting of trees there. The villas were also put up as mortgage. When the developer failed to pay the banks, and the banks foreclosed on the loan, the Home Guarantee Fund assumed the payments for several hundred millions. The government shouldered the liabilities,” Payumo said.

Hottest temperature so far this year in Metro recorded
spacer (http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN20080406121233.html)

By MADEL R. SABATER

The temperature in Metro Manila reached 36.3 degrees Celsius yesterday, the hottest recorded so far this year in the metropolis.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recorded the maximum temperature yesterday at 36.3 degrees Celsius at the Science Garden in Diliman, Quezon City 1:50 p.m.

PAGASA weather specialist II Nonoy About said yesterday’s maximum temperature is the hottestrecorded in the metropolis so far this year.

The maximum temperature last week in the National Capital Region was 35.8 degrees Celsius on April 4.

In the country, the hottest temperature recorded so far this year was 37 degrees Celsius in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan at 2 p.m. last Saturday.

About said the maximum temperature since April 1 in Tuguegarao averaged 36 degrees Celsius and stayed as such for the week.

However, on April 5, it went up to 37 degrees Celsius.

PAGASA weather branch chief Nathaniel Cruz said that for the month of April, Luzon may expect a "drier and hotter weather," adding that for Metro Manila, maximum temperature may go up to as high as 38 degrees Celsius, with its peak expected this month or in May.

He said that some parts of the Visayas and the whole of Mindanao may experience humidity and rains this month due to the easterlies or the easterly wave, which brings in humid weather from the east.

It is the current weather system affecting some parts of Visayas and the whole of Mindanao and is strengthened by the current La Niña phenomenon.

Cruz said the maximum temperature for Visayas and Mindanao ranges from 35 to 37 degrees Celsius while for Northern Luzon, especially Cagayan Valley (Region 2), the temperature can jump to 40 degrees Celsius.

Mountainous areas of the country may expect a maximum temperature from 32 to 33 degrees Celsius.

Cruz said the possibility of thunderstorms is likely even in Metro Manila, especially during afternoons and early evenings due to the hot temperature experienced in the mornings and early afternoons.

global warming is a scam...

this idea is spun to place carbon tax and further enslave the people of the world...

the bilderberg group is behind this..

haha.. :joke:

Kino-corrupt ang carbon dioxide kaya lumalala ang global warming?

^^ no i think what he meant was using global warming to pass high carbon taxes on industrializing countries (RP included if i'm not mistaken) to earn cash...

Al Gore, as reports say, has at least $30k bills in electricity every month....;)

Global Warming is a very hot issue during summer time.

^^ no i think what he meant was using global warming to pass high carbon taxes on industrializing countries (RP included if i'm not mistaken) to earn cash...

Al Gore, as reports say, has at least $30k bills in electricity every month....;)

really? i thought he live in a "green" home like Leo di Carpio does.maybe he is stll paying for the solar energy & other environment -friendly fuel which initially are very expensive.

well the news was a year ago, during his global warming campaign, and twas electricity bills so it should've been cheaper..:D

maybe this time he "changed", :nuts:...

Amazing, I was in Hundred Island kaya di ko to nakita...

SpiWER04GN0

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=2008040894

Global warming threatens to flood Manila – WHO

By Sheila Crisostomo
Philippine Star
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that Asia’s “delta megacities” like Manila and Calcutta in India “could be threatened” by river and coastal flooding brought about by global warming.

WHO noted that sea levels are expected to rise because of increasing temperatures, threatening those living in low-lying areas.

“Millions of people could face disease, poverty and hunger if Asia’s arable lands become unworkable through changes in temperature, rainfall, river flows or pest abundance,” the agency added.

WHO estimates that climate change and variability might be the cause of increase in the number of deaths – now at over 150,000 every year – from malaria, diarrhea, malnutrition and injury from floods. Half of them are in Asia and the Pacific.

“Global warming has already impacted lives and health, and this problem will pose an even greater threat to mankind in coming decades if we fail to act now,” said WHO regional director for Western Pacific Dr. Shigeru Omi.

Omi added the effects of climate change would be difficult to reverse over the short term.

He claimed that while no country would be spared from the health impacts of global warming, the “first and hardest hit would be those where the health systems are already overburdened by disease and where under-nutrition is widespread and education poor.”

WHO listed the possible consequences of global warming as “increased risks of extreme weather events to an expansion in the areas where disease-carrying mosquitoes are active, spreading from the tropics to cooler climates in both the northern and southern hemispheres.”

As part of World Health Day celebration last Monday, WHO urged governments to put health at the center of policies on global warming and encouraged individuals to limit greenhouse gases.

Omi said most of the projected consequences on health are avoidable and controllable through “well known and tested public health interventions like immunization, disease surveillance, mosquito control and disaster preparedness.”

He added that urgent action through changes in lifestyles and attitudes must also be observed to limit greenhouse gases.

“If this does not happen, the effects on the global climate system could be abrupt or irreversible,” Omi maintained.

In Geneva, WHO chief Margaret Chan said the reality of climate change “can no longer be doubted. The effects are already being felt.”

She cited climate-sensitive diseases such as dengue and cholera, which are currently present in South America and Angola, respectively, because of flooding. She also called for more progress in battling malaria.

Chan said the issue of health and climate change should be addressed by leaders of the Group of Eight developed nations at their meeting in Japan next month.

“Not addressing the climate change impact on health would derail their previous investment in supporting countries in development,” she said.

In the Marshall Islands and South Pacific island nations, rising sea levels have already penetrated low-lying areas, submerging arable land and causing migrations to New Zealand or Australia, Omi said.

He said poorer countries with meager resources and weak health systems will be hit hardest because malnutrition is already widespread, with the young, women and elderly at particular risk.

Omi said unusual, unexpected climate patterns – too much rain or too little – will have an impact on food production, especially irrigated crops such as rice, and can cause unemployment, economic upheavals and political unrest.

Dr. John Ehrenberg, WHO adviser on malaria and other parasitic diseases, said unchecked human development has also contributed to the problem. That includes deforestation and an unprecedented level of human migration. As people move, so do diseases.

Omi said governments need to strengthen current systems providing clean water, immunizations, disease surveillance, and mosquito control and disaster preparedness. — AP

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=2008040894

Global warming threatens to flood Manila – WHO
By Sheila Crisostomo
Philippine Star
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that Asia’s “delta megacities” like Manila and Calcutta in India “could be threatened” by river and coastal flooding brought about by global warming.

WHO noted that sea levels are expected to rise because of increasing temperatures, threatening those living in low-lying areas.

“Millions of people could face disease, poverty and hunger if Asia’s arable lands become unworkable through changes in temperature, rainfall, river flows or pest abundance,” the agency added.

WHO estimates that climate change and variability might be the cause of increase in the number of deaths – now at over 150,000 every year – from malaria, diarrhea, malnutrition and injury from floods. Half of them are in Asia and the Pacific.

“Global warming has already impacted lives and health, and this problem will pose an even greater threat to mankind in coming decades if we fail to act now,” said WHO regional director for Western Pacific Dr. Shigeru Omi.

Omi added the effects of climate change would be difficult to reverse over the short term.

He claimed that while no country would be spared from the health impacts of global warming, the “first and hardest hit would be those where the health systems are already overburdened by disease and where under-nutrition is widespread and education poor.”

WHO listed the possible consequences of global warming as “increased risks of extreme weather events to an expansion in the areas where disease-carrying mosquitoes are active, spreading from the tropics to cooler climates in both the northern and southern hemispheres.”

As part of World Health Day celebration last Monday, WHO urged governments to put health at the center of policies on global warming and encouraged individuals to limit greenhouse gases.

Omi said most of the projected consequences on health are avoidable and controllable through “well known and tested public health interventions like immunization, disease surveillance, mosquito control and disaster preparedness.”

He added that urgent action through changes in lifestyles and attitudes must also be observed to limit greenhouse gases.

“If this does not happen, the effects on the global climate system could be abrupt or irreversible,” Omi maintained.

In Geneva, WHO chief Margaret Chan said the reality of climate change “can no longer be doubted. The effects are already being felt.”

She cited climate-sensitive diseases such as dengue and cholera, which are currently present in South America and Angola, respectively, because of flooding. She also called for more progress in battling malaria.

Chan said the issue of health and climate change should be addressed by leaders of the Group of Eight developed nations at their meeting in Japan next month.

“Not addressing the climate change impact on health would derail their previous investment in supporting countries in development,” she said.

In the Marshall Islands and South Pacific island nations, rising sea levels have already penetrated low-lying areas, submerging arable land and causing migrations to New Zealand or Australia, Omi said.

He said poorer countries with meager resources and weak health systems will be hit hardest because malnutrition is already widespread, with the young, women and elderly at particular risk.

Omi said unusual, unexpected climate patterns – too much rain or too little – will have an impact on food production, especially irrigated crops such as rice, and can cause unemployment, economic upheavals and political unrest.

Dr. John Ehrenberg, WHO adviser on malaria and other parasitic diseases, said unchecked human development has also contributed to the problem. That includes deforestation and an unprecedented level of human migration. As people move, so do diseases.

Omi said governments need to strengthen current systems providing clean water, immunizations, disease surveillance, and mosquito control and disaster preparedness. — AP

In a press conference held here on Tuesday, SBMA officials said the Hanjin apartment project had “minimal environmental impact” since it was constructed on an already built-up area—a clearing used by the US Navy for an ammunition bunker.

http://businessmirror.com.ph/04092008/headlines05.html

SBMA chief defends approval process in Hanjin apartment complex
Robert Gonzaga
BusinessMirrror
April 9, 2008

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE —“Every single investment here in Subic, especially if it goes into a sensitive area, is meticulously evaluated.” Thus did SBMA administrator Armand Arreza declare Tuesday as he waded right into the controversy over the high-rise apartment complex built by Korean locator Hanjin Heavy Industries Inc. right in the middle of a forest in this free-port zone.

Arreza and the embattled head of the SBMA’s ecology center stressed that the Hanjin construction was on an area that had long been cleared, because they were part of sites developed by US forces who had once exclusive use of what was once their largest overseas naval base.

Hanjin’s $20-million apartment complex has attracted the attention of environment advocates, with Sen. Loren Legarda among the most vocal against the project—she called for a Senate probe—propounding a lot of questions as to its effect on the ecology of the place, specifically mentioning waste disposal of the thousands of people that will live in the complex.

Arreza, in a briefing on Tuesday, said: “With Hanjin, in this case, they’ve gone to the process of an environmental clearance certificate [ECC]; they’ve secured all the necessary guidelines, all the necessary legal requirements, why would we criticize the project? It sends the wrong signal to people.”

The apartment complex consists of two buildings, 10 and 22 stories high, respectively, in the middle of Subic’s rain forest. Its total land area is 3 hectares including space for a planned swimming pool, parking areas, roads to and from the site, and amenities for Hanjin’s Korean and Filipino employees.

Hanjin had chosen the area from a list of available areas given to them by the SBMA.

“A lot of people are calling for us to stop the project. There are no grounds to stop the project. No environmental laws, no zoning laws were violated by the project. We cannot be whimsical when it comes to investments. We also have to protect the interests of our investors,” added Arreza. “We are not afraid of investigations.”

He urged critics to make a distinction between the “core ecological zones” comprising a total land area of 3,000 hectares which is a “no-development zone,” and all other areas in the free-port zone. Arreza went on to say that “Hanjin’s apartment complex is not within the protected forest zone of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.”

This recent controversy involving Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp., which has a billion-dollar investment in the free-port zone, is only the most recent incident in the company’s history since its arrival in Subic.

In the past few days, senators have suggested that Hanjin’s activities in the free-port zone should be investigated, including reports of violations in its safety programs in the light of several deaths of workers employed in the company’s shipyard.

Shim Jung Sop, Hanjin president, who was supposed to join the press conference on the controversy over his company’s apartment complex, did not arrive and was unavailable for comment.

Meanwhile, former SBMA chairman and administrator Felicito Payumo said Tuesday the SBMA must defend its approval of the controversial apartment complex at Subic’s forested Naval Magazine area.

“SBMA officials should make a stand and defend their position if they think that their approval was the right decision,” Payumo said in a statement texted to the media.

But, he added, the SBMA “should not allow another party like [Senator Richard] Gordon to speak for them and pointing his finger [at] somebody else.”

“While berating SBMA officials, [Gordon] defends [SBMA Administrator Armand] Arreza but makes him look like he doesn’t know what he was approving,” Payumo added.

Payumo was dragged into the Hanjin apartment controversy after Gordon, his predecessor as SBMA chairman, claimed that his successor “did away with the [US Navy’s] careful environmental zoning planning.”

Gordon also identified SBMA Ecology Center manager Amethya dela Llana-Koval, who had signed the environmental clearance certificate (SBFZ-ECC) for the project, as an appointee of Payumo.

Payumo said, however, that it was Gordon who had allowed the destruction of forests during his administration.

“Gordon tries to show he is a protector of trees, but it was during his time that hundreds, if not thousands, of trees were felled to make way for 21 villas,” Payumo said, referring to the presidential mansions built for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that Subic hosted in 1996.

In a press conference held here on Tuesday, SBMA officials said the Hanjin apartment project had “minimal environmental impact” since it was constructed on an already built-up area—a clearing used by the US Navy for an ammunition bunker.

Arreza said several other projects are located in similar clearings in the Cubi-Triboa District. These include Polar Marine, which assembles tank cleaning equipment for ships; Subic Apparel, a garment manufacturer; RCM Manufacturing, producer of medical gloves; and DJ Aerospace, an assembler of aircraft parts.

Polar Marine was established in 1996, under Gordon’s term, while Subic Apparel, RCM and DJ Aerospace were signed in as locators under Payumo.

The Hanjin apartment complex, which mainly consisted of two high-rises—one 22-storey and another 10-storey building—is part of support facilities being built by Hanjin to complement its Hanjin shipyard.

The other facilities are a jetty at Subic’s airport area, and a car ferry landing ramp at the Boton logistics area. (With Henry Empeño)

Business
Saving the environment: Is it worth dying for?
TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS By Babe Romualdez
Thursday, April 3, 2008

I received very disturbing information that Hanjin Shipping, a Korean company that’s supposedly investing a lot of money in Subic has reportedly finished construction of a 22-story building right in the middle of the tropical rainforest in Subic to house its employees. This is really very disturbing considering that everyone all over the world is talking about preserving natural resources, the effects of deforestation and other activities that could potentially destroy the environment and their impact on global warming. If this is true, officials have a lot of explaining to do. Why did they allow this to happen and who was responsible for this?

One of the few things that we have, thanks to the Americans who have painstakingly made sure it remained preserved during their stay in Subic, is the rainforest which is home to a lot of flora and fauna and perhaps even other species that remain undiscovered to this day. Several studies revealed the critical role rainforests play in slowing down global warming since they trap more amounts of carbon dioxide and evaporate more water, thereby producing clouds that reflect sunlight back to space. Due to the large amounts of oxygen they produce, tropical rainforests are also called the lungs of the world. As a matter of fact, an expert from the Carnegie Institution of Washington even described them as “like earth’s air conditioner.”

In Bangkok, experts are holding a UN-sponsored summit to discuss climate change, the reduction of carbon emissions, etc. and how countries can mitigate the effects through technology, financing and other activities – underscoring the importance of global warming and climate change. Just recently, reports came out about snakes showing up in a city near the Amazon River because of the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, one of the largest in the world. Authorities are naturally worried about the impact of deforestation to humans in more ways than one could imagine. In Costa Rica, experts are monitoring the rainforest canopy in La Selva to study everything from frogs to snakes to global warming and use the data to assess the impact of rainforests on climate change.

It’s ironic that while other countries are trying so hard to preserve their forests and other natural resources, here we are just allowing our emerald heritage to be eroded. We’re already suffering from worldwide rice and food shortage; we’re overbuilding commercial areas, turning agricultural lands into residential areas and even golf courses. And now, we have this reported construction in an area that has long served as a refuge for Aetas who depend on the forest for their survival. What about the many wild plants and animals that thrive in the vicinity? And then there’s the possibility that surrounding areas could be polluted with human and chemical wastes from the inhabitants of the building. And for what – a couple of billion dollars in investments that in the end will cost this country and its people more?

It can be recalled that last year, a South Korean group also initiated the construction of a six-hectare, high-end spa and resort at the edge of Taal’s crater. Taal is an active volcano and was declared a protected area in 1996 under the government’s National Integrated Protected Areas System law. Constructing a high-end spa on the edge of an active and deadly volcano was no doubt a ridiculous idea – and it would have pushed through had local residents and environmental groups not protested the project – which in the end, would have done more harm than good.

The furor was such that DENR – which initially issued an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) that allowed the Korean group to push through with the project – cancelled the ECC at the last minute with a flimsy excuse that the company did not meet all requirements. If the DENR had not backtracked, it would have cost Angelo Reyes – who was then DENR secretary – his job.

It’s a good thing there are still a number of concerned and responsible people who are trying their best to preserve the environment, like Gina Lopez and her Bantay Kalikasan foundation. Gina’s group has been batting for the preservation of the La Mesa watershed, which is critical in supplying potable water to most of Metro Manila’s residents. Bantay Kalikasan is trying to slow down the degradation of the watershed since, if left unchecked, could result in the loss of more than 85 percent of the forest cover. We should really support Bantay Kalikasan and do our part in protecting our remaining resources.

In fact, big tour operators in Europe have now made it a standard to check out the environmental compliance record of a country before they send large numbers of tourists to resort areas. Boracay of course is very popular but it is one place that’s also overbuilt, with commercial structures seemingly built haphazardly without considering environmental impact. I’m also told that Shangri-La Hotel cut down a portion of a mountain just to build its 217-room Resort and Spa.

A paper by National University of Singapore professors said some of the issues the Philippines needs to address with great urgency include pollution, poverty, climate change and overpopulation. It’s already bad enough that we face an impending rice and food shortage compounded by a growing population with more and more hungry mouths to feed. But it’s even worse to see our natural resources getting destroyed – and for what – a few billion pesos of short-lived profit? Is saving the environment worth dying for? Certainly, we have to fight to save our resources in order for the next generation to survive. Otherwise we will all die in the end because of pollution, climate change and all the other serious consequences of global warming.


http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2008040212

b'z2;19467364"]Editorial
Monument to deceit

Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/editorial/view/20080405-128634/Monument-to-deceit)
First Posted 23:01:00 04/05/2008

MANILA, Philippines—The startling image of high-rise buildings in the middle of a rain forest could have been a scene from Burma (Myanmar) or North Korea, where secretive cabals of official live and luxuriate with impunity. But while the buildings are indeed owned by Koreans, they are being built in Subic. Are they a case of deceitful foreigners, diminishing a precious resource under the very nose of our government? No. The construction of the buildings has been made possible with the connivance of our officials. Hanjin Heavy Industries, which claims that the buildings are meant to house its workers, says it has an environmental compliance certificate.

It probably does. And even if it doesn’t, the fact is, the buildings are already going up. Environmentalists can raise a howl, but the best they can hope for is for the buildings to be knocked down—which won’t bring the rainforest back. The rainforest in Subic has been touted as a tourist attraction, a great ecological resource. But obviously, even as the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority was bragging about its forests, it was handing out permits (with the help of the national government) to allow the planting of buildings where trees used to grow.

And it took whistle-blowers from the citizenry to alert media: otherwise no one would be the wiser.

But now that the public knows what’s taking place, what’s next?

The usual finger-pointing will follow: Who are responsible for this depredation? And the foreign investors will be the target of criticism, though the real criticism should be aimed at the local and national officials who allowed the foreign investors to do what they pleased.

We predict that no one will take the blame, because incumbent officials will point to their predecessors; and officialdom, past and present, will claim that much as it makes no sense, they have lovely maps showing that indeed, building apartments in the middle of a rainforest had been well-planned all along.

And if environmentalists insist on making noise about the ongoing construction, and demand that officials should be held to account, why then, officials can resort to that tried and tested government line, “Show us your evidence,” followed by “Bring it to court.”

Of course the public can point out that the buildings are there, and the rainforest has obviously been reduced, and the damage has been done. But officials will likely go scot-free; the buildings will remain, a monument to deceit.

We can all repeat Jose P. Laurel’s injunction that no one can love the Filipinos better than the Filipinos love themselves—and keep doing so until we’re collectively blue in the face. The problem is no one can sell out Filipino interests better than Filipino officials. It doesn’t matter if a plan allowing the construction of the “Subic forest apartments” exists, or if a cover-up would take place after the fact to justify it. The point is, it clearly makes no sense to punch a hole in the rainforest to build apartments.

Lip service goes hand in hand with a general policy that encourages the trumping of transparency to ensure impunity for the accountable. The ongoing construction in the Subic rainforest points to a government that views governance as a race—to do what it wants, so long as it keeps a step ahead of anyone who might have a contrary opinion to whatever it has set out to do. Anyway, in the end, so long as government gets what it wants, it will be generations of Filipinos yet to come who will pay for it.

Anywhere else, a society that cares for the environment and believes in public servants being held accountable for their actions would see the SBMA purged of its incumbent board, the environment secretary handing in his resignation, and Congress initiating an investigation due to pressure from an outraged environmental movement.

Instead, only in the Philippines would we get what we will get: nothing.

At least, when the present government wanted to lay waste to the La Mesa watershed area, environmentalists raised the alarm in time. This time, they got to be heard too late. And the fixers who made this latest ecological depredation possible are laughing all the way to the bank—confident that they can get away with it after telling the compliant public, again, not to destabilize the “resurgent” economy, and to just move on.

In a press conference held here on Tuesday, SBMA officials said the Hanjin apartment project had “minimal environmental impact” since it was constructed on an already built-up area—a clearing used by the US Navy for an ammunition bunker.

http://businessmirror.com.ph/04092008/headlines05.html

SBMA chief defends approval process in Hanjin apartment complex
Robert Gonzaga
BusinessMirrror
April 9, 2008

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE —“Every single investment here in Subic, especially if it goes into a sensitive area, is meticulously evaluated.” Thus did SBMA administrator Armand Arreza declare Tuesday as he waded right into the controversy over the high-rise apartment complex built by Korean locator Hanjin Heavy Industries Inc. right in the middle of a forest in this free-port zone.

Arreza and the embattled head of the SBMA’s ecology center stressed that the Hanjin construction was on an area that had long been cleared, because they were part of sites developed by US forces who had once exclusive use of what was once their largest overseas naval base.

Hanjin’s $20-million apartment complex has attracted the attention of environment advocates, with Sen. Loren Legarda among the most vocal against the project—she called for a Senate probe—propounding a lot of questions as to its effect on the ecology of the place, specifically mentioning waste disposal of the thousands of people that will live in the complex.

Arreza, in a briefing on Tuesday, said: “With Hanjin, in this case, they’ve gone to the process of an environmental clearance certificate [ECC]; they’ve secured all the necessary guidelines, all the necessary legal requirements, why would we criticize the project? It sends the wrong signal to people.”

The apartment complex consists of two buildings, 10 and 22 stories high, respectively, in the middle of Subic’s rain forest. Its total land area is 3 hectares including space for a planned swimming pool, parking areas, roads to and from the site, and amenities for Hanjin’s Korean and Filipino employees.

Hanjin had chosen the area from a list of available areas given to them by the SBMA.

“A lot of people are calling for us to stop the project. There are no grounds to stop the project. No environmental laws, no zoning laws were violated by the project. We cannot be whimsical when it comes to investments. We also have to protect the interests of our investors,” added Arreza. “We are not afraid of investigations.”

He urged critics to make a distinction between the “core ecological zones” comprising a total land area of 3,000 hectares which is a “no-development zone,” and all other areas in the free-port zone. Arreza went on to say that “Hanjin’s apartment complex is not within the protected forest zone of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.”

This recent controversy involving Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp., which has a billion-dollar investment in the free-port zone, is only the most recent incident in the company’s history since its arrival in Subic.

In the past few days, senators have suggested that Hanjin’s activities in the free-port zone should be investigated, including reports of violations in its safety programs in the light of several deaths of workers employed in the company’s shipyard.

Shim Jung Sop, Hanjin president, who was supposed to join the press conference on the controversy over his company’s apartment complex, did not arrive and was unavailable for comment.

Meanwhile, former SBMA chairman and administrator Felicito Payumo said Tuesday the SBMA must defend its approval of the controversial apartment complex at Subic’s forested Naval Magazine area.

“SBMA officials should make a stand and defend their position if they think that their approval was the right decision,” Payumo said in a statement texted to the media.

But, he added, the SBMA “should not allow another party like [Senator Richard] Gordon to speak for them and pointing his finger [at] somebody else.”

“While berating SBMA officials, [Gordon] defends [SBMA Administrator Armand] Arreza but makes him look like he doesn’t know what he was approving,” Payumo added.

Payumo was dragged into the Hanjin apartment controversy after Gordon, his predecessor as SBMA chairman, claimed that his successor “did away with the [US Navy’s] careful environmental zoning planning.”

Gordon also identified SBMA Ecology Center manager Amethya dela Llana-Koval, who had signed the environmental clearance certificate (SBFZ-ECC) for the project, as an appointee of Payumo.

Payumo said, however, that it was Gordon who had allowed the destruction of forests during his administration.

“Gordon tries to show he is a protector of trees, but it was during his time that hundreds, if not thousands, of trees were felled to make way for 21 villas,” Payumo said, referring to the presidential mansions built for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that Subic hosted in 1996.

In a press conference held here on Tuesday, SBMA officials said the Hanjin apartment project had “minimal environmental impact” since it was constructed on an already built-up area—a clearing used by the US Navy for an ammunition bunker.

Arreza said several other projects are located in similar clearings in the Cubi-Triboa District. These include Polar Marine, which assembles tank cleaning equipment for ships; Subic Apparel, a garment manufacturer; RCM Manufacturing, producer of medical gloves; and DJ Aerospace, an assembler of aircraft parts.

Polar Marine was established in 1996, under Gordon’s term, while Subic Apparel, RCM and DJ Aerospace were signed in as locators under Payumo.

The Hanjin apartment complex, which mainly consisted of two high-rises—one 22-storey and another 10-storey building—is part of support facilities being built by Hanjin to complement its Hanjin shipyard.

The other facilities are a jetty at Subic’s airport area, and a car ferry landing ramp at the Boton logistics area. (With Henry Empeño)

I can't believe people in DENR could say it's "minimal impact" :ohno:

first of all the Americans violated by putting facilites in a rain forest( maybe chemical waste was buried there) , maybe the environment concern before was not as important as today , but making a mistake twice is not acceptable.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008


Senate environment committee sets on-site probe of hanjin high-rise development


Senate environment committee sets on-site probe of Hanjin high-rise development Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Chairperson Senator Pia Cayetano will lead an on-site inquiry on the controversial construction of two high-rise condominiums in the middle of the Subic Bay Freeport rainforest on April 25.

Cayetano said the public hearing will seek to determine whether existing environmental laws and regulations were violated when the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) allowed South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Ltd. to put up two high-rise buildings for the housing of its staff right inside the Subic Bay Watershed Forest Reserve.

The inquiry intends to come up with remedial measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, she added.

The Subic Bay Freeport has a sprawling land area of 13,600 hectares, why did the condominiums have to be built inside a protected rainforest? The SBMA should explain.

“I hope the parties involved would be willing to appear and answer all criticisms being raised about this project at the Senate probe,” she added.

She noted that at least three crucial issues would be tackled by the inquiry.

“First, we’d like to review the propriety, or lack thereof, of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between DENR and SBMA. This supposedly gave the latter full autonomy over matters concerning the environment in Subic, including the 10,000-hectare protected watershed.”

“Second, we’d like to look into the Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued for the so-called twin towers of Hanjin. Who were the people who approved it and what was their basis? How were they able to reconcile their decision with the project’s potential impact on the biological diversity and productive capacity of the watershed? Are the mitigating measures they recommended in the ECC sufficient, and are these being complied with?”

“Third, we want to verify certain claims that the coverage of the watershed had been vastly reduced from 10,000 hectares (as originally set aside by Proclamation No.926) to only 8,000 hectares, and whether this had a bearing in justifying the construction of the condominiums inside a so-called ‘development zone’ within the protected watershed.”

Among the resource persons to be invited include Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga and Ecology Center Chief Amethya dela Llana-Koval, Hanjin President Shim Jong Sup, Bantay Kalikasan Managing Director Gina Lopez, environmentalist groups and local communities to be affected by the project.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/apr/09/yehey/prov/20080409pro2.html

Loren Legarda wants the Senate to look into the construction of a staff house by Korean firm Hanjin so she could also have the exposure she wants in preparation of her political ambitions in 2010. The construction of the staff house was permitted and Hanjin was given the required environmental compliance certificate because it met the requirements of SBMA. SBMA has its own charter and in it is written that it can issue an ECC to applicants. Authorities in SBMA said that there were no laws, especially environmental laws, that were violated by Hanjin in its construction. If the Senate engages itself in another full blown investigation then it would be another waste of time as well as the taxes that pay for the salaries of our Senators. As if the Senators have legislation in mind.

^^
Korean business group slams ‘trial by publicity’ vs Hanjin

(http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20080409-129314/Korean-business-group-slams-trial-by-publicity-vs-Hanjin)
By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:57:00 04/09/2008



MANILA, Philippines -- The 500-strong Korean Chamber of Commerce Philippines Inc. (KCCP) has condemned the “seeming trial by publicity” against Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Ltd. Over the “above-board and legal” construction of two condominium buildings inside the Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales.

“It is highly uncalled for to say that Hanjin has disregarded environmental laws by constructing the two condominium buildings. As such, the KCCP condemns the reports which have implied that Hanjin has had no regard for the environment and calls for a balanced and objective reporting,” said KCCP president Jae Jang in a statement, a copy of which was furnished INQUIRER.net.

He warned that the publicity attacks against Hanjin would “dampen” foreign investors’ attitude toward investing in the Philippines.
“Where a foreign investor complies with all the required governmental processes and permits and yet is made vulnerable to attacks and accusations of law breaking, who would dare to venture an investment in the Philippines?” he said, speaking for the KCCP.

Jang said he believed that the four-day media campaign against Hanjin starting April 5 “betrays the real situation” of the Philippine investment climate which was that “the sanctity and stability of contracts are not protected.”

“In view of the frequency and negative imputations in the said reports, the Korean Chamber of Commerce Philippines Inc. raises its concerns regarding the seeming trial by publicity of Hanjin, undertaken without due process and protection,” he said.

Jang noted that Hanjin’s entry into Subic has been cited as a “big investment for the Philippines economically.” He said that Hanjin’s total investment in Subic was $1.65 billion, has generated some 10,000 jobs for Filipinos and was projected to generate another 10,000 jobs when the operation of the biggest ship-building facility in the country would be in full swing.

The KCCP official said Hanjin invested in the country at the invitation of the Philippine government and the chamber was “alarmed” that the company was now being tagged “as a brazen violator of public order and is exposed to unwarranted attacks and clouds of suspicion, without proper verification.”

Jang contended that permits required for the construction of the two condominium buildings that would house Hanjin’s Korean officers observed the procedures and processes of concerned government agencies and were thus “legal and in order.”

He said even the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) confirmed that Hanjin had secured all the necessary environmental compliance certificates and construction and building permits before construction started.
“Hanjin has never harmed or disturbed the environment of the Subic Bay. As admitted in the reports, the said construction area has long been cleared of trees, even prior to the construction of the two buildings,” he said, explaining that the area had been used as the former Subic Naval Base’s ammunition storage facility.

Jang argued that if the issue had been environment protection, questions regarding the controversial condominium buildings should have been made at the onset of the building activities, not toward its conclusion.
“We ask the question: Why is the issue raised only now, when the buildings are already 95-percent completed? If the environmental implications of the construction are pressing and urgent, why wait over a year before raising it? The protests against it could have been raised from day 1,” he said.

Jang also pointed out that while the condominium buildings would house Koreans in the near future, they could house Filpinos later as the Koreans who would live there would be tasked to train and educate Filipinos to be world-class shipbuilders.

The chamber president appealed to all concerned parties to “adopt an unbiased and non-partisan approach” to the issue, especially as Hanjin “is seriously considering an investment for a larger [shipbuilding facility] in Mindanao.”

“We implore the concerned parties to immediately clear this issue in the most efficient manner, without creating any more damage to the Hanjin Heavy Industries…In all instances, Hanjin never violated any Philippine law and rule or regulation. The KCCP assures that Hanjin will always undertake activities which are beneficial not only to itself, but also to the Philippine economy and the Filipinos in general,” he said.

The KCCP claimed that Korea was the biggest foreign direct investor in the Philippines in 2006, putting in P53 billion that year.

The Inquirer participates in a marathon character assasination of Hanjin and i bet, they will figure out a way to twist that Hanjin's anger is the administration's fault!

Really, they may not be the most irresponsible publication in the country, but their sheer size makes them the worst of the worst.

Loren Legarda wants the Senate to look into the construction of a staff house by Korean firm Hanjin so she could also have the exposure she wants in preparation of her political ambitions in 2010. The construction of the staff house was permitted and Hanjin was given the required environmental compliance certificate because it met the requirements of SBMA. SBMA has its own charter and in it is written that it can issue an ECC to applicants. Authorities in SBMA said that there were no laws, especially environmental laws, that were violated by Hanjin in its construction. If the Senate engages itself in another full blown investigation then it would be another waste of time as well as the taxes that pay for the salaries of our Senators. As if the Senators have legislation in mind.

i'm siding w/ Loren in this one, she was not vocal in the Lozada et al., but she has a duty to investigate bec. she heads the comittee in environment, it's getting OA blaming senators when it opposed to progress or development in the country .They are paid to do this things. I think the prob lies on DENR , it's very clear that those buildings violated environmental laws ,aesthetically it's "out of place" , environmentally it posses a grave danger not only to the people but to the whole ecosystem.

DENR have this problem of keeping contreversial projects out of the peoples eyes , well i think DENR still holds the distinction as one of the corrupt agency of our gov't. I think this bldgs possess more danger than the spa built in Taal bec we all know Taal is an active volcano no prob. engulfing those infrastracture , but a concrete edifice in the miiddle of a rainforest?

And why Koreans "grabbing us by the neck " when they are threatened , is this their way of dealing business in the Phil. , are we afraid of them? I think as host country we should implement the laws not the other way around

I can't believe people in DENR could say it's "minimal impact" :ohno:

first of all the Americans violated by putting facilites in a rain forest( maybe chemical waste was buried there) , maybe the environment concern before was not as important as today , but making a mistake twice is not acceptable.


The Americans saved that rainforest from illegal logging which is pretty much what is happening all over the Philippines. Much of the Philippine rainforest are gone thanks to the many Filipinos caring for their environment.:ohno:

Granted there were problems left behind by the closure of the Naval base in Subic, the rainforest people now enjoy to visit is courtesy of the care of the US Armed Forces.

Climate change to hit RP hard—World Bank report

By Roderick T. dela Cruz

The Philippines is among the countries that could be severely hit by the effects of climate change.

In its latest Global Monitoring Report focusing on the Millennium Development Goals and the Environment, the World Bank listed the Philippines as a country with a weather damage index of 392, which was higher than the indices of most Asian countries.

The index is used to measure the expected damage of weather-related disasters on an economy and its population.

The listing was based on historical weather conditions, from 1960 to 2002, which experts predicted will be more extreme in the future as a result of climate change.

The country’s weather damage index was higher than 235 in Vietnam, 223 in China and 213 in Cambodia.

Countries with higher weather damage indices were Bangladesh with an index of 1,940 and Ethiopia with 1,809.

The World Bank-International Monetary Fund report said most countries would fall short on the Millennium Development Goals, a set of eight globally agreed development goals with a due date of 2015.

The report stressed the link between environment and development and called for urgent action on climate change.

It said developing countries stood to suffer the most from climate change and the degradation of natural resources.

“To build on hard-won gains, developing countries need support to address the links between growth, development and environmental sustainability,” it said.

“Developing countries need more foreign aid and domestic resources to reach the MDGs. High economic growth and a stable macroeconomic environment remain essential for reducing poverty and increasing investment in health and education.” said IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

With stronger efforts by the countries themselves and their development partners, most goals remained achievable for most countries, the report said.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business2_april9_2008

nakakahiya, hindi sila nasira sa kamay ng mga Kano pero tayo pala ang sisira niyan.

^^^^

The effects of climate change are very likely to be much more serious than many Filipinos could comprehend at this stage. Scientists are actually debating RIGHT NOW if we have passed the tipping point in Climate Change that would bring enormous disasters in the future (but in our life time). In fairness to people in developing countries, how can they worry about climate change when they are sick worried about something as basic as rice?

Sad.

^^ well i think the effects are very obvious it's now very hot in Philippines.

in Davao 3 consecutive years we experienced a "rainy season" summer even threatened w/ a typhoon .i'm not complaining but thats very absurd .

^^

Monday, April 14, 2008


EXCLUSIVE

RP to suffer greatly from
climate change–experts

By Conrad M. Cariño, Senior Desk Editor

LOS BAÑOS: A Filipino who shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former US Vice-President Al Gore Jr. warned that the Philippines will be hard hit by “more intense” droughts and heavier rainfall if Filipinos go on with their “business as usual” attitude toward climate change.

In a recent forum, Dr. Juan Pulhin, the lead author of the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, also warned that “failure to address climate change will reverse the gains versus poverty.”

It was the panel’s report that earned Gore and the panel the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Besides Pulhin, there were other scientists and environmentalists, including three Filipinos, who drafted and wrote the report.

At the forum held at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research and Agriculture building in Los Baños, Pulhin said findings by the Canadian Climate Center showed that a doubling of carbon dioxide emissions in the Philippines will result in a 2-degrees to 3-degrees Celsius increase in climate temperatures in the country and a 50-percent to 100-percent increase in rainfall.

He added that “most regions” of the country will be affected.

“There will be heavier precipitation or rains, and more intense and longer droughts, the summer will be hotter, and agriculture production will decline,” Pulhin said.

Heavier rains, stronger typhoons

The co-awardee of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize said proof of climate change already wreaking havoc in the Philippines are the stronger typhoons that hit the Bicol region last year, which resulted in great losses to lives and property.

“The typhoons now are stronger, [with velocities reaching] 185 kph. Damage from typhoons are now staggering,” he noted.

If the amount of rainfall will increase, this will make river waters swell, which will affect the lowlands. “We will need to elevate our houses and offices if you live in the lowlands.”

This phenomenon will compound the rising of sea levels from the melting of ice caps, which will affect Asian mega-deltas.

Pulhin warned that Manila, Legazpi, Davao, Jolo and Cebu will primarily be affected by rising sea levels.

“Luneta [also known as Rizal Park in Manila] will be flooded with a just a few inches rise in sea levels,” Pulhin said.

The effects of higher rainfall and stronger typhoons on the country’s farm sector could also be disastrous, with possible crop failures or losses ranging from 30 percent to 100 percent.

More intense drought

Based on findings from the Canadian Climate Center, most regions in the Philippines will experience an increase in climate temperature ranging from 2 degrees to 3 degrees Celsius. Pulhin said this will cause “more intense and longer droughts” that will also affect agricultural production.

To mitigate the impact of the worsening drought, he recommended the development of agricultural crops that are drought-tolerant, and to look for planting opportunities in areas that are submerged in water during the wet season, like the Pantabangan area in Nueva Ecija.

“During drought, the areas which used to be submerged [during the rainy season] at Pantabangan can be planted to onions,” Pulhin said.

That, however, cannot be done in Pantabangan because of the free-trade policies of the government on the importation of a number of agricultural products.

“Farmers have to face another stressor. [In the case of Pantabangan farmers] it’s the importation of cheaper Chinese onions,” Pulhin said.

No time frame

Fortunately, as to how long it will take for the country to double its carbon dioxide emissions remains to be seen, and can even take up to 100 years if Filipinos do their active part in fighting climate change.

Among the things government can do are: harness renewable energy sources, and push the use of biofuels and hybrid vehicles; formulate a land-use planning policy to protect forests and freshwater sources; stop deforestation; and implement waste segregation.

Citizens can also do their part by saving water and electricity; planting trees; minimizing food wastes; and minimizing use of vehicles for short-distance trips.

Pulhin said these “mitigation measures” are very important, since adapting to the damage from climate change puts developing countries like the Philippines at a disadvantage.

“Poorer nations have lesser coping capacity toward climate change,” he added.

Besides Pulhin, the other Filipinos who took part in drafting the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report are Dr. Victor Cruz and Dr. Rodel Lasco, who like Pulhin are connected with University of the Philippines-Los Baños. The other is Rosa Perez, who was formerly with the Department of Science and Technology.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/apr/14/yehey/top_stories/20080414top2.html

^^ well i think the effects are very obvious it's now very hot in Philippines.

in Davao 3 consecutive years we experienced a "rainy season" summer even threatened w/ a typhoon .i'm not complaining but thats very absurd .

not to mention may bagyo na sa kalagitnaan ng summer...

:ohno:

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080416-130619/Garbology-marathon-fluvial-parade-to-mark-Earth-Day

‘Garbology’ marathon, fluvial parade to mark Earth Day
By Amadis Ma. Guerrero
Philippine Daily Inquirer
04/16/2008

MANILA, Philippines – “Millions have lived without love, but no one has lived without water. That’s a paraphrase of what I heard.”

This is how Odette Alcantara, convenor of Mother Earth Philippines explained the theme of this year’s Earth Day celebration on April 22 – “Tubig ay Buhay, Ating Linisin at Pagyamanin (Water is Life, Let us Clean and Enrich it).”

A fluvial parade on Manila Bay, near the SM Mall of Asia, a pontifical High Mass at the Manila Cathedral and the launch of a year-long “Zero Basura (Garbage) Olympics Garbology Marathon” will be among the high points of the festivity.

“This year we focus on our most precious resource – water,” said Alcantara, who is also a member of the Earth Day Philippines Network. “Earth Day is celebratory, but it is also reflective.”

The event will take off on April 20 at the Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City, with Sandiwang 2008.

This will feature prayers for the healing of Mother Nature, tai-chi, chanting, meditation and exhibits.

The program will be capped by a Ritwal ng Apoy (Fire Ritual). Participants include the University of the Philippines Kontra Gapi, Coro Santa Cecilia and the Quezon City Performing Arts.

Messages

On April 22, boatmen from the cities of Marikina and Makati and from nearby provinces will converge at 5: 30 a.m. on the banks of Manila Bay facing the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

“They will carry messages on protecting marine life and the waterways and appeals to stop water abuse, to rehabilitate the water system and conserve coral reefs,” Alcantara said. “There will also be tips on how to care for water and to appreciate biodiversity.”

She added, “Enlightened human beings acknowledge that protecting the environment is a moral imperative.”

A program will be held at 10 a.m. at the SMA Activity Center where the Andres Bonifacio Concert Choir, led by composer Jerry A. Dadap, will sing nationalist and environmental songs.

At 1 p.m., a pontifical High Mass will be celebrated at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros by Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, whose homily will highlight “The State of Philippine Water.”

Launch

This will be followed by the launching of the “Zero Basura Olympics Garbology Marathon,” a yearlong, 300-day activity that seeks to institutionalize Republic Act 9003, also known as the Ecological Waste Management Act of 2001.

Expected to join are barangays, subdivisions and villages, towns, cities, provinces and districts; hospitals, schools, markets, industries and commercial industries.

Through visits, inspections and interviews, judges will see what participants have achieved by way of segregation, composting, recycling and management of residuals (examples: making hollow blocks or panels out of things junk shops will not buy).

Prices in cash and kind await the winners.

But if the project is yearlong, why 300 days only and not 360?

“We don’t count weekends,” Alcantara pointed out. “Even God rested on the seventh day.”

DENR to review environment clearance of Iloilo coal plant
04/18/2008 | 09:44 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Environment Secretary Lito Atienza on Friday said he will order a review of the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) that was supposed to be issued for the operation of a coal plant in Iloilo City.

Atienza made the announcement after holding a meeting with representatives of the environment group Greenpeace.

“I will review whatever processes that have been followed in this particular issue that you’re taking up," Atienza said.

Greenpeace on Thursday dumped bags of charcoal at the Environment office’s gate to dramatize the group's opposition to the building of a coal-fired power plant in Iloilo.

Greenpeace's Jasper Inventor said coal is “the dirtiest, most carbon-intensive of all fossil fuels’’ and as such is a major contributor to climate change. Coal emits toxic gases when burned, which could pose a risk to people’s health, he added.

Greenpeace opposed the construction of a 165 MW coal-fired plant in Iloilo. “At present there is an oversupply of 85 MW on Panay Island and Guimaras. In the future, there will be an additional oversupply from submarine cables linking Panay Island and Negros,’’ Inventor said.

“I am with you with regards to our environmental concerns, but we also have to consider the other interests of the nation," Atienza told Greenpeace activists.

He said: "If the coal plant is going to be providing energy, and if there are demands for it by the national economy and by the people, I cannot take a position very similar to yours."

Atienza, however, urged Greenpeace to help the DENR "by pointing out the negative aspects of using coal."

"We cannot afford to be railroaded into using coal as a source of energy when it may pose a threat to our communities,’’ he said. - D’Jay Lazaro, GMANews.TV (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/90237/DENR-to-review-environment-clearance-of-Iloilo-coal-plant)

NEWSWEEK

http://www.newsweek.com/id/131716/page/1

BUSINESS

Big Power Goes Local

A grass-roots movement to generate power in towns and basements is challenging the energy industry's status quo.

In the late 1990s, the town of Freiamt in Germany's Black Forest decided to take the fight against global warming into its own hands. Three hundred of the town's 4,300 residents chipped in to buy the four 80-meter-tall Enercon wind turbines that now top the surrounding hills, generating 1.8 megawatts each. An additional 270 families put solar collectors on their roofs to heat water and power their homes. Three businesses—two sawmills and a bakery—whose land abuts a gurgling stream have installed old-fashioned water wheels, each providing an additional 15 kilowatts.

To make up for shortfalls when the sun doesn't shine or the wind doesn't blow, one of the local farmers invested in a "biogas" fermenter, which uses enzymes to turn grain and agricultural waste such as manure and chaff into methane. The gas, in turn, fires up an electricity generator. And rather than simply release heat given off in the process into the air, as conventional power plants do, the generator pumps the waste heat into nearby homes, where it's used for water and space heating, through pipes laid by volunteers. But the prize for Freiamt's most creative source of energy surely goes to Walter Schneider, a local dairy farmer. To harness the energy set free when the milk from his 50 cows is chilled before transport, Schneider installed a heat exchanger that uses the heat from the cow's milk to warm the water he needs for cleaning and showering. Today, the Freiamters are proudly self-sufficient. What's more, in 2007 they generated an extra 2.3 million kilowatt-hours beyond the 12 million they consumed. They sold the surplus, enough for an additional 200 homes, back to the national grid.

Freiamt is no hippie commune trying to shut itself off from the world. It's at the forefront of a growing and thoroughly modern trend. Whether to save the climate or save money—or a combination of both—homeowners, businesses and entire communities around the world are increasingly generating their own energy. From Tokyo, where homeowners have begun installing the first commercial fuel cells, to California's Million Solar Roofs program, to towns like Freiamt, the new word in energy is think small and go local.

The global electricity industry is still dominated by big, fossil-fuel-fired utilities, no question. They account for 67 percent of all electricity generation worldwide. And the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook, published in December, predicts in its "alternative scenario" that even if governments push energy and efficiency savings hard, big coal and gas power plants will provide half of all new generating capacity coming on line by 2030—and locally generated power will make up less than 20 percent. But other experts say the IEA projection could shift as massive new investment in energy research bears fruit and governments liberalize the energy markets that have so far favored centralized utilities. In 2006, locally generated "micropower" passed nuclear power in terms of total electricity generated, supplying 16 percent of the globe's power. Amory Lovins, founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute, estimates that one third of the generating capacity installed each year is local.

Some energy economists now foresee an "alternative alternative" scenario, in which governments break the hold that fossil-fueled utilities have on the market. Nikolaus Richter, networks specialist at Germany's Wuppertal Institute for Climate Research, says liberalized energy markets, combined with new technologies, could break the "carbon lock-in"—the preference for existing energy technology based on experience, legislation and vested interests. There's evidence that this state-sponsored revolution is underway.

Rising fuel costs and climate worries are making businesses and households think a lot harder about how they get their power. Governments are pushing the trend with subsidies and by opening up protected electricity markets that have so far favored the big utilities. In January, the European Commission made opening up power grids to locally produced energy one of several measures to boost the bloc's energy efficiency 20 percent by 2020. The vision of local communities generating their own power is also a crucial part of Sweden's ambitious program to wean the country off all oil and gas imports by 2020. In the past few years, more than three dozen countries, including Germany, Spain, Brazil and Indonesia, have created "feed-in tariffs"—guaranteed rates at which public utilities must buy power from wind, sun, waste or biomass from private citizens or local cooperatives.

Ironically, these state subsidies seem to be the fastest and most effective way to create mass markets for new, efficient sources of energy. They break the monopoly of utilities over the electrical grid by allowing virtually anyone to sell their power. That creates an opening for local-generation technologies such as wind turbines, solar panels and household-size boilers cogenerating power and heat in the basement, which are now hitting the market in significant numbers at declining prices. Critics argue that many of these technologies are still far from competitive and depend on the continued flow of subsidies.

The idea of generating power locally, where it's needed, is as old as power itself. In the late 1800s, light-bulb inventor Thomas Edison envisioned efficient cogeneration of heat and power for every home and business, and even drew up plans for a self-sufficient home powered by a wind generator. However, it was George Westinghouse's vision of a giant hub-and-spoke system of centralized electricity plants and a vast network of power lines and transformer stations to distribute power that won the day. The central plants' efficiency was abominable, and much of the power was lost in transit from electrical resistance in the wires. That didn't matter in an age when fossil fuels were cheap, the environment didn't count and central planning was in vogue.

That equation is changing. The most powerful argument for generating local power is efficiency. The average power plant converts only about 30 percent of the energy content of fossil fuel into power—the rest is lost directly from the plant as heat to the atmosphere or cooling water. Of the power generated, 7 percent is then lost from transmission lines.

The newest, state-of-the-art power plants can reduce direct losses of heat to about 45 percent. Create power locally, even with fossil fuels, and not only do you cut transmission losses but you can also recapture waste heat to boil water or to heat homes. "Trigeneration" machines in schools and hospitals use generated heat to extract power, heating and, in a process that absorbs heat by boiling a liquid coolant, air conditioning out of a single fuel course, raising efficiency to about 90 percent. Do the math: tripling efficiency from 30 to 90 percent cuts fuel needs (and carbon emissions) by two thirds. Add better insulation or more-efficient appliances and local generation could cut the fuel required to heat and power homes and businesses to a small fraction of today's.

The poster child of local power is Denmark, the world's most energy-efficient nation. This resource-poor country began mandating local cogeneration of heat and power in the 1980s. In the 1990s, the Danish Parliament was the first in the world to create "a feed-in tariff" promoting local sources of alternative energy. Today, with less than one third of the nation's power generated by big utilities, Denmark uses less energy to generate each dollar of GDP than any other country in the world.

Increasingly, other governments are following suit. Thanks to a feed-in tariff established in 2004, Germany has become the world leader in solar power. In three years, 400,000 households and small businesses have installed 3,000 megawatts of solar generating capacity, enough to replace six conventional power plants. Germany is today the world's biggest market for photovoltaics and solar thermal collectors; the runners-up are Japan and Spain, which also have feed-in tariffs.

Although these programs are based on tax credits and subsidies, they have jump-started the market for photovoltaics, spurring entrepreneurs to bring prices down to where solar power is expected to be competitive with conventional power generation by 2010. As a result, solar is no longer confined to off-grid niche markets like remote cabins or pocket calculators. The majority of new solar installations are now directly connected to the grid.

Opening up those grids hasn't been easy. Not only do utility companies jealously guard their turf, but there are technical complications as well. Power plants can be turned on and off, but countless local generators working independently of one another can't match demand at any given time (at least not until there are better ways to store power).

New technology is being developed to solve this problem. The Scandinavian countries have connected their power grids across their borders. Now, when a gale blows through Denmark's wind farms, hydroelectric turbines in Norway shut down. Ireland and Scotland are working on a similar network. The Germans last year tested a "virtual utility" that uses the Internet to monitor power generation at hundreds of dispersed local facilities producing solar, wind and biogas power, turning reserve generating capacity on and off to match demand.

In Denmark, grid operator Energinet is developing the next step: using "smart meters" and variable prices depending on the time of day, sunshine and wind speed, to create a self-regulating grid no longer dependent on a central utility—a kind of "energy Internet." "Moving to a decentralized smart grid is like shifting from analog to digital," says John Balbach, managing partner at Cleantech, a Silicon Valley venture-capital firm. "We'll be there in 10 years."

In the lucrative global power market, utilities in many other countries aren't always happy about the newcomers. Most French and German utility oligopolies have little interest in opening their grids. Since they own both the transmission network and the power plants, they naturally want to sell as much of their own power as possible. Local-power advocates accuse them of using technical norms and licensing procedures to keep new sources off the grid. That's why the European Commission is pressing member states to create separate companies to run the grid, as the Scandinavians have done.

The market would take care of the rest, says Richter. In late February Germany's biggest utility, Eon, announced it would pre-empt the EU mandate by selling its high-voltage grid. The surprise announcement is a step in the right direction—but by keeping ownership of the "last mile" of power lines to customers, Eon maintains substantial control over the market. Germany and France, in particular, oppose any further liberalization.

The battle is creating some unlikely allies. Equipment manufacturers such as Germany's Bosch and New Zealand's WhisperGen hope to push superefficient household "micro-cogeneration" units onto the market. These units work like regular boilers for hot water and heat—except that they generate additional electricity that can be sold back to the grid, cutting household electricity consumption by at least 20 percent. Since the boilers run on gas, some gas utilities are helping to distribute them. Their hope, says Richter, is that future energy savings come at the cost of the power companies, not the gas utilities.

Though local production is growing mainly in electricity, some communities are starting to feed their own locally produced "biogas" into the existing network of gas pipes. After more than a decade of wrangling with the local natural-gas utility, the German town of Aachen became the first to pump biogas made from corn and rye—which yields twice the energy per unit of land as corn-based ethanol—into the city network. Replacing natural gas imported from Siberia, the biogas is enough to supply gas for 5,000 households. Other European towns are following suit, and German lawmakers are developing a law that would open up the gas-pipeline network to locally produced biogas.

In America, too, several trends are pushing local power. New green policies, from Texas's generous tax credits for wind generators, to California's Million Solar Roofs program, have helped kick-start a long-dormant market.

Yet the developing world has the most promising markets for do-it-yourself power. With the long-distance power network underdeveloped (in rural India or China) or nonexistent (as in much of Africa), local generation allows communities and businesses to leapfrog multibillion-dollar investments in power plants and transmission lines. In February, the Indian government announced a new project to fund biomass and wind generators for rural communities. China is expected to pass Germany as the world's biggest manufacturer of photovoltaics in 2009. For now, China's production is for export to Western countries, but China's entry into the solar market has raised hopes that prices will see another fall, to where solar starts making economic sense in China, too.

Critics of local power point to the high costs of current generating technology. With the exception of wind turbines, few of the new local power sources are yet competitive with traditional power plants. Their growth is still largely due to tax credits, renewables mandates and above-market feed-in tariffs. Consumers and taxpayers in Germany, to take just one example, are paying more than $6.2 billion a year to subsidize local and renewable power.

Defenders say the laws and subsidies are needed to jump-start the market; they can be slowly phased out as production revs up and equipment prices come down. The benefits of cutting imports and emissions should also be factored into the equation, they say, not to mention the estimated $300 billion in annual subsidies to the global utility industry. What's more, local power production could save much of the $22 trillion the IEA estimates is necessary to upgrade the distribution infrastructure by 2030. "You don't need to invest in a big grid if you have a lot of micropower," says an executive at Denmark's Energinet.

Will all this amount to a "paradigm switch" from central utilities to local power? "Technology might be disruptive, but changing behavior in the way we use energy is only going to be incremental," says Vinod Khosla, a leading California venture capitalist. All those increments—the thousands of communities like Freiamt producing and selling power—add up to a whole lot of change.

With Patrick Falby and Jesse Ellison

© 2008

Have you heard Global Dimming? It is caused by visible pollutants in the atmosphere blocking the sun's ray. It is actually cooling the earth down a bit but there are other cons like rain clouds are not following the sun during change in seasons where the earth is tilting its axis. which might explain why there are "rainy" summer season i think?

Have you heard Global Dimming? It is caused by visible pollutants in the atmosphere blocking the sun's ray. It is actually cooling the earth down a bit but there are other cons like rain clouds are not following the sun during change in seasons where the earth is tilting its axis. which might explain why there are "rainy" summer season i think?

i think we've experienced that when Mt. Pinatubo erupted .not locally but globally.

Rice crisis traced to environmental degradation
ABS-CBN
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=115545

The current rice crisis in the country shows the extent of "unabated exploitation of the country’s natural resources," an environmental group said Saturday.

Clemente Bautista, national coordinator of Kalikasan People’s Network, said conversion of agricultural lands and lack of genuine agrarian reform led the country to the current problem in rice supply.

"The current rice crisis affecting the country is also reflective of the fast diminishing number of agricultural lands due to degradation and land conversion. The government continues to resort to massive importation as a solution to the food crisis instead of embarking on genuine agrarian reform", Bautista said.

Bautista added the Arroyo administration has "been directly complicit" in passing laws and policies that led to the exploitation of the country’s natural resources in favor of foreign interests.

"Instead of protecting and defending our patrimony, this administration is engaging in a grand clearance sale of Philippine forests, lands, mineral ores, agricultural produce, biodiversity, water, and marine wealth to the highest foreign bidder," he said.

He also pointed out that, of more than a hundred victims of extrajudicial killings since 2001, 23 cases were related to environmental issues, particularly mining.

"The government neglects its responsibilities to major ecosystems through massive deforestation, degradation of agricultural lands, depletion of freshwater resources, diminishing marine and coastal resources, looming waste and pollution crisis, lack of mitigation and adaptation efforts to address the global warming," he said.

DENR told: Act on coal-ash dumping

By Doris C. Bongcac
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 07:46:00 04/20/2008

With Global Power Corp.’s admission that it lacks an environmental certification for the hauling and dumping of coal ash from their power plant, Rep. Pablo John Garcia said he wanted to know how the environment agency would deal with this concern.

Garcia said coal ash is hazardous to health because of its toxic contents that include mercury, arsenic and lead.

“Karon klaro na nga walay ECC (Environment Compliance Certificate) ang dumping. I’m waiting for the action of DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) if they will issue a cease-and-desist order,” he said.

He suggested alternative modes of disposing coal ash like recycling.

Garcia said he commissioned a “private institution” to do a laboratory analysis of samples of the coal ash taken from the Toledo City power plant.

The result of the laboratory analysis will determine his next move. But Garcia said he would continue to monitor hauling operations that have reached nearby barangays of Dumlog, Langdahan and Ilihan.

Read more here (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20080420-131539/DENR-told-Act-on-coal-ash-dumping)

Amidst mining potentials Davao Oriental to prioritize environment

By glenrose on Apr 19, 2008 in News

by RG Alama

Davao City (19 April) — “To preserve what needs to be preserved.” Thus said Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon reiterating her policy to uphold ecological preservation despite repeated efforts to exploit the province’s very rich mineral resources.

The Governor stated that the province will not sacrifice its ecology and said that despite plans of the national government to promote mining industry in the province, the Governor said that mining should not get in the way of the natural wonders of Davao Oriental.

During the Kapihan sa Kapitolyo in Mati held last Sept. 17 at the Provincial Mansion, Gov. Malanyaon cited the plan to extract the huge nickel deposits in Mt. Hamuiguitan in San Isidro town. The province disallowed the mining firm to operate in the protected area which is home to large sprawl of pygmy forest populated by bonsai trees, a condition caused by minerals present in the soil.

The move to protect Mt. Hamiguitan according to the Governor is a testament to the commitment of the province to preserve its environment. She also reiterated that the Provincial Government is not against mining per se but said that the environment is their priority.

The Regional Development Council has outlined a regional development plan that identifies Compostela Valley Province and Davao Oriental as a mining hub. Davao Oriental is identified as one of the most mineral-rich provinces in the country. According to the data of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the 80,000 mining tenements about 30,000 are located in Davao Oriental.

Among the minerals abundant in the province include, chromite, nickel, copper, manganese and gold.

Aside from minerals the province is gifted with natural attractions like the Mt. Hamiguitan bonsai forests, the 84-tier Aliwagwag falls, virgin forests which are home to flora and fauna like the endangered Philippine Eagle and the tarsier also along the province’s coasts lies unspoiled beaches and untouched coral reefs. (PIA)


http://mindanao.p7107.com/davao/2008/04/19/amidst-mining-potentials-davao-oriental-to-prioritize-environment/

Nation
Drive launched to save Sulu Sea
By Roel Pareño
Sunday, April 20, 2008

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Thousands of Sulu residents will collaborate with Filipino and American troops, not on a war against terrorism, but to save the Sulu Sea, an official said here.

The event, dubbed as Bayanihan para sa Kalikasan in commemoration with World Earth Day tomorrow, aims to reach out to the conflicted towns in Sulu and share the responsibility in the preservation of marine resources in the Sulu and Sulawesi seas.

The Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy Program (AMORE) will launch its ultimate weapon against the destruction of Sulu Sea by protecting its vibrant ecosystem from further damage through a day-long clean-up.

“This is a very huge concern for us since thousands of our beneficiaries in Sulu depends largely on the Sulu Sea for livelihood. The sea provides opportunities for all people,” says Tetchie Cruz-Capellan, AMORE’s chief of party.

Capellan said they will preserve the province’s variety of sea resources by removing debris along the shoreline.

Sulu Sea is one of the richest fishing grounds in the Philippines. The country shares control over this extensive marine environment with Indonesia and Malaysia. It has an area of about 900,000 kms. and boasts of over 1,800 species of fish, 400 species of algae and over 450 types of coral.

The stakeholders in Sulu, including the Americans and Filipino troops, will hold a historic coastal clean-up in a bid to preserve Sulu’s rich resources.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site Tubbataha Reef, the best-known site in the Sulu Seas, is also considered the world’s best dive spot for underwater adventure.

However, it is not spared from destruction. Fishermen from neighboring countries frequent the Reef to gather fish using destructive methods like dynamite and cyanide fishing, damaging and killing the corals.

“Everyone has a stake in the conservation of the Sulu Sea. Our fundamental role here is to be able to use the Sulu Sea sustainably into the distant future. The aim of the day is to raise awareness and create an understanding among our community of the environmental issues that we face. In the end it will be up to the people to keep their sea productive,” Capellan explained.

Together, they will dispose the trash and debris from the beaches and waterways, track down the sources of debris, and change the behaviors that cause pollution.

The US troops, who have been in Sulu training Filipino soldiers for joint military exercises under the Balikatan program, have begun various medical missions in the island.

The AMORE hopes to increase the village’s yield and provide people more access to marine resources. It provides electricity sourced from solar panels and microhydro to remote and poor villages in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Nation&p=49&type=2&sec=28

Revival of Pateros river sought

By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080420-131630/Revival-of-Pateros-river-sought)
First Posted 21:43:00 04/20/2008

MANILA, Philippines--The mayor of Pateros and an environment expert asked the government on Sunday to save the stagnant Pateros River, which, they said, could overflow and flood the town during heavy rains.

Ernesto Gonzales, executive vice president of the Pateros River Basin Organization who wrote a paper on the river's state, said the C-6 highway and the Napindan Flood Control projects stopped the flow of water in and out of the river.

As a result, the eight-kilometer waterway has become an "unflushed toilet" used by two million residents living not only in Pateros but also in the cities of Pasig, Taguig and Makati. It also became a source of diseases like dengue fever and meningococcimea, he added.

With the global warming promising more frequent and heavier showers, town officials are afraid that the river will overflow and submerge Pateros in dirty water which will leave about two million people homeless.

Pateros Mayor Joey Medina said the river killed the balut industry. "What happened when the river died? The ducks also slowly died," he said.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

‘Save the bay, dismantle
fish pens,’ says Atienza (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/apr/22/yehey/prov/20080422pro1.html)

The demolition of fish pens in Laguna Lake is a contribution to the worldwide celebration of Earth Day

By Ira Karen Apanay, Senior Reporter

FISH PENS in the Laguna Lake are set to bid goodbye soon after Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza directed the Laguna Lake Development Authority to begin the dismantling of fish pens Wednesday.

Atienza said there is no choice left but to save Laguna de Bay and dismantle all the fish pens, which occupies 12,000 hectares of the largest lake in the country.

“The fish pens are already choking the lake to death. They obstruct the flow of water and block the passageways of small fishermen. Worse, the chemical content of the feeds being fed to the fish has considerably polluted the waters,” Atienza said.

The fish pen demolition will be carried by a multiagency task force, which will be composed of personnel of LLDA, DENR, Public Works and Highways and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Committee. Elements from the Philippine National Police will provide security, LLDA general manager Edgardo Manda said.

Atienza said the LLDA should take the lead in demolishing the fish pens and should assume the principal role in the clean up.

The DENR chief said clearing Laguna Lake of fish pens is one of the concrete steps in reforming the functions and operations of the LLDA.

Atienza added that the demolition of fish pens in Laguna Lake is one of the country’s contributions to the worldwide celebration of Earth Day whose observance on April 22 is to heighten public awareness and spur action on the protection of the environment.

The LLDA developed the Fishery Zoning and Management Plan (ZOMAP) for Laguna Lake in 1983. It was designed to rationalize the management and regulate the utilization of the lake’s fishery resources, and to resolve equity problems among large-scale fish pen operators and small-scale fishermen dependent upon water reach.

In June 1996, then President Fidel Ramos approved the LLDA’s ZOMAP, which defines the layout and provided the guidelines for the proper allocation of aquaculture structures within the Laguna Lake.

Under the ZOMAP, there are areas allotted for fish pens, fish cages, fish sanctuaries and open fishing. Navigational lanes and barangay access lanes were also identified to facilitate the movement of people, goods and services within the lake.

The ZOMAP also allocated 10,000 hectares for the fish pen belt; and 5,000 for the fish cage belt. Based on LLDA’s report, fish pens currently occupy an estimated 12,000-hectare area in the lake while the fish cages currently occupy almost 2,000 hectares.

The Federation of Fishpen and Fishcage Operators Association of Laguna de Bay (FFOALdB) has previously raised alarm over the rapid deterioration of Laguna Lake.

The FFOALdB said the number of fish pens and fish cages in Laguna Lake have exceeded the maximum carrying capacity of the lake. They also said that the lake is now overcrowded with fish pens that result to the very rapid deterioration of the lake.

Laguna Lake is the largest lake in the Philippines and the second largest inland freshwater lake in Southeast Asia after Lake Toba in Sumatra, Indonesia. It is the most vital inland water body in the country and used to be regarded as among the world’s living lakes.

If no appropriate and immediate mitigation and rescue is implemented, government officials and environmentalists have predicted that Laguna Lake will be biologically dead in five years.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Anti-hydro plant groups criticized
(http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/04/22/bus/anti.hydro.plant.groups.criticized.html)
VICENTE Lao, president of the Mindanao Business Council hits back on the environmental groups, which have been strongly criticizing the construction of the multi-billion peso hydropower plant of Hedcor in Sibulan, Davao del Sur.

In an interview Monday Lao said that all forms of development have some form of repercussions on the environment, but it does not mean that development is bad.

"What is important is that there is balance," Lao said. Lao said that the construction of the hydropower plant is in itself not bad as it promotes the use of hydropower.

"It is ok that there are groups which are vigilant on the protection of the environment, but they just cannot oppose all forms of development."

Of late, environmental groups criticized the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 11 chief Ricardo Calderon for favoring the construction of the hydropower plant in Sibulan in the Municipality of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

In an interview, Calderon said that the construction of the hydropower plants was a welcome investment in the region as it will have a longterm positive effect on the environment.

"Hydropower is one of the cleanest forms of power as it does not have any emissions and is a renewable source," Calderon said. (CPM)

all forms of development have some form of repercussions on the environment, but it does not mean that development is bad.


^^ i like this quote :D
i guess it's true... some form of concession/sacrifice has to be made in the name of progress/development.
the important thing to remember is that the benefit MUST outweigh the negative effects.

it's just like in medicine... medication has its "side effects" but physicians prescribe them anyway if in their judgment, its benefits to the patient far outweigh the ill effects :)

April 23, 2008
Global warming only 1 factor of worsening fish industry: Bfar (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2008/04/23/bus/global.warming.only.1.factor.of.worsening.fish.industry.bfar.html)

BUREAU of Fish and Aquatic Resources-Negros (Bfar Negros) officer-in-charge Carlito Delfin does not negate the ill effects of global warming as a meteorological killer of fish in Philippine waters but admitted its effect cannot be quantified at the moment.

By scientific method therefore, the global warming phenomenon as explained by environment groups and non-government organizations (NGOs) and attributed to massive death of fish, is still in the "hypothetical" stage, Delfin said.

A "hypothesis" is a statement that needs further study and experimentation for it to become an objective "theory." A theory, while undergoing reliability and validity test, can be questioned.

This belief is shared by Bacolod-based biology scientist Nathan Luther, whose point is that the scientific community worldwide cannot agree yet on what scientific indicators they must apply in measuring heat levels so that fixed conclusions could be made as to the geographical effects of global warming.

Luther, in an earlier Sun.Star Bacolod interview, explained that evidently, heat levels in the tropical zone is far different than that of the temperate zone, meaning heat in Asia is different than that of Africa.

"So how can we be sure mathematically that typhoons, El Niño, La Niña and fish kills, among others, are caused by global warming when there is no internationally-accepted measurement yet?" Luther asked.

Delfin said: "What we can be very sure of is that people, due to their irresponsibility or sheer lack of education, is the number one cause of declining productivity of the Philippine seawater."

"The latest report of fish kills or massive fish death was in Laguna and global warming may just be a part of it. It was more of the lake's 'carrying capacity' where fish population cannot be contained by the resources of the water body. Over feeding and over stocking was also the reason. Perhaps, also global warming but BFAR cannot be sure for now," Delfin said.

Delfin cited 2003 Bfar studies, which showed that the average catch of a fisherman using a hook and line was 40 kilos a day. "Today, the same method would yield 2.5 kilos more or less."

And this could be even lesser as the fishing communities seldom use hook and line by the shoreline for commercial fishing (anymore), he added.

The Bfar studies also cited poor implementation of coastal management laws or no implementation at all, prompting Delfin to stress that since fishery has been devolved to the local government units (LGUs), it is now up to them to prioritize its sustainability.

We have enough resources for needs, but not for greed (http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20080426-132806/We-have-enough-resources-for-needs-but-not-for-greed)

I am appalled by the statement of Jean Ziegler, UN Special Rapporteur for the Right to Food, that producing biofuels today is a crime against humanity because of its impact on global food prices. (Inquirer, 4/15/08) I submit that this is a knee-jerk, not well thought-out analysis of the current food crisis. There are many creative ways to solve the problem without doing away with biofuels.

The United States, for example, has less than five percent of its workforce engaged in food production, yet it produces enough food to be able to feed itself and a great part of the world. In fact, it produces so much food that what the Americans waste in food can more than feed all the poor and hungry people in the Philippines. Now, that is what I’d call a good candidate for a crime against humanity.

Producing biofuels is the rest of the world’s response—especially the poorer countries’—to the tyranny (the cartelization of oil) of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). By producing alternatives to oil, oil importers hope to lessen the huge drain their oil bills are making on their foreign reserves. Yet Ziegler proposes to take away a good weapon against this tyrannical cartel such as biofuels. He is almost saying that it is alright for OPEC to charge the rest of the world more than $100 for every barrel of oil, hold hostage poor countries and suck their economies dry with huge oil bills. In the local scene, this means we will have to accept that paying almost P50 a liter—rapidly rising to P60—for our gasoline is normal.

If we must identify a crime against humanity, the cartelization of oil by a few nations is definitely such a crime.

I believe that God created the world and its resources for the good of all humanity. It is a mere accident of nature that the OPEC nations are sitting on top of huge oil reserves. Perhaps they can find a way to use this gratuitous gift for the good of all humankind, and not only for themselves.

Ditto to the other resources God has distributed among us. We should find a way of sharing the earth’s resources, for everybody to live in a comfortable, human way. For as they say, God created enough for everybody’s need, but not for everybody’s greed.

SAMUEL J. YAP, 118 Granada, San Antonio Heights, Santo Tomas, Batangas

Team finds rare cloud rat breed after 112 years

By Delmar Cariño
Northern Luzon Bureau

BAGUIO CITY -- A team of American and Filipino biologists recently found a rare breed of cloud rat at the Mt. Pulag national park in Benguet, which was first seen by a British scientist 112 years ago.

Dr. Lawrence Heaney, team leader and curator and head of mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, identified the mammal here on Friday as the “dwarf cloud rat,” a rare breed endemic to the Cordillera.

Heaney, whose team has been conducting studies on Cordillera’s animal life since 2000, marveled at the rat’s rediscovery, saying “it is the animal whose existence had baffled biologists for so many years.”

He said the rat was dead when the team found it. Heaney’s team immediately preserved the rat and prepared it for shipment to Chicago for further studies.

“The Philippines may have the greatest concentration of unique biological diversity, relative to its size, of any country in the world,” Heaney told reporters here on Friday.

Samuel Peñafiel, Department of Environment and Natural Resources director in the Cordillera, said the dwarf cloud rat’s rediscovery could boost government efforts to protect the region’s threatened watersheds and mossy forests.

He said the findings of Heaney’s team meant that there is still a wide range of rare animal life worth saving in the region’s mountains and forests.

Danilo Balete, a research associate of the National Museum and Heaney’s co-team leader, said the dwarf cloud rat, known by its scientific name Carpomys melanurus, was found in a patch of mature mossy forest on Mt. Pulag.

“It was found in the canopy of a large tree, on a large horizontal branch covered by a thick layer of moss, orchids and ferns about five meters above ground,” he said.

Balete described the rat as “a really beautiful animal with dense, soft reddish brown fur with a black mask around its large dark eyes, small round ears, a broad and blunt snout and a long tail covered with dark hair.”

It weighed 185 grams, he said.

Mt. Pulag is Luzon’s highest peak at 2,922 meters above sea level. It straddles Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya.

Emerita Albas, DENR’s Mt. Pulag park superintendent, said the park’s mossy forests had been gradually degenerating due to the encroachment of vegetable farms.

Based on initial assessment, Heaney said the rediscovery of the dwarf cloud rat indicated that “it required a pretty much undisturbed mossy forest” to be able to survive.

The team worked on the theory that the rare species probably lived only in high big canopy trees with mature mossy forests and from an elevation of about 2,200 to 2,700 meters above sea level.

“The rat’s rediscovery was the first evidence of such fact,” Balete said.

Heaney said: “Now that we know where to look for them, it will be possible to learn more.”

“The cloud rats are one of the most spectacular cases of adaptive radiation by mammals anywhere in the world, with at least 15 species ranging in size from 2.6 to 15 kg, all living only in the Philippines,” he said.

“They are the prime examples of why biologists refer to the country as the ‘Galapagos times 10,’” Heaney said.

Heaney was referring to the Galapagos archipelago found west of Ecuador in South America that is known for its vast wealth of endemic species.

John Whitehead, a British researcher, first saw the dwarf cloud rat in 1896 when the indigenous peoples living within the Mt. Data national park brought him some live specimens.

Mt. Data, which covers Mt. Province, Ifugao and Benguet, provides the headwaters for the region’s four major river systems—Agno, Chico, Bued and Abra.

But the DENR had admitted the park’s watersheds are rapidly deteriorating due to the expansion of vegetable farms.

Heaney said Whitehead did not know anything then about the animal’s ecology but the animal’s life drew the heightened curiosity of biologists.

“Since then, the species became a mystery. This could be partly blamed on the disappearance of the forest in Mt. Data where the rat was found,” he said.

Research on the rat’s existence drew new life when the species was found lately in Mt. Pulag, he said.

Heaney said the Cordillera is known as the habitat of endangered species, like the cloud rat.

The rats were identified as “cloud rats” since mossy forests are known as cloud forests, Peñafiel said.

Mt. Pulag is also known as the only place that hosts the four cloud rat species. One of them is the bushy tailed cloud rat, locally called “bowet.”

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20080426-132920/Team-finds-rare-cloud-rat-breed-after-112-years

the government must increase the budget for sciences especially for preserving biodiversity...

Sun.Star: Dwarf cloud rat rediscovered (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/91986/SunStar-Dwarf-cloud-rat-rediscovered)
04/28/2008 | 09:33 AM

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - A cloud rat species, which was last seen more than a century ago, was rediscovered in the country's second highest peak, prompting calls for more conservation efforts in the national park.

The dwarf cloud rat, said to be a long-time mystery for biologists, was captured by a team of Filipino and American scientists who conducted a survey of small mammals in Mt. Pulag.

Lawrence Heaney, curator of the mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, and Danilo Balete, research associate of the Philippine National Museum, rediscovered the dwarf cloud rat in a portion of a mossy forest in Mt. Pulag.

The scientists called for stricter implementation of conservation laws to protect the several animal and plant species found in Mt. Pulag.

"You can't find a place like Mt. Pulag in other parts of the world," Heaney stressed.

The team believed the dwarf cloud rat lived up in moss-covered trees, based on its physical characteristics.

Heaney said the animal is quiet sensitive to human intrusions, reason why it is only found in a thickly covered forest.

The mammal was last seen 112 years ago in Mt. Data. The dwarf cloud rat has soft, reddish-brown fur, a black mask around large dark eyes, small rounded ears, a broad and blunt snout and a long tail covered with dark hair.

Its picture was first published in 1898, two years after it was discovered by British biologist John Whitehead in Mt. Data in Mountain Province.

The researchers consider the rediscovery as a breakthrough in biology, saying it will open up to an in-depth study of the species.

Heaney said the dwarf cloud rat has been a mystery for scientists since it was last seen in 1896.

The cloud rat, which is preserved in formalin solution, will be brought to Chicago for further study, Heaney said, explaining that the animal died in captivity. The team used animal traps in their research.

Mt. Pulag, elevated at 2,922 meters above sea level, is home to the largest and smallest species of cloud rats.

Mt. Pulag National Park superintendent Emerita Albas said preserving the mountain's biodiversity is a challenge to indigenous peoples living around Mt. Pulag.

Environment Regional Director Samuel Penafiel encouraged the people, particularly the farmers, to help preserve the mossy forests.

The agency is also against the construction of farm-to-market roads in areas that cross into the national park. - Sun.Star

Asia's rainforests vanishing as timber, food demand surge
by Frank Zeller
Sun Apr 27, 12:04 AM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080427/sc_afp/asiaenvironmentrainforestslogging

HANOI (AFP) - Asia's rainforests are being rapidly destroyed, a trend accelerated by surging timber demand in booming China and India, and record food, energy and commodity prices, forest experts warn.

The loss of these biodiversity hot spots, much of it driven by the illegal timber trade and the growth of oil palm, biofuel and rubber plantations, is worsening global warming, species loss and poverty, they said.

Globally, tropical forest destruction "is a super crisis we are facing, it's an appalling crisis," said Oxford University's Professor Norman Myers, keynote speaker at the Asia-Pacific Forestry Week conference in Hanoi.

"It's one of the worst crises since we came out of our caves 10,000 years ago," Myers said at the five-day meeting of 500 foresters, researchers, state officials and activists held last week in the Vietnamese capital.

Over-logging in Southeast Asia caused 19 percent of global rainforest loss in 2005, Myers said, compared to cattle ranching -- once a leading cause, mainly in South America -- which now caused five percent of world losses.

The rapid growth of palm oil and other plantations accounted for 22 percent, and slash-and-burn farming, unsustainable as more poor people exploit fast-shrinking forests, caused 54 percent of rainforest destruction, he said.

Asia's forest cover, including tree plantations, in fact grew by three million hectares from 2000 to 2005 -- largely because of China's 1998 logging ban and afforestation -- said the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

"In contrast, forest loss persists at a very high rate in several countries," said an FAO report. "Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Australia and Papua New Guinea and a number of other countries have seen significant losses."

Ecologists stress that new forests in China, India and Vietnam are man-made plantations lacking high varieties of plant and animal species.

"Many plantations, in terms of biodiversity, are green concrete," said Peter Walpole, head of the non-profit Asia Forest Network.

Yet what environmentalists call "tree farms" are set to grow at the expense of natural forests, especially palm plantations, which produce oil used in products such as soap, chocolate and cosmetics as well as biodiesel.

Commercial crops "will be the most important factor contributing to deforestation in Asia-Pacific countries," said the FAO report, citing record prices for food grains, energy and commodities.

Demand for forest products is also surging in Asia's boom economies.

Imports to China, now the world's top furniture exporter, increased more than tenfold from 53 billion dollars in 1990 to 561 billion dollars in 2004.

India's imports of wood products, including paper, grew from about 750 million dollars in 1990 to 3.1 billion dollars in 2005, the FAO said.

Asia's boom economies are now importing timber from as far as Central Africa and South America, said FAO forestry economist C.T.S. Nair.

"In a way, they are exporting the problem to other countries, especially those where policies and institutions are extremely weak," he said.

The illegal timber trade, fuelled by poverty and corruption, is rife in much of Asia, where 78 percent of forests are state-owned and often managed by the armed forces, not the people who live in or near them, experts said.

"The history of logging in Southeast Asia has been under the auspices of the military and of political families," Walpole said. "If you look at how Cambodia has been logged, this cannot happen without military acknowledgement.

"Burma has been logged by Thai generals. And if you look at the corruption of forestry in the Philippines, it's tied in many areas during the Marcos years to military presence and control. It's still in many military families."

Precise data is rare in the world timber trade, but spot checks by environmental monitoring groups have revealed disturbing trends.

Vietnam was named as a major hub for illegally-logged timber from neighbouring Laos in a recent report by Britain's Environmental Investigation Agency and Indonesian group Telapak -- a claim Hanoi has strenuously denied.

"Indonesia has had an export ban on sawn timber since 2004, and yet countries are still accepting sawn timber from Indonesia," said Chen Hin Keong of TRAFFIC, which monitors the illegal trade in endangered flora and fauna.

"Malaysia, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, the US -- in big or small volumes, they are all accepting that."

Tropical timber is relatively cheap because key functions of forests -- clean air and water, and biodiversity -- are not factored into market prices, said Dr Daniel Murdiyarso of the Center for International Forestry Research.

"These services are underpriced or unpriced. It's a market failure."

Solutions are being debated -- including a universal timber certification system to rein in the illegal trade, and carbon credit schemes that would reward countries for preserving forests and offsetting pollution elsewhere.

But for now these are ideas, not realities, and the FAO report called support for forestry carbon offset schemes "disappointing" so far.

-The government must have the political will to implement sustainable development. In the MTPDP, its part of the targets...

As a signatory of various environmental protocols, the government must be serious in adhering to this international agreements.

Fuel before food? Global biofuel debate rages
PhilStar
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080430101

WASHINGTON – Some top international food scientists recommended Tuesday a halt in the use of food-based biofuels, such as ethanol, because they say it would cut corn prices by 20 percent during a world food crisis.

Even as the scientists suggested a moratorium, President George W. Bush urged the opposite. He declared the United States should increase ethanol use because of national energy security and high gasoline prices.

The conflicting messages Tuesday highlighted the debate over food and fuel needs.

The three senior scientists with an international research consortium pushing a biofuel moratorium said during a teleconference that nations need to rethink programs that divert foods such as corn and soybeans to fuel, given the expanding worldwide food crisis. The group, CGIAR, is a global network that uses science to fight hunger. It is funded by dozens of countries and private foundations.

If leading nations stopped biofuel use this year, it would lead to a price decline in corn by about 20 percent and wheat by about 10 percent from 2009-10, said Joachim von Braun. He heads the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, the policy arm of CGIAR. The United States is the biggest biofuel producer.

Von Braun and the other scientists said work should be stepped up on the use of nongrain crops, such as switchgrass, for biofuel.

Another scientist, not associated with the group, agreed with their call for a halt on the use of grain for fuel.

“We need to feed the stomach before we need to feed our cars,” said Rattan Lal, an Ohio State University soil sciences professor who in the past has been a critic of some of CGIAR’s priorities. “We have 1 billion people who are food insecure. We can’t afford the luxury of not taking care of them and taking care of gasoline.”

In an interview after the CGIAR teleconference, von Braun said the United States and other countries have to make a hard choice between fighting high fuel prices and fighting world hunger.

“If you place a high value of food security for poor people, then the conclusion is clear that we step on the brake awhile,” von Braun said. “If you place a high value on national energy security, other considerations come into play.”

Energy security is what Bush emphasized in his news conference at the White House. When asked about the conflict with world hunger and the rising cost of food at home, he said the high price of gasoline would spur more investment in ethanol as an alternative to gasoline.

“And the truth of the matter is, it’s in our national interest that our farmers grow energy, as opposed to us purchasing energy from parts of the world that are unstable or may not like us,” Bush said.

Still, Bush said the international food crisis “is of concern to us” and said the US government added another $200 million (euro128.4 million) in food aid this month.

A World Bank study has estimated that corn prices “rose by over 60 percent from 2005-07, largely because of the US ethanol program” combined with market forces.

Other nations, such as South Africa, have stopped or slowed the push to ethanol. But because the United States is the biggest producer, if it does nothing, other nations’ efforts will not amount to much, von Braun said.

Von Braun said many issues are causing the food crisis, especially market forces and speculation, but that biofuel use also ranks high among the causes.

Scientists say the diversion of corn and soybeans for fuel helps force prices higher and removes farmland from food production. Ethanol supporters say the corn used for fuels is the type only fed to livestock. However, other experts say it leads to higher livestock feed prices, thus higher food prices.

By Tarra Quismundo (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080430-133524/RP-faces-own-inconvenient-truth)
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:16:00 04/30/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Half of Naga City submerged along with five eastern towns in the Bicol region, and between 20 million to 30 million turned into environment refugees across the Philippines.

Speaking of the country’s own “inconvenient truth,” environmentalists Tuesday painted this grim forecast at a conference on climate change and conflict at the Asian Institute of Management’s Policy Center in Makati.

The scenario may well happen within the century if people continue to disregard the consequences of a warmer planet, they said.

Nereus Acosta, convenor of the Philippine Climate Change Initiative and a former Bukidnon congressman, said sea levels rising just a meter would submerge 15 of the country’s 17 regions, with the northern highlands as the only areas spared from the catastrophe.

Environmental refugees

“The Philippines as an archipelago is considered a climate hotspot ... with 20 out of 80 provinces vulnerable to a one-meter rise in sea level,” Acosta said in a presentation before an audience that included officers from the environment and energy departments, the academe and non-government organizations.

Provinces in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Eastern Visayas and the Bicol region are among places to be worst hit by widespread flooding because of rising global sea levels, according to Acosta.

Incidentally, these places have high poverty incidence and the greatest food insecurity, he said.

“With these regions affected, there will be 20 million to 30 million people who will be dislocated. They will become environmental refugees who will be fighting for scarce resources,” said Acosta in an interview.

He based his estimates on published international studies on climate change, including that of the Nobel Prize-winner Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and James Hansen, a climate scientist with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, who studied carbon dioxide emission levels worldwide.

New People’s Navy

At one point, Acosta cracked a joke just to break the silence of the audience. “Maybe our 7,100 islands will be reduced to 6,000 because we will be under a permanent high tide. And in the Cordilleras, maybe the New People’s Army (NPA) will change its name to the New People’s Navy,” he said. The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Asked how imminent the threat was, Acosta said: “In 20 to 50 years, if you go by the science. And James Hansen said we have crossed the borderline level of CO2 emissions.”

Dangerous tipping point

Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas emitted by automobiles and factories, has long been identified as the primary contributor to a warmer planet. Hansen has found that CO2 trapped in the planet is at a “dangerous tipping point of 385 parts per million.”

Studies have shown that rising temperatures could lead to extreme weather, including stronger typhoons, drought, heat waves and heavy flooding.

Joyce Palacol, ecology program coordinator at the National Secretariat for Social Action Justice and Peace, an arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), told the audience that just a half-meter rise in sea levels would inundate the eastern half of Camarines Sur province.

Using a map, he showed how half of Naga City and surrounding towns in the eastern part of Camarines Sur would be inundated by waters from the Philippine Sea “with just a .5-meter rise in sea level.”

Palacol also noted a rising rate of depletion of the country’s natural resources.

Moral issue

The forest cover shrank from between 70 and 80 percent in the 1900s to 18 percent in 2002, of which less than 3 percent was original cover and the rest salvaged through reforestation, he said.

Palacol said that Philippine mangrove areas from 1918 to 1997 were reduced to 24.7 percent, most of which was lost to conversion into fishponds.

In addition, coral reefs, home to the country’s diverse marine life, have been degraded by cyanide, dynamite and commercial fishing, he said.

“Climate change is a moral issue and the CBCP is undertaking these studies under its role to protect the integrity of creation,” Palacol said.

A study by International Alert, a global non-government organization for peace-building, placed the Philippines among 46 nations “facing a high risk of armed conflict as a knock-on consequence of climate change.”

The list includes Iran, Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Nepal, Rwanda, Somalia and Sierra Leone.

“There is a real risk that climate change will compound the propensity for violent conflict, which in turn will make communities poorer, less resilient and less able to cope with the consequences of climate change,” said International Alert in the Philippine edition of its publication, “A Climate of Conflict: The Links Between Climate Change, Peace and War.”

The group estimated that some 2.7 billion people in these countries would suffer the effects of climate-aggravated violence.

Some 56 other states were identified to be at “high risk of facing political instability” because of climate change, among them nations in Latin America, poorer nations in Europe and even powerful states such as North Korea, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

“[I]t is safe to predict that the consequences of climate change will combine with other factors to put additional strain on already fragile social and political systems. These are the conditions in which conflicts flourish and cannot be resolved without violence because governments are arbitrary, inept and corrupt,” said International Alert’s November 2007 report that was released in Manila Tuesday.

By Grace L. Plata (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/04/26/news/group.legal.logging.decimates.forests.html)

LEGAL, not illegal, large-scale logging is the major culprit in deforestation.

Lisa Ito of the Kalikasan-Philippine Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE), during her presentation on the Philippine environmental situation for the Southern Mindanao Conference on the Environment held at the Holy Cross of Davao College Friday, said that in the 1900s, forest cover was estimated at 21 million hectares of 70 percent of the total land area.

Yet a few decades of "development aggression" wiped out two-thirds of the forests.

By 1999, forest cover was reduced to 18.3 percent of 800,000 hectares and is still decreasing at present.

"Europe, Japan, and the United states demanded and encouraged the export of cheap and plentiful logs from underdeveloped countries in Asia and Latin America and the conversion of deforested areas into agricultural plantations for export crops," Ito said.

She said FAO's State of the World's Forests 2007 reports a net forest loss of 20,000 hectares per day globally.

In the Philippines, Ito said deforestation was a result of "colonial plunder of natural resources."

"Since the American occupation, corporate and large-scale logging for exports and massive forest conversion were carried out as a government policy through Timber Licensing Agreements (TLAs)," Ito said.

From 1920's to the late 1930's, the Philippines became a major exporter of tropical wood to the US and Japan. Forty-seven percent or 9.9 million hectares of original forests were destroyed in the period alone.

"Philippine forests were nearly wiped out under the Marcos dictatorship under an unregulated logging industry caused by a combination of corruption, greed, and weak political institution. TLAs were liberally dispensed to Marcos cronies, relatives, military allies, and elite interests," Ito said.

By the late 1980's, the Philippine was one of the most severely deforested areas in Asia but Ito said this state has worsened under the Arroyo administration.

"The government has yet to implement a genuine and comprehensive reforestation program. It has one by one lifted log bans and farmed out commercial logging permits - TLAs and 23 Integrated Forest Management Agreement (Ifma) contracts from January 2001 to 2004," Ito said.

Ito explained that Ifmas cover a total land area of 191,250.60 hectares and an Ifma contract allows the holder not just the right to timber but to all other forest products within the concession area.

Ito added that as of their last check, the government has issued 201 Ifmas as of 2003 covering around 714,000 hectares of forestland.

b'z2;20097817"]Sun.Star: Dwarf cloud rat rediscovered (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/91986/SunStar-Dwarf-cloud-rat-rediscovered)
04/28/2008 | 09:33 AM

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - A cloud rat species, which was last seen more than a century ago, was rediscovered in the country's second highest peak, prompting calls for more conservation efforts in the national park.

The dwarf cloud rat, said to be a long-time mystery for biologists, was captured by a team of Filipino and American scientists who conducted a survey of small mammals in Mt. Pulag.

Lawrence Heaney, curator of the mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, and Danilo Balete, research associate of the Philippine National Museum, rediscovered the dwarf cloud rat in a portion of a mossy forest in Mt. Pulag.

The scientists called for stricter implementation of conservation laws to protect the several animal and plant species found in Mt. Pulag.

"You can't find a place like Mt. Pulag in other parts of the world," Heaney stressed.

The team believed the dwarf cloud rat lived up in moss-covered trees, based on its physical characteristics.

Heaney said the animal is quiet sensitive to human intrusions, reason why it is only found in a thickly covered forest.

The mammal was last seen 112 years ago in Mt. Data. The dwarf cloud rat has soft, reddish-brown fur, a black mask around large dark eyes, small rounded ears, a broad and blunt snout and a long tail covered with dark hair.

Its picture was first published in 1898, two years after it was discovered by British biologist John Whitehead in Mt. Data in Mountain Province.

The researchers consider the rediscovery as a breakthrough in biology, saying it will open up to an in-depth study of the species.

Heaney said the dwarf cloud rat has been a mystery for scientists since it was last seen in 1896.

The cloud rat, which is preserved in formalin solution, will be brought to Chicago for further study, Heaney said, explaining that the animal died in captivity. The team used animal traps in their research.

Mt. Pulag, elevated at 2,922 meters above sea level, is home to the largest and smallest species of cloud rats.

Mt. Pulag National Park superintendent Emerita Albas said preserving the mountain's biodiversity is a challenge to indigenous peoples living around Mt. Pulag.

Environment Regional Director Samuel Penafiel encouraged the people, particularly the farmers, to help preserve the mossy forests.

The agency is also against the construction of farm-to-market roads in areas that cross into the national park. - Sun.Star

Wow amazing story! The Philippines has such amazing natural diversity. With all the logging and habitat loss, it's good news to hear that an animal long thought to be extinct has been found again.

^^ :cheers2:


Group announces first Philippine sighting of bird species
05/05/2008 | 10:02 PM

MANILA, Philippines - A local group of birdwatchers announced that it has recorded the first Philippine sighting of a black-browed reed warbler (Acrocephalus bistrigiceps), which is similar and closely related to the more common and widespread reed warbler.

In a statement, the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) said the bird species was sighted during a brief four-day survey of the Candaba Marsh in Pampanga last April 27. After being caught, the migrant species was later released unharmed after photos were taken by a representative of the UK-based Wildfowl and Wetland Trust (WWT), a group which assists in wetland conservation worldwide.

The group’s survey, which was originally intended to locate the globally-threatened streaked reed warbler (Acrocephalus sorghophilus), was also able to provide the first overview and survey of the condition of wetland habitats in Candaba. Besides the WWT, the group was also assisted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Office of the Mayor of Candaba municipality.

According to the WBCP, the black-browed warbler, like its relative, spends its time foraging close to the ground inside undisturbed reed beds.

The Philippines remains the sole wintering groups of the streaked red warbler in the whole world, the group said. The rare bird was regularly seen in small numbers in Candaba until the mid-nineties.

Since then, very few sightings of the streaked red warbler has been recorded because most reed beds at Candaba have been drained and converted into rice paddies, discouraging birds, especially rare ones like the streaked reed warbler, from foraging in the area.

“This small, buffy-brown insectivorous bird migrates to the Philippines every winter from its (still unknown) breeding areas somewhere in Northeast Asia," its statement said. “Like many other wetland birds, it is of conservation concern owing to habitat loss-destruction of native marsh vegetation and its replacement by rice paddies and fishponds."

The group also maintained that the streaked reed warbler remains present in Candaba, claiming that one was sighted just a few days before the survey by a visiting birdwatcher, the first confirmed record for seven years. The birdwatchers group also said that its population is likely to be very small.

However, after a team from WBCP and the WWT covered a representative selection of sites throughout the greater Candaba marsh last month, it neither found any streaked reed warblers nor any extensive areas of likely suitable habitat (thought to be reeds, sedges or other tall grasses).

“Although reeds are widespread throughout Candaba, most were in small fragments lining the banks of ditches and rivers. These fragments are probably too small to hold any sizeable numbers of streaked reed warblers. There were no large and contiguous expanses," said WBCP President Michael C. Lu. “The largest single block of reeds that our survey team found was only about five hectares, and even most of this had been thoroughly burnt."

The group also underscored the national importance of the province for a great range of waterbirds, including herons, bitterns, egrets, and the threatened endemic Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica).

“We are encouraging the local government of Candaba to create awareness among its communities to stop burning of the remaining wetland vegetation to save what is left for critically endangered wetland birds," Lu added.

The WBCP plans a follow-up survey in January or February next year, before the annual burning of reeds has started. In addition, it is hoped to survey further sites elsewhere in the Philippines. - GMANews.TV (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/93429/Group-announces-first-Philippine-sighting-of-bird-species)

Gov acts on global warming
By: Mamer Bañez Butch Gunio
BALANGA City, Bataan �" Gov. Enrique Garcia has urged a heightened drive against global warming.

“All our efforts would come to nothing if we consciously pursue development initiatives without giving attention to the deterioration to our environment resulting from global warming,” Garcia said.

He said global warming has ceased to be a myth and that Bataan is taking very seriously the warning on global warming of former US Vice President Al Gore.

He said typhoons have become stronger.

Garcia said for four years, the province mounted a no nonsense campaign against illegal fishing. He added that second district Rep. Albert Garcia, in strong support of the campaign, filed House Bill 2807 that will amend and put more teeth to the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.

The governor said that the provincial government has engaged in massive reforestation through aerial seeding to reverse forest denudation. www.journal.com.ph

i really am worried, serious :(
i have felt the drastic change in our environment
i promise to at least do the 60-75% of my 100 ways to save the world from global warming. that's a promise :D
i am here, mother earth............

Is El Nino and La Nina caused by Mount Pinatubo's eruption?

Discussions will not change global warming especially if we just sit around.

A real change in mentality coupled with positive action will help solve the problem.

Let us, therefore, SSC netizens do our share.

And spread the consciousness. :banana:

We're no longer using our aircon as a support to help our environment saved instead just the electric fans. Well, aside from it helps our environment, it also helps our pockets from getting empty - our electric bill has gone down...

http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW051608/content.php?id=045

Singapore CNG firm gets nod
BusinessWorld
May 16, 2008

THE ENERGY department has accredited Singapore-based Callandra LCNG Fuels Corp., which plans to put up at least six compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquified natural gas (LNG) utilities here.

The company is looking at setting up stations near the Mall of Asia along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, as well as along the North Luzon Expressway, Callandra President and Chief Executive Randall C. Antonio said in a phone interview yesterday.

Mr. Antonio, who is in the US, said they were pooling their resources so they could start deploying the service that targets local bus companies.

He also said they were still negotiating with partners who will develop the lot.

Mr. Antonio said Callandra may put up two stations by 2010 and is looking at a budget of between $77 million and $110 million. Callandra had been in contact with the Energy department for the project since 2005.

There are 22 buses that use compressed natural gas, but there are only two CNG stations in the country — a mother station in Batangas and a refilling station in Laguna. The government is targeting nine CNG stations that will service at least 5,000 CNG buses a day.

http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW051608/content.php?id=045

Singapore CNG firm gets nod
BusinessWorld
May 16, 2008

THE ENERGY department has accredited Singapore-based Callandra LCNG Fuels Corp., which plans to put up at least six compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquified natural gas (LNG) utilities here.

The company is looking at setting up stations near the Mall of Asia along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, as well as along the North Luzon Expressway, Callandra President and Chief Executive Randall C. Antonio said in a phone interview yesterday.

Mr. Antonio, who is in the US, said they were pooling their resources so they could start deploying the service that targets local bus companies.

He also said they were still negotiating with partners who will develop the lot.

Mr. Antonio said Callandra may put up two stations by 2010 and is looking at a budget of between $77 million and $110 million. Callandra had been in contact with the Energy department for the project since 2005.

There are 22 buses that use compressed natural gas, but there are only two CNG stations in the country — a mother station in Batangas and a refilling station in Laguna. The government is targeting nine CNG stations that will service at least 5,000 CNG buses a day.

http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW051608/content.php?id=045

Singapore CNG firm gets nod
BusinessWorld
May 16, 2008

THE ENERGY department has accredited Singapore-based Callandra LCNG Fuels Corp., which plans to put up at least six compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquified natural gas (LNG) utilities here.

The company is looking at setting up stations near the Mall of Asia along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, as well as along the North Luzon Expressway, Callandra President and Chief Executive Randall C. Antonio said in a phone interview yesterday.

Mr. Antonio, who is in the US, said they were pooling their resources so they could start deploying the service that targets local bus companies.

He also said they were still negotiating with partners who will develop the lot.

Mr. Antonio said Callandra may put up two stations by 2010 and is looking at a budget of between $77 million and $110 million. Callandra had been in contact with the Energy department for the project since 2005.

There are 22 buses that use compressed natural gas, but there are only two CNG stations in the country — a mother station in Batangas and a refilling station in Laguna. The government is targeting nine CNG stations that will service at least 5,000 CNG buses a day.

Malinis naman ang natural gas, sa totoo nga ang Natural gas ay 80% cleaner than petroleum at 253% cleaner than coal.

but still, these are short term solutions. mauubos din ang natural gas natin. we should think of a longer, more sustainable source of energy.

^^how bout solar energy :)

yes solar energy is a good option.. but we should still find way of lowering the cost and increasing its efficiency. medyo OT, nung first year ako, together with my groupmates, gumawa kami ng photovoltaic module made of polyester cloth, copper sheets (cathode) and zinc from used batteries (anode), and the the actual photovoltaic material itself, sunflower extract. I think it was about 6x5 inches, and we managed to get 3-4.5 volts at its peak.

piggery can be also a source of energy....;)

piggery can be also a source of energy....;)

yup....time for waste-to-energy projects...

piggery can be also a source of energy....;)

Tama marami rin naman tayong mga kasama rito sa SSC na mga matataba e...

marami ang magugutom..mamamatay dahil hindi na sapat ang pagkain dahil sa global warming..sa pinas dadami ang bagyo at pagbaha. if the water level goes on rising well punta na lang sa ako sa Mt. Apo. mataas din yun. jejeje! in your small ways like throwing ur garbage at the right place and turning-off ur lights and other appliances na hinhindi ginagamit..makakatulong kana! do an EARTH HOUR and DAY every day!

yes solar energy is a good option.. but we should still find way of lowering the cost and increasing its efficiency. medyo OT, nung first year ako, together with my groupmates, gumawa kami ng photovoltaic module made of polyester cloth, copper sheets (cathode) and zinc from used batteries (anode), and the the actual photovoltaic material itself, sunflower extract. I think it was about 6x5 inches, and we managed to get 3-4.5 volts at its peak.

^^how bout solar energy :)

Geo energy is still the best option for our setting. We lie in the Pacific Rim of Fire plus we're already the 2nd largest geothermal energy producer. We just need to move it up more to sustain ourselves better. :)

Geo energy is still the best option for our setting. We lie in the Pacific Rim of Fire plus we're already the 2nd largest geothermal energy producer. We just need to move it up more to sustain ourselves better. :)

Agree. We can be a powerhouse in geothermal energy....

I heard we cannot solve this Global Warming of ours. The greenhouse gases will stay in the atmosphere even if we stop using CO2 emmiting machines. The best thing we can do now is just keep it at this level (which of course is still damaging) and by doing that, cut 60% of our CO2 emmissions which would lead to a super mega depression across the globe...

I am so confused.

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/may/21-two-strokes-and-youre-out/key_image05.21.2008
Two Strokes and You're Out (http://discovermagazine.com/2008/may/21-two-strokes-and-youre-out)
Impressive new tech reduces pollution from small engines by almost 90 percent.
by David Kushner

In 2001 Mary Jane Ortega, then mayor of San Fernando City in the Philippines, knew her city was choking to death. The cause? Air pollution, specifically that from two- and three-wheeled vehicles powered by dirty two-stroke engines, including motorcycles, scooters, and the motorized rickshaws known as tuk-tuks.

Around the world, outdoor air pollution kills 800,000 people a year and sickens many more. While big vehicles like Hummers and other SUVs are often blamed for excessive emissions, some of the worst culprits are the smallest rides around. Throughout Asia, vehicles with two-stroke engines produce vast amounts of pollution. “In the cities of many developing countries, the pollution is horrific,” says Daniel Sperling, director of the Institute of Transportation Studies and acting director of the Energy Efficiency Center at the University of California at Davis. “Two-stroke engines are a big part of the problem.”

Unlike the developed nations’ larger but much more efficient auto*mobiles, which use four-stroke engines, two-stroke vehicles spew great volumes of dangerous hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and smoke. A single two-stroke engine produces pollution equivalent to that of 30 to 50 four-stroke automobiles. With roughly 100 million motorcycles in Asia—roughly half of them using two-stroke engines—that translates into as much as 2.5 billion cars’ worth of smog. The obvious solution would simply be to get rid of the two-strokes, which Ortega tried by offering economic incentives, including an interest-free $200 loan for a down payment on a new four-stroke-engine vehicle. Within three years, 400 four-stroke engines had replaced two-strokes in San Fernando—but more than 800 registered two-stroke tricycles remained on the city’s streets. Even with a loan, upgrading to a four-stroke vehicle proved too costly for many. Furthermore, the tossed vehicles get sold and reused, merely transferring the pollution somewhere else. What is needed is a cheap solution to those two-stroke engines already in place.

Bryan Willson, director of the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory at Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, has cofounded a start-up, Envirofit, that sells a retrofit kit for two-stroke engines. The technology reduces hydrocarbon emissions by almost 90 percent while increasing fuel efficiency by as much as 35 percent. The first 400 kits were made available in the Philippines last fall. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded Envirofit a contract to retrofit two-stroke auto-rickshaws in Pune, India, and is spending about $100,000 to test the Envirofit kit there this year. “We’re sponsoring a pilot program to see if conversions are a viable technology solution for these vehicles in India,” says Margot Perez-Sullivan, a spokeswoman for the EPA. The goal is to have 15,000 retrofits in Asia by the end of 2008.

The United States is interested in Asia’s two-stroke problem because “pollution knows no boundaries,” Perez-Sullivan says. In America, two-stroke engines are limited to recreational vehicles such as snowmobiles, Jet Skis, and outboard motors. The industry will introduce its own two-stroke direct-injection alternatives this year.

Two-stroke engines produce a lot of pollution because the fuel-air mixture in them gets contaminated with the engine’s lubricating oils. Simultaneously the combustion chamber draws in the contaminated mixture as exhaust gases are expelled through an exhaust port. Some of the fuel and oil gets mixed with the exhaust.

Envirofit’s fix replaces the engine’s carburetor, which mixes the air and fuel before they enter the combustion chamber, with a direct in-cylinder fuel-injection system. This allows fuel to enter the combustion chamber when the exhaust port is closed. Eliminating nearly all the unburned fuel significantly reduces the ensuing smoke and hydrocarbons. The conversion kit includes an air compressor, wiring harness, custom brackets, and a new cylinder head.

Envirofit developed the technology somewhat by accident. In 2002 a group of Willson’s students entered a contest sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers; the goal was to develop a clean snowmobile engine for use in Yellowstone National Park. The team built a two-stroke snowmobile that won the competition and sparked a business idea.

In 2005 Envirofit field-tested the retrofit kit on 13 tricycle taxis with sidecars in the Philippines, which had struggled with emissions problems for years. After eight months, the results were impressive. Not only did the kits cut back emissions, but they saved taxi drivers money and enticed them to get on board. Glenn A. Concepcion, city environment and natural resources officer in Vigan, the Philippines, says the people in his city were initially skeptical of the kits. “But now, this is diminishing with the convincing results of the field test and the actual experiences of the tricycle drivers in the field sharing those experiences with other drivers,” Concepcion says.

Saving money is critical to persuading these drivers. “It’s not like a New York City cab company,” says former CSU student and Envirofit cofounder Tim Bauer. “These two-strokes are owned by one person making $1,500 a year. You have to make them understand it will make them more money,” which it does, Bauer says. By cutting fuel loss and reducing oil use by up to 50 percent, the modified engines may save their users as much as $600 a year. Bauer believes that Envirofit could produce up to 500,000 kits in five years, “putting $190 million into the hands of some of the poorest people” in the world.

“After six months of using the Envirofit retrofit kit, my extra income helped me save for a matching house grant,” says Rolando Santiago, president of the Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association, in the Philippines, and among the first to retrofit his bike. “I rebuilt my home and my neighbor’s home, which provided housing for six families,” he says—proof that better air can lead to a lot of other better things.

HELP!

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20080523-138246/Starfish-attack-Palawan-reefs

Starfish attack Palawan reefs
By Redempto Anda
Philippine Daily Inquirer
05/23/2008

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – Palawan’s coral reefs are under heavy attack by the Crown of Thorns starfish, and municipal governments, even high-end resorts like Amanpulo and Dos Palmas, are seeking immediate assistance.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on Wednesday raised concern that the heavy infestation of the Crown of Thorns (Acanthaster planci), the largest starfish species and voracious eater of hard corals, was threatening the province’s fish production.

“The numbers are too high already that there is a need for human intervention to collect and destroy these Crowns of Thorns, in the absence of natural predators that are supposed to regulate their population,” BFAR provincial head Paciano Guianan told the Inquirer.

Municipalities have reported widespread coral reef bleaching and have passed legislative measures calling for assistance from the national government. Resorts that rely on the pristine reefs to attract visitors have also asked help from the BFAR and have begun paying fishermen to collect the coral predators.

Common in tropical climates, the Crown of Thorns is found in aggregations and suck the coral polyps to death. Scientists attribute the infestation to the absence or predator species, particularly triton shells and a wrasse species that eat the starfish eggs.

Among the heavily affected area is Roxas town in Palawan’s eastern coast. Its council passed last week an ordinance setting aside money to purchase collected starfish from fishermen at P2 apiece.

“At least 300 hectares of coral reefs in nine marine protected areas (in Roxas) are already heavily affected,” Sheila Albasin, project manager of the World Wildlife Fund Philippines, said.

Dina Andres, an official of Amanpulo resort in the Cuyo Islands Group, reported that the infestation began right before summer. “It was really scary because they were so many. In Pamalican, we are doing our share by collecting and burying them in order to save the corals,” she told the Inquirer.

At one point, divers were hauling in as much as 1,200 starfish a day, Andres said.

Glessele Batin, a marine research coordinator for Dos Palmas Resorts, said over 30,000 Crown of Thorns had been collected by fishermen in Honda Bay since mid-February. “Because of these interventions, the number seems to be decreasing and the sizes of the starfish are decreasing,” Batin said.

The marine menace has not spared even the deep-sea coral reef ecosystems, such as the Tubbataha Reefs, a world heritage site and protected area, in the middle of Sulu Sea over 80 nautical miles from the city.

UK scientist advises Filipinos to exercise caution in buying plastic products
05/27/2008 | 11:12 AM

MANILA, Philippines - A visiting scientist from London urged Filipino consumers on Tuesday to take conscious steps to safeguard children’s health from a poison in consumer and health care products, particularly in toys, school supplies, household materials and medical devices.

Ruth Stringer, a British national who has done studies on the hazards of manufacturing, consuming and disposing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) told participants of the “Usapang Plastik," a forum organized by the EcoWaste Coalition’s Task Force on Plastics, to exercise precaution in buying products made of PVC to protect public health and the environment.

PVC, which carries the plastic number 3, is commonly used in food packaging, plastic wrap, toiletries and cosmetics containers, detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, beach balls, inflatable swimming pools, shower curtains, medical devices, toys, pacifiers and teething rings, to name a few.

The EcoWaste Coalition has on several occasions drew public attention on the health and environmental hazards of PVC, especially when it is burned—a polluting process that releases cancer-causing dioxins, one of the most toxic man-made chemicals ever produced. During the last three years, the coalition has spoken against the use of improvised PVC cannons in New Year revelry.

“PVC is one of the most widely used plastics, but environmentalists have been concerned with the pollution caused by its manufacturing and disposal for over 20 years now," Ruth Stringer, International Science and Policy Coordinator for Health Care Without Harm said. “It is also a poor plastic, hard and brittle, so before it can be made into anything useful, it needs additives. Lots of additives. And it is these that are at the root of the problems for consumers."

Chemical additives known plasticizers are added to soften PVC. Phthalates, a widely used toxic plasticizer, are developmental and reproductive toxins capable of causing birth defects as shown in animal studies.

The toxicity of some of the plasticisers, Stringer pointed out, has already spurred some foreign governments to act. The European Union was so concerned about young children being exposed to phthalates by chewing on PVC that in 1999, they placed an emergency ban on them in certain toys, which was later converted into permanent ban.

In the US, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a legislation in October 2007 that prohibits the use of certain phthalates in toys and child care products. On signing the bill, the actor turned politician said: “We must take this action to protect our children. These chemicals threaten the health and safety of our children at critical stages of their development."

According to Stringer, removing the threat from PVC permanently will take years, but parents, medical professionals and parents can take the first steps now.

“Parents can avoid PVC children’s products. Medical professionals can ask their suppliers what the plastics are in the products they use and ask about PVC-free alternatives. Politicians can mandate labelling of plastic products, especially medical devices, so all of us know what we are buying and can say “no thanks" to the poison plastic," she said. - GMANews.TV (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/97519/UK-scientist-advises-Filipinos-to-exercise-caution-in-buying-plastic-products)

Hope for Threatened Tropical Biodiversity (http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1415788/hope_for_threatened_tropical_biodiversity/)

The Philippines is a megabiodiversty country, but it is also often seen as a country of ecological ruin whose biodiversity is on the verge of collapse. Decades of environmental neglect have pushed ecosystems to their limit, often with deadly repercussions for the human population. Is conservation in the Philippines a lost cause? We review current conservation efforts in the Philippines, considering the actions of academics, field researchers, local communities, nongovernmental organizations, the government, and other sectors of society. Remarkably, however precarious the present situation may seem, there have been some recent positive gains and signs of hope. Although there is no room for complacency, we conclude that the diversity of available indicators suggests that conservation in the Philippines, against many odds, shows signs of success, and thus deserves greater attention and increased investment. Keywords: conservation, indicators, biodiversity, Philippines, Southeast Asia

The loss and degradation of tropical ecosystems throughout the planet are threatening numerous species with extinction and thereby driving a biodiversity crisis with serious consequences for human well-being. In Southeast Asia, the threat is greatest where human populations are dense, impoverished, and rapidly increasing (Sodhi et al. 2004). The Philippines exemplifies this critical situation. It is one of the most biologically rich regions in the world, with exceptionally high levels of endemism for a country of its size. Nearly half of its approximately 1100 terrestrial vertebrates are unique to the islands, and estimates of endemism for vascular plants range from 45% to 60% (Heaney and Mittermeier 1997). The archipelago is also a center of nearshore animal diversity, most notably of corals, reef fish, marine snails, and lobsters (Roberts et al. 2002, Carpenter and Springer 2005). However, widespread environmental destruction has made this unique and megadiverse biota one of the most endangered in the world. The country is repeatedly cited as a global conservation priority-a top hotspot for both terrestrial and marine ecosystems-and there are fears that it could be the site of the first major extinction spasm (Heaney and Mittermeier 1997, Myers et al. 2000, Roberts et al. 2002).

Exploitation of many vital habitats has brought the Philippines to the brink of ecological ruin. The archipelago was once almost completely covered by forest, but the harvesting of timber and agricultural expansion during the Spanish colonization, followed by rapid and extensive commercial logging in the 20th century (Kummer 1992, Bankoff 2007), reduced forest cover to less than a quarter of the land area (figure 1). Although primary forest cover has been reported at a mere 3% of the land area (FAO 2005), this figure is most likely an underestimate because pristine montane forests may cover an additional 3% to 5% (Alcala 1998). Rates of annual forest loss continue to be high, at approximately 1.9% (WRI 2003). Between 1918 and 1994, land covered with mangroves declined from half a million hectares (ha) to about 12,000 ha as a result of clearing and conversion to fishponds (Primavera 2000). The archipelago's extensive coral reefs are threatened by harmful fishing practices (e.g., use of dynamite and poison) and siltation, with only 5% retaining 75% to 100% of live coral cover (Gomez et al. 1994). As a consequence, the country has a high number of species at risk of extinction. Of the 1007 Philippine vertebrate species assessed for the 2006 IUCN (World Conservation Union) Red List, nearly 21% are classified as threatened, as are 215 of the 323 plants evaluated.

Figure 1. Map of the Philippine archipelago showing approximate percentages and distribution afforest cover (including degraded forest) remaining on the major islands. Locations mentioned in the text are indicated in the legend. Source: Modified from Stibig and colleagues (2004).

The advanced state of environmental degradation has had serious repercussions for the human population as well. The loss of soil fertility, pollution from large-scale mining operations, and reduced productivity of fisheries affect the livelihood of millions of rural inhabitants (Pineda-Ofreneo 1993). Erosion from deforestation is blamed for frequent flooding and massive landslides, which claim many lives every year (Vitug 1993).

Efforts to preserve biodiversity are hampered by socioeconomic and political problems. Entrenched corruption, weak governance, uneven distribution of wealth, and opposition by small but powerful interest groups make it difficult to change and implement sound environmental policies (Vitug 1993, Utting 2000). Remaining natural resources are continually under pressure from an increasing human population (78.6 million in 2002, and growing at a rate of 2.3% per year; WRI 2003), and national funds are constrained by external debt servicing and rarely diverted into conservation efforts (Pineda- Ofreneo 1993).

Against this backdrop, it is unsurprising that some researchers, notably Terborgh (1999), have suggested a "triage" strategy that writes off the possibility of conservation of biodiversity in the Philippines. Over the last two decades, however, mounting evidence has indicated that there is still hope for such conservation in the country. Here we review some of the evidence for this revisionary perspective and assess the implications for conservation elsewhere in the already severely degraded, but still megadiverse, tropics.

Emergence of environmental consciousness

Conservation in the Philippines is inextricably linked to social and political issues. The country was long under colonial rule, and its natural resources were traditionally controlled by the elite and powerful, whose unsustainable and inequitable exploitation devastated the environment and marginalized the poor (Broad and Cavanagh 1993, Pineda-Ofreneo 1993). People in the countryside who depended on these resources, but gained little or no economic benefit from their commercial extraction, were the first to suffer from the impacts of environmental plunder. By the 1970s, members of some communities started to actively oppose developments that threatened local ecosystems, blocking logging trucks and protesting the construction of large dams (Broad and Cavanagh 1993).

After the 1986 overthrow of Ferdinand Marcos, the revived democracy saw government agencies previously identified with corrupt practices adopt fundamental reforms. The change in political climate fostered the emergence of diverse civil society groups (e.g., nongovernmental organizations [NGOs] and people's organizations) concerned with environmental management and sustainable development. The government became more open to an agenda that emphasizes the participation of these groups. Today, the involvement of civil society in the planning, development, and implementation of environmental policies and programs has become a salient feature of conservation in the Philippines (Utting 2000). Through lobbying, civil society groups can influence government agencies to adhere to their agenda for conservation and to pursue continuity in policy (Broad and Cavanagh 1993).

At least on paper, considerable progress in environmental protection legislation has been made, driven in part by public advocacy. Of particular significance to biodiversity conservation are the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992, the establishment of protected areas, and the 2002 Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. At the international level, the Philippines is among the signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity and other agreements such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. A National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and a National Wetland Action Plan t were formulated to satisfy part of the country's obligations under these agreements. Representatives from various sectors came together to produce these comprehensive conservation action plans, which were subsequently endorsed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the president. Of course, enactment and ratification of such laws and conventions will not by themselves ensure the conservation of Philippine biota; failure to properly design, implement, and enforce policies could render them impotent They are, however, evidence of the growing appreciation of the value of biodiversity in the country, and they prove that sustainable development and environmental protection have become integrated into political consciousness.

Another shift in environmental governance was seen in the devolution of authority over terrestrial and marine resources from the central government, which has limited resources and reach to tackle a multitude of concerns nationwide, to local governments. Through the Local Government Code of 1991, local governments began to share the responsibilities of maintaining ecological balance and enforcing regulations within their territorial jurisdictions. This change improves the chances that actions will be effective on the ground, because management options are given to those familiar with local environmental contexts and issues. Of course, devolution carries its own risks, such as possible abuses of power (Utting 2000). On the other hand, organized communities can directly benefit from controlling their own resources, and strong support from local governments can be instrumental to the success of conservation programs. Effective actions: Implementing conservation through civil society

The Philippine environmental movement gets much of its momentum from committed people who belong to civil society groups. In most cases, these groups are small nonprofit organizations that tackle the multifarious facets of biodiversity conservation. Social issues, such as land tenure and poverty alleviation through alternative livelihood, are often addressed concurrently with the actual protection of biodiversity. Laudably, a number of efforts by local communities and NGOs have made direct impacts on conserving species and habitats.

One program that has achieved remarkable success to date involves work with the endemic Philippine cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia. Considered a critically endangered species, it was historically known from 45 islands, but is now extirpated or rare throughout much of its range as a result of habitat loss and poaching for the pet trade (Collar et al. 1999). An integrated conservation program that was initiated in the early 1990s, led by government agencies and academic institutions, resulted in the formation of the Katala Foundation, an NGO that implements the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program. Key strategies of the program include awareness and education campaigns, nest protection, monitoring, captive breeding, and ecological research. The program recruited former poachers and trained them to be wardens, and the export of birds was restricted, which led to a decline in the illegal trade in wild birds (Boussekey 2000, Widmann et al. 2006). The local government endorsed the creation of the Rasa Island "Wildlife Sanctuary in 1997 to protect and manage a resident cockatoo population. Since then, there have been clear signs of recovery (figure 2). Similar schemes are being implemented in additional areas, and there are indications of recovering populations on Palawan and Polillo Islands (Indira Lacerna-Widmann, Katala Foundation, Palawan, Philippines, personal communication, 21 November 2007).

The Philippine Endemic Species Conservation Project (PESCP) is undertaking a similar initiative to protect the critically endangered Visayan wrinkled hornbill Aceros waJdeni on the island of Panay. A decade ago, the estimated population of this species was 60 to 80 breeding pairs across its range (Collar et al. 1999). Since starting a nest-protection program with 32 nests in 2002, the PESCP has monitored and protected an increasing number of nest holes, reporting 502 successfully fledged broods in 2006 (Curio 2007). Aside from its work with the hornbill as a flagship species for conservation on Panay, the PESCP lobbies to have essential forest habitats declared as protected areas, supports enforcement actions to reduce illegal logging, and studies the island's other endemic and endangered wildlife.

Figure 2. Numbers of the Philippine cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia counted at the roosting site on Rasa Island, Narra, Palawan. Source: Modified from Widmann and colleagues (2006).

Another emerging success story is the in situ conservation of the critically endangered Philippine crocodile Crocodylus mindorensis. Past efforts had focused on captive breeding, but the discovery of a small wild population in the municipality of San Mariano at the foot of Luzon's Sierra Madre range led to a conservation program that prompted the local government to establish a sanctuary and ban the killing of crocodiles, with positive results (figure 3; van der Ploeg and van Weerd 2004). Education and information campaigns were designed to change negative perceptions of crocodiles and engage the community in their protection. The Mabuwaya Foundation runs the Crocodile Rehabilitation, Observance, and Conservation Project, with the goals of scaling up efforts and expanding the work to include other areas in the Sierra Madre with known crocodile populations (van der Ploeg and van Weerd 2006).

One of world's most threatened birds, the critically endangered Philippine eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi, has long been a flagship species for Philippine conservation. Since initiatives to protect the eagle began in the 1980s, critical information on the species' biology and ecology has been gathered (Miranda et al. 2000, Salvador and Ibanez 2006). Recent reanalyses of population estimates using new data suggest that the species may have a larger population, and confirmed records from new localities indicate a much wider distribution (Collar et al. 1999). Populations remain highly fragmented, however, and are severely threatened by continuing habitat loss and poaching (Bueser et al. 2003). Actions by the Philippine Eagle Foundation, including conservation breeding, education, field research, and community-based initiatives (Salvador and Ibanez 2006), have had moderate success. An alliance of major local and international conservation organizations and government agencies was formed to pool resources and coordinate groups working to conserve the Philippine eagle. The recent expansion of the Penablanca Reserve, which links several protected areas in the Sierra Madre range, is good news-the eagle's survival in situ will be secure only if forests are protected.

Figure 3. Reported crocodile killings in the municipality of San Mariano. Source: van der Ploeg and van Weerd (2004).

Such success stories are encouraging, and without the efforts of concerned groups, these species' prospects for survival would certainly have deteriorated rather than improved, but these species remain endangered. Elsewhere in the country, a number of other NGOs are playing crucial roles by providing services to, or acting on behalf of, different sectors of society involved in conservation. By forging links among the government, funding agencies, and local communities, and serving as project implementers, facilitators, trainers, and researchers, the NGOs can be catalysts for effective action. Their work is often local in scale but nonetheless important, providing enormous potential for replication in conserving other highly threatened species.

Progress in protected areas and resource management

Although parks had been established in the Philippines under the 1932 National Parks Law, a restructuring of the country's existing protected areas came with the enactment of the NIPAS Act in 1992. The act designates protected areas to secure the perpetual existence of all native plants and animals in a comprehensive and integrated system. Among its aims are the assessment of the biodiversity value of existing parks and the establishment of new marine and terrestrial protected areas of biological significance. It incorporates scientific, cultural, and socioeconomic dimensions in its framework, and it exemplifies a participatory process by guaranteeing stakeholder representation in site-specific Protected Area Management Boards (PAMBs). More than 300 parks of various categories are now included or are being evaluated for inclusion in the protected-areas system (DENR-PAWB 2003). Of these, 160 (roughly 8% of the Philippine land area) fell under IUCN categories I-V for terrestrial protected areas (WDPA 2007).

Although the NIPAS Act and its policy framework are necessary and progressive measures for conserving natural areas for their biodiversity, their actual implementation has been convoluted and problematic (Custodio and Molinyawe 2001). Implementing government agencies are often strapped for funding, resources, and technical capability. Bureaucratic red tape and political maneuverings by interest groups create conflicts in the management of areas and prolong the process of conferring protected status. Above all, because sites are rarely free of inhabitants who are dependent on limited natural resources, the establishment of protected areas can cause controversy (Urich et al. 2001). Consequently, effective management becomes more than a problem of simple environmental education or "fences and fines" enforcement (Custodio and Molinyawe 2001, White et al. 2002). Collaborative approaches to protected- area management through the PAMB or other partnerships involving resource users, although complex and time-consuming, seem to provide the best resolution to these conflicts.

Perhaps the best examples of the integration of human resource use and conservation are the community-based marine protected areas (MPAs) managed by coastal communities across the Philippines. Pioneered in the 1970s at Sumilon and Apo islands, reserves are designed with sections of reef designated as "no-take" zones, and local fishers become responsible for enforcing restrictions (Russ and Alcala 1999). No-take marine reserves both protect near-shore habitats and enable local residents to use resources in a sustainable manner (Russ and Alcala 1999); the reserves also have been shown to increase fish biomass (figure 4). This template has been highly accepted by fishing communities, with local governments implementing ordinances under the Local Government Code, Fisheries Code, or the NIPAS Act. Such strong stakeholder involvement is an essential element of their success (White et al. 2002), and more than 600 MPAs have been established. A survey of 156 MPAs reported that 44.2% had good to excellent management (Alcala and Russ 2006). Ultimately, however, small and scattered MPAs, even if they are successful, cannot protect biodiversity and sustain fisheries nationally in the Philippines. Recognizing these limitations, there have been calls for larger programs to build upon the success of MPAs by integrating them into larger, more holistic coastal management programs (White et al. 2002, 2005). Understanding site- specific circumstances and adjusting to them can be key to an effective management plan, even for larger protected areas. An example of a tailored approach is the management of the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, a reef complex in the Sulu Sea and a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site. The unique characteristics of the park-its remote marine location, lack of inhabitants, tourism potential, and a stakeholder community composed of local and international fishing groups-require a high-level, dedicated collaboration among the governmental, nongovernmental, and private sectors. Activities of tourists and scuba divers, monitored to prevent damage, generate revenue to support the administration of the park. Management and protection measures, such as a ban on destructive fishing practices, have greatly improved living coral substrate cover (White et al. 2002) and restored the park's value as one of the last secure breeding and roosting areas for rare seabirds (Arne Erik Jensen, Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines, personal communication, 22 January 2008).

Figure 4. Mean number (left column for each year) and mean biomass (right columns, in kilograms) of large predatory reef fish per 1000 square meters in the Sumihn and Apo Reserves from 1983 to 1993. Number estimated by visual census. Sumilon Reserve had been protected from fishing for almost 10 years in 1983; protection in Apo Reserve began in 1982. Solid arrows indicate when fishing in Sumilon began (1984, 1992), and the open arrows indicate when fishing in the reserves ceased (1983, 1987). Source: Modified from Russ and Alcala (1999).

In Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park (MKRNP), the first area protected by law after the NIPAS Act, significant progress has been made to assemble elements of an effective social contract to protect biodiversity. The MKRNP, the ancestral domain of indigenous tribes, is part of a major watershed spanning several municipalities in the province of Bukidnon. It was critical to harmonize the interests of the DENR, local government units, NGOs, and indigenous peoples by involving them in the decision-making process regarding the park's management. The PAMB assisted tribes in establishing a Council of Elders to serve as advisers and representatives on the board (Saway and Mirasol 2004). There was a revival of traditional guards (Kitanglad Guard Volunteers), who, in addition to enforcing tribal justice systems, are instrumental in enforcing policies against prohibited acts in the park; moreover, they are front-runners in suppressing forest fires (Sumbalan 2001, Saway and Mirasol 2004). NGOs in the MKRNP promote sustainable livelihood systems (including tree planting in the buffer zones), which have led to a dramatic decline in violations committed inside the park (Catacutan et al. 2000). Such moves for community development enhance the awareness and foster the participation of people in surrounding areas beyond the park jurisdiction, helping to alleviate encroachment. The management experience in the MKRNP demonstrates that sensitivity, recognition of cultural tradition and local knowledge, strong enforcement, and flexibility to negotiate with various stakeholders can sustain many local initiatives (Sumbalan 2001).

The concept that communities themselves are often in the best position to manage and protect their resources is also the backbone of the government's social forestry initiatives. The community- based forest management program was adopted in 1995 as a strategy to achieve ecological stability and social equity. In this scheme, local communities are entrusted with the responsibility for forest rehabilitation, protection, and conservation. Tree planting can have various management goals, such as biodiversity protection, forest regeneration, and agroforestry. The right to use forest resources and the right to tenure security are intended to be incentives to plant trees and defend forestland against illegal logging (Lasco and Pulhin 2006).

Chokkalingam and colleagues (2006) reviewed forest rehabilitation in the Philippines and found that forest cover increased in 28 of 46 sites that had significantly reduced human pressures and continued maintenance and protection. Rehabilitation efforts, especially those in which mixed species are planted and undergrowth regeneration is allowed, appear to contribute to biodiversity enhancement and to increase faunal diversity (Chokkalingam et al. 2006, Lasco and Pulhin 2006). Forestry programs that are showing positive outcomes include sites at Alcoy in Cebu, the MakUing Forest Reserve in Laguna, an initiative of the local government unit in Nueva Vizcaya, and the Landcare movement on Mindanao (Chokkalingam et aL 2006, Lasco and Pulhin 2006). Forest area under plantation was reported to increase by 5% between 1990 and 2000 (WRI 2003). However, although considerable funding and effort have been expended, much uncertainty remains regarding the long-term survival and growth of plantations. In addition, their effectiveness for biodiversity conservation and their impacts on soil and water properties need to be evaluated.

Research and returns from the grave

The environmental movement in civil society has been paralleled in academia by renewed interest in biodiversity research. Studies in areas such as biogeography, systematics, and phylogenetics have greatly broadened understanding of processes that affect diversity in the archipelago. A search of three ISI Web of Knowledge databases (Biosis Previews, Web of Science, and Zoological Records) for the period 1985 to 2006 reveals an increasing number of publications pertaining to biodiversity and conservation (figure 5). Labors of frontline field researchers contribute considerably to knowledge of Philippine biota. Nearly a hundred new species of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians are currently being described; these descriptions are expected to increase tetrapod diversity and endemism by 8% and 50%, respectively (Lawrence R. Heaney, Field Museum, Chicago, personal communication, 21 October 2007; Rafe M. Brown, University of Kansas, Lawrence, personal communication, 7 October 2007; Angelo C. Alcala, Silliman University, Dumaguete City, Philippines, personal communication, 15 October 2007); even species as conspicuous as Rafflesia are still being discovered (Barcelona et al. 2006).

Along with the continuing discovery and descriptions of new species, there have also been exciting rediscoveries of species feared to have become extinct. As early as the 1900s, ornithologists noted that the island of Cebu had lost most of its original forest cover (Bankoff 2007). In 1959, a paper by Rabor reported the disappearance of the Cebu flowerpecker (Dicaeum quadricolor) and eight other avian subspecies endemic to the island. As the Cebu flowerpecker had not been recorded since 1906, it was considered extinct until its rediscovery in 1992 in a small patch of limestone forest at Tabunan (Dutson et al. 1993). Although clearance has reduced the size of Tabunan forest over the last 15 years, subsequent surveys have revealed the species' presence in other patches of forest, and conservation efforts on the island, such as those being undertaken by the Cebu Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, have been revived. Field surveys also unexpectedly uncovered populations of the Philippine bare-backed fruit bat (Dobsonia chapmani), a cave-dwelling species not recorded since 1964 despite intensive searches. In 2001, three of these bats were netted in an agricultural clearing at Carmen on Cebu (Paguntalan et al. 2004), and two years later, another five were found at Sipalay, on nearby Negros Island, in degraded karst habitat (Alcala et al. 2004). The Philippine parachute gecko Ptychozoon intermedium, described from a single specimen collected in 1912 that was destroyed during World War II, was found again in 1993 (Brown et al. 1997). Similarly, the Philippine forest turtle Siebenrockiella leytensis had been considered extinct from the island of Leyte for more than 80 years, until natural populations were found on Palawan (Diesmos et al. 2005).

A valuable lesson can be drawn from these rediscoveries: the uncritical acceptance of a species' extinction may lead researchers to give up on the species prematurely, and thus the assumption of its demise may become self-fulfilling (Collar 1998). The rediscoveries also underscore the value of basic biodiversity surveys. However, the state of deforestation in the Philippines means that these species, with their typically small populations, are for from out of danger of extinction and require urgent conservation action to ensure their survival. In addition, there are many other "lost" and poorly known species, and fieldwork is necessary to ascertain their status (WCSP 1997).

Figure 5. Number of publications on Philippine biodiversity and conservation obtained from searching three ISI Web of Knowledge databases (Biosis Previews, Web of Science, and Zoological Records).

Figure 6. Stability of Philippine bird species considered threatened in four global conservation assessments for the IUCN Red List (Collar and Andrew 1988, Collar et al. 1994, BirdLife International 2000, 2006). Bars indicate numbers of species considered threatened in a given assessment, with shading showing if they are also considered threatened in the preceding and following assessments (solid gray), no longer considered threatened in the subsequent assessment (black), newly considered threatened since the previous assessment (white), or considered threatened in neither the preceding nor the subsequent assessment (vertical stripes). As the amount and quality of biodiversity information increases, some evidence has emerged that certain endemic species are less extinction-prone than feared. For instance, some mammals are more abundant and widespread than previously thought (e.g., the Mindanao gymnure Podogymnura truet), and other mammals maintain good populations even in disturbed habitats, (e.g., the Philippine tarsier Tarsius syrichta and the Philippine flying lemur Cynocephalus volans) (WCSP 1997). Robust data for birds, however, show no consistent pattern in connection with the growth of knowledge about conservation status (figure 6). The first conservation status assessment of the world's birds listed 43 Philippine species as threatened (Collar and Andrew 1988). The second listed 86 (Collar et al. 1994), of which 26 were downlisted from threatened status by the third (BirdLife International 2000). Most of these changes involved new information; only two relate to genuine negative changes in status (Butchart et al. 2004)- increasing threat to the blue-winged racquet-tail Prioniturus verticalis in the early 1990s and to the Philippine duck Anas luzonica in the late 1990s. Since then, knowledge of the conservation status of Philippine birds appears to have stabilized, with 69 species considered threatened in the most recent assessment (BirdLife International 2006, IUCN 2006).

Networking conservation

Cooperative interactions between sectors involved in Philippine biodiversity conservation are on the rise. Echoing the participatory legislative framework, programs often seek to address various facets of conservation, and sharing of knowledge is now moving to the synthetic level. Researchers have drawn attention to previously overlooked biodiversity-rich areas for designation as protected areas, and their knowledge of faunistic and floristic distribution has been critical in pinpointing a comprehensive set of key biodiversity areas as priority targets for inclusion in the NIPAS (Mallari et al. 2001, Ci-Philippines et al. 2006). Organizations such as the World Agroforestry Centre are assessing the policy support, potentials, and constraints in current management arrangements to develop better environmental service payment schemes benefiting rural people with ecologically sound practices (Boquiren 2004).

One of the most important positive signs is the increasing number of professional scientists, conservationists, and volunteer groups that are actively promoting conservation education, research, and advocacy work. The Wildlife Conservation Society of the Philippines is a professional organization formed in 1992 to advance wildlife research and conservation in the country. Today, it has a diverse membership from academia, government, NGOs, and people's organizations (WCSP 1997). Participation in its yearly biodiversity symposium, which provides a unique forum for interaction across sectors, has grown steadily in attendance and membership (figure 7). The Philippine Association of Marine Science also holds a wellattended symposium on marine biology. Another pioneer organization is the Haribon Foundation (www.hanbon.org.ph), which started out as a bird-watching club in 1972 and is now one of the largest conservation NGOs in the country. More recently formed, the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (www.birdwatch.ph) is the country's first group to regularly conduct bird-watching activities in important bird areas, bringing thousands of urbanites in direct contact with avian biodiversity in native habitats.

Figure 7. Attendance at the annual symposium on biodiversity by the Wildlife Conservation Society of the Philippines.

Other sectors are also putting the environment on their agendas. Working for environmental media advocacy, Bantay Kalikasan is the environmental arm of the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation's sodocivic foundation. In addition to creating environmental themed series and broadcasting public service messages, Bantay Kalikasan has undertaken the rehabilitation of the La Mesa watershed, which supplies potable water to millions of residents in Metro Manila, the nation's capital. Similarly, the Center for Environmental Awareness and Education (www.ceae.org) is producing Filipino nature documentaries and training educators. Large companies, such as the Ayala Corporation, have created foundations for corporate social responsibility that support conservation efforts as well. The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism has published a sourcebook to encourage environmental reporting, recognizing that this is no longer a "soft" issue for the press (Severino 1998). With the private sector and media beginning to take environmental concerns more seriously, we can expect that more Filipinos will embrace biodiversity conservation.

Issues and challenges

Throughout this article, we have highlighted cases of positive progress attained through efforts to conserve the threatened biodiversity of the Philippines. Immense challenges and obstacles remain, however, and we discuss some of them in this section.

Political will is needed from the central government to enforce environmental laws. There is a need to harmonize and clarify policies and resolve inconsistencies or contradictions that create conflicts, such as overlapping responsibilities and a lack of coherency between environmental and economic strategies (Chokkalingam et al. 2006). Bureaucratic malpractice and pressure from politically influential commercial interests continue to undermine legislation (Utting 2000). Major threats to the environment, such as pollution and climate change, must be addressed at the national level, and so must poverty and overpopulation, which are the ultimate drivers of environmental exploitation.

Globalization has stimulated a large Philippine diaspora in recent decades, with roughly 9% to 10% of the national population now living or working outside of the country (Hugo 2007). International migration can result in a decline in rural populations and a reduction of local pressure on natural resources, as remittances from emigrants may provide nonagricultural income and reduce reliance on subsistence forming (Carr et al. 2005). However, the dynamics of emigration and environment hi the Philippines have not been evaluated, and the potential of remittances to be harnessed for community development has not been realized (Hugo 2007).

Effectiveness of community-based conservation depends to a large degree on adequacy of knowledge and capabilities of the communities (Utting 2000). Community organization and social preparation are essential for gaining support from the stakeholders and cultivating responsibility for resources (Utting 2000, Boquiren 2004, Alcala and Russ 2006). Stakeholders must be further empowered to plan, implement, enforce, and monitor their own programs (Sodhi et al. 2008). To be truly sustainable, community-based approaches must provide tangible benefits and be financially stable. Market support for sustainable-use practices and the products of social forestry is necessary, if these are to become viable, incomegenerating alternatives to direct exploitation (Chokkalingam et al. 2006).

Social forestry and rehabilitation can reduce pressures on remaining forests, but the establishment of well-managed nature reserves where biodiversity is high remains imperative. There is still a long way to go before the goals of the NIPAS Act are fully realized. Many parks are legally designated on paper, but resources allocated by the central government are insufficient to maintain them. The process of declaring protected areas remains cumbersome and protracted, and should be expedited for identified priority sites (Mallari et al. 2001, CI-Philippines et al. 2006). Other available instruments, such as designation of critical habitats as provided for by the Wildlife Act, should be harnessed. Full enforcement of even the most basic policies is lacking; for instance, illegal logging still takes place in national parks, often with the collusion of local officials (Vitug 1993). Finally, connecting smaller, community-managed protected areas into networks, such as incorporating MPAs into integrated coastal management programs, may enhance their overall value for biodiversity protection.

Scientific knowledge of Philippine biota has taken great steps forward in recent years; however, much remains to be learned. Basic biological information for many species is poor, and many areas still need to be surveyed. Moreover, the apparent ecological flexibility of some species, including rare endemics, indicates that attention should also be directed to degraded habitats. Scientists must become more involved in projects to better inform management plans and evaluate outcomes. Fostering collaborations with international organizations and developing strong links among institutions of learning would enrich the capability of local scientists and conservation workers to conduct biodiversity research. There is much untapped data in "gray literature" (Lacanilao 1997), and available information is poorly distributed to the wider community. In this regard, one resource that is underutilized is the Internet, which can serve as a powerful tool for data sharing.

Funding continues to be a limiting factor in conservation efforts at all scales, inhibiting the ability to sustain small but effective conservation projects and maintain the value of many larger protected areas. Continued support from the global conservation community .can have an enormous impact, especially for local initiatives whose costs are relatively low. Investments must be made over the long term because short timescales and "contractual culture" often produce ineffective and unsustainable results (Utting 2000). Alternative revenue-generating mechanisms must be actively explored and developed-for instance, prospects are good for scaling up payment schemes and markets for environmental services to finance the management of important biodiversity areas across the country (Boquiren 2004). Greater participation from the private sector should be fostered, not just through donations but also through genuine corporate social responsibility. Conclusions

It could be said that the Philippine environmental movement was born out of necessity. Greater environmental advocacy and changes in policy have coincided with the near destruction of essential habitats and ecosystems. Progress has been generally slow over the past three decades of active conservation efforts in the Philippines, and as measured by many quantitative indicators, such as a reduction in the number of threatened species or an increase in forest area, still feres poorly. However, significant developments have been made in other, less quantifiable areas, such as capacity building. Moreover, despite flaws and challenges, much knowledge has been gained, and mechanisms for resource management and biodiversity protection are now in place. Committed conservation groups can be found throughout the country, striving to salvage the hotspot from its precarious environmental position.

As the Philippines had done, other countries in Southeast Asia are pursuing economic progress at the expense of biodiversity (Sodhi et al. 2004). With a biodiversity crisis looming throughout the region, it is crucial to evaluate which strategies are effective in conserving species and habitats. In the Philippines, greater involvement, organization, and networking of the stakeholders from many sectors have resulted in encouraging trends for conservation. Ensuring the future of tropical ecosystems hinges on finding the balance between diverse and often conflicting interests; different contexts will require different solutions. Nevertheless, that positive progress has been made-despite immense obstacles-in a country seen as a worst-case scenario suggests that grounds for optimism remain for biodiversity conservation both in the Philippines and in tropical countries worldwide.

‘Zero waste’ against warming pushed
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0606&072008/nation03.html
By Jonathan L. Mayuga
Correspondent

GREEN groups have intensified the campaign against global warming with the resounding call to stop wasteful consumption and disposal to reverse the impact of climate change, which is now severely affecting the poorest of the poor in developing countries, including the Philippines.
Led by the waste and pollution watchdog EcoWaste Coalition and the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), environmental activists and participants from various schools, community and nongovernment organizations marked the World Environment Day at the historic Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila, Wednesday, pitching for a “zero-waste” approach in protecting the environment.
Film actress Chin-Chin Gutierrez, recognized by Time magazine as one of the “Asian Heroes” for her environmental advocacy, graced the event, holding a placard that says “Go Zero Waste for Zero Warming” next to a huge globe depicting a hurting planet.
“I hope that this timely activity will create a much-needed dent in the people’s environmental awareness and encourage our citizens, especially those who occupy critical posts in decision-making, to act with care and vigilance to trim down our climate footprint,” said Gutierrez, founding chairman and president of Alaga Lahat, a partner group of the EcoWaste Coalition and GAIA.
The dumping and burning of discards add to the warming of the planet, according to Manny Calonzo of EcoWaste Coalition and GAIA.
“Worse yet, by destroying materials that could be reused, recycled or composted, these dirty disposal practices drive a climate-changing cycle that demands new resources to be extracted, processed, transported, and dumped or burned in our communities,” Calonzo said.
The event coincided with the recent release in the US of Stop Trashing the Climate, a report published by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (Washington, D.C.), Eco-Cycle (Boulder, Colorado) and GAIA (Berkeley, California) that affirms zero waste as a top climate-protection strategy.
Stop Trashing the Climate documents the link between climate change and unsustainable patterns of consumption and wasting, dispels myths about the climate benefits of landfill- gas recovery and waste incineration, and offers a road map for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The report provides key policy recommendations such as setting up of local and national zero-waste targets, eliminating subsidies to waste disposal, and ending the practice of waste incineration. The report calls for an end to the practice of landfilling and incinerating biodegradable materials, thereby preventing potent greenhouse-gas emissions.
The main findings of the report include:
• Preventing waste and expanding reuse, recycling and composting programs—a combined approach known as “zero waste”—is one of the fastest, cheapest and most effective strategies we can use to protect the climate. It also offers at least 10 times the amount of jobs as landfilling and incineration.
• Landfills are huge emitters of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and the global-warming impact of these methane emissions in the short term are three times greater than reported by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
• Incinerators emit more carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour than coal-fired power plants and waste three to five times more energy than recycling conserves. This means that incinerating recyclable materials is akin to spending three to five units of energy to make one unit.
• Significantly reducing the amount of materials that we bury in landfills and burn in incinerators has climate benefits comparable to closing one-fifth of all US coal-fired power plants, the largest single source of greenhouse-gas emissions in the country.
• The one-way flow of materials from extraction, processing and consumption to disposal directly contributes to climate change. Waste disposal is linked to more than one-third of all US greenhouse-gas emissions; new resources must be continually extracted to replace those buried or burned.
The World Environment Day event in Plaza Miranda drew the participation of Alaga Lahat, Buklod Tao, Cavite Green Coalition, Concerned Citizens Against Pollution, Earth Renewal Project, Earth UST, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Health Care Without Harm, Krusada para sa Kalikasan, Mascomthea, Mother Earth Foundation, November 17 Movement, Sagip Pasig Movement and Sanib Lakas ng Inang Kalikasan

Green living

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/5929/dsc00761ra1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Now, more than ever, is global warming and all its evil sisters more apparent. Its mid-March and we're having rainshowers in the afternoon. Talk about weather with an attitude!

Green Cafe, a forum moderated by Greenpeace members, make it possible for people from all walks (and stages) of their lives to be environmentally aware and ultimately convinced to get down and dirty in their own little ways to make a positive impact for our surroundings.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5388/dsc00231gj2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Add to that the free solar Fair trade coffee they serve.
Ah, the best things in life.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080614-142712/UP-students-pedal-their-way-to-the-future

UP students pedal their way to the future
By Marlon Ramos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
06/14/2008

ON HER WAY TO CLASS LAST summer on the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City, Michiko Alcanzare’s attention was caught by the colorful wheel disks of a bicycle parked on the grounds of Palma Hall.

Curious, the Physics student approached the bike and saw the words “padyak.org” written on the wheel disks.

“I thought the design was really cool. I had a feeling that it was some kind of a bike-for-rent scheme,” she said.

When she logged onto the Internet to check the web site, Alcanzare found out that padyak.org was a recently launched project offering bikes as an alternative mode of transportation for UP students.

She signed on a few days later and became one of 16 students who participated in the project’s test run last April.

Dr. Filomin Gutierrez, an associate professor of the UP Department of Sociology and a former UP Mountaineer (UPM), said she and other ex-UPM members came up with the idea for the project during a reunion last December.

“We were drinking then at a post-Christmas party when a fellow UPM alumnus, Louie Cruz, suggested that we should start a bike-for-rent project as our contribution to the UP centennial anniversary,” she recalled.

“He was actually emotional when he said that it would be our legacy to the university,” Gutierrez said with a laugh.

“We thought the project was also a good way to mark our 20th anniversary as UPM members,” she added.

The group met a few days later to discuss the project details, this time, without downing any intoxicating beverages.

From the start, Gutierrez said they knew they were faced with a daunting task: Raising funds for the project which they aptly named “UP Padyak.”

After a few more meetings with other UPM members, the group was able to collect enough money for them to buy two reconditioned bicycles at a warehouse in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Later on, as more contributions came in, they were able to purchase 14 more bicycles—single-speed bikes from Japan with utility baskets mounted on the handlebars where students could place their bags and other belongings.

What makes Padyak’s bikes unique are the colorful designs on the wheel disks. Among those who designed the disks were Robert Alejandro and Ninoy Leyran. Renowned sculptor Eng Chan, meanwhile, designed a bike rack called “Lapis.”

The colorful disks—made of sintra boards—also carry slogans and messages about protecting the environment.

“The disks also contribute to the safety of the bikes,” Gutierrez said.

The group’s next task was to solicit the help of UP officials in designating a bike lane in the campus and the installation of bike racks in some of the colleges. They also asked the UP Security Brigade for help in guarding the bikes.

Aside from offering students an alternative transportation, the bike-for-rent project also promotes a healthy lifestyle and concern for the environment, Gutierrez said.

According to her, “While the whole world reels from skyrocketing prices of fuels, bikes offer us respite from rising fare costs, traffic and pollution.”

For just P500, students enrolled in any course in UP Diliman can rent a bike and use it for the whole semester. They also get a chain lock free of charge.

Gutierrez said interested students may go to their website, www.padyak.org, to fill up an application form.

Barely three months after the program launching, UP students have already warmed up to the idea of going around the campus on bikes, she added.

At present, the group has already rented out all of its 40 bicycles while around 100 students are on the wait list.

“We are really surprised by how this project was received by the students. Our website is swamped by applications of students,” she said.

She added that they have turned away several companies which have offered to sponsor the program.

“This was never meant to make money but to demonstrate that anything is possible if people come together,” she stressed.

Gutierrez said that although they have the money, they decided not to purchase additional bikes just now as they have yet to install bike racks in other buildings on the campus.

The group only has two bike stations—both located in Palma Hall.

Gutierrez, meanwhile, expressed hope that other universities and communities would adopt the bike project and implement it on their own campuses.

http://businessmirror.com.ph/06172008/headlines01.html

VAT-funded PUV subsidy set
By Mia M. Gonzalez
BusinessMirror
June 17, 2008

IGNORING questions about the legality of its sourcing funds for a slew of inflation-busting subsidies, Malacañang Palace Monday launched the latest in a series of programs funded by the initial proceeds of the value-added tax (VAT) on oil: a P1-billion loan assistance to convert public-utility vehicles (PUVs) into “green” means of transport.

The President launched Katas ng VAT: Pantawid Pasada at the 21st anniversary celebration of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) at the SM Mall of Asia. This subsidy, she said, would help shield PUV drivers and operators from soaring oil prices.

“From the Katas ng VAT and the Vehicle Pollution Control Fund, we are launching today a P1-billion fund to be loaned out to drivers of jeepneys and other public-utility vehicles so that they can convert their engines to run on LPG, CNG and other alternative fuels that are far cheaper than gasoline and diesel,” she said.

In explaining the move, which is part of a government scheme to use oil VAT proceeds to provide relief to sectors badly hit by high oil prices, the President said that “oil, like food prices, is a global issue that is beyond the control of the government, but we are giving targeted relief in terms of oil for those who need it most, and that is you, the drivers and operators of public-transport vehicles.”

She added: “Because of our robust economy, we can invest in our primary sectors to shield the poor from the impact of soaring prices of rice and oil. We have alloted P4 billion from the VAT on oil to fund different programs we call Katas ng Vat,” she said.

Under the scheme, the Department of Energy with the Departments of Science and Technology, of Trade and Industry and of Transportation and Communications, will oversee the conversion of PUVs to alternative fuels through an interest-free loan program that would cost each participant as little as P80 per day in repayment, Mrs. Arroyo said.

Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said there are two kinds of conversion, a full engine replacement costing P250,000 and another providing for a 30-percent conversion into LPG, which costs P70,000.

Mendoza claimed participants could save more than 50 percent in fuel costs, and would allow them to earn bigger profits—jeepneys that undertake the 30-percent conversion are estimated to generate an “additional P220 per day.”

This is why, he said, public transport groups were “pleased” with the program, enough to withdraw a fare- hike petition.

Mrs. Arroyo said in her speech that the government is targeting to provide loans for the conversion of 10,000 jeepneys, buses and taxis through the Development Bank of the Philippines and possibly through the Philippine Postal Savings Bank.

“Where else can you find a loan that would require you to pay only P80 per day for a P200,000 loan? And not only that. It is interest-free,” she said.

Unfazed by questions about the legality of the “Katas ng Vat” subsidy programs, Mrs. Arroyo enumerated other efforts she had launched in the past couple of weeks, beginning with the P2-billion subsidy for four million families consuming less than 100 kilowatt-hours every month or Katas ng Vat: Pantawid Kuryente; and the Katas ng Vat Para sa Estudyante, a P1-billion fund divided equally between scholarships and student loans.

“We will tirelessly pursue efforts to respond to the challenges brought about by the global economic slowdown and high oil and food prices. This has dealt a heavy blow on the poor. . . so the government will do all it can to sustain our economic gains,” she said.

Palace officials defended the subsidies against allegations that they are illegal since they were not authorized by Congress.

“There’s definitely justification for the Palace to undertake such measures. . . . My initial take is Malacañang has the full authority to be able to undertake these projects,” said Press Secretary Jesus Dureza, who embarked on his new job that day.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said in a statement that Mrs. Arroyo “acted within the powers afforded the Executive.”

She acted “in response to the needs of our poorest of the poor. This is a concrete measure undertaken by the President. We responded to the need of the times and brought relief to the people. It may be best for all concerned to think of ways to help alleviate our people’s continued suffering brought about by the world financial, fuel and food crisis,” Fajardo said.

^^ I think this is a good move, Definitely. We don't see Taxi drivers clamoring for far hikes right now cause most are already running on LPG. The critics can criticize all they want, but they haven't proposed as far reaching solutions as malacanang, in fact they haven't a solution to offer at all.

Save Mt. Kanlaon trees, Atienza urged (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080622-144104/Save-Mt-Kanlaon-trees-Atienza-urged)

Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines--Green activists have asked Environment Secretary Lito Atienza to recall a permit allowing the cutting of more than 4,000 trees in Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park in Negros Occidental to make way for a geothermal project.

"He should recall the permit," Rustico Biñas, a member of the Save the Mt. Kanlaon Coalition, said in an interview. "It's our moral obligation to stop cutting trees."

Atienza could not be reached for comment Saturday.

The coalition has fiercely opposed the geothermal project of the Philippine National Oil Co.-Energy Development Corp., and warned that the cutting of trees could be the start of the park's destruction.

The park used to have a 24,000-hectare forest cover but only 9,000 hectares of that now remain, according to Biñas.

"We will not only be cutting down trees but we'll be endangering the flora and fauna, and then of course the clean water sources," he said.

The PNOC-EDC is set to cut down 4,213 trees in a 12.5-hectare site in the park preparatory to the construction of roads and other infrastructure, according to the coalition.

The 12.5 hectares are part of a 169-hectare buffer zone allotted to the PNOC-EDC for its geothermal exploration under Republic Act No. 9154, or the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park Act, it said.

The provincial board of Negros Occidental approved in May the company's entry into the buffer zone.

The PNOC-EDC has vowed to plant trees in the project site in the face of strong opposition from environmentalists, the Church and civil society groups. This was a condition set by the provincial board for the firm's entry into the buffer zone.

The Northern Negros Geothermal Power Development Project hopes to generate at least 40 megawatts of electricity to supply the power needs of the province and nearby Panay island.
TJ Burgonio

Isn't mt kanlaon a national park???? If not, they should've designated it a national park when it had a 24000 hectare forest cover.

Environmentalist Luli Arroyo makes mama proud

By Juliet Labog-Javellana
Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/news/view/20080625-144629/Environmentalist-Luli-Arroyo-makes-mama-proud)
First Posted 07:16:00 06/25/2008

WASHINGTON, DC (VIA PLDT)—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was a picture of a proud mother as she talked about her only daughter’s involvement in conservation work at a conference of environmental groups.

The President’s busy schedule in Washington included a luncheon with the Coral Triangle Initiative, a multilateral network that includes the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Island and Timor Leste, at the Willard InterContinental Hotel here on Monday.

She shared the table in the front of the hall with Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, World Wildlife Fund CEO Carter Roberts, The Nature Conservancy acting CEO Stephanie Meeks and other officials, while her daughter Evangeline (Luli) sat at the last table.

Ms Arroyo said she was “thrilled at this meeting.”

“At a time when so many things seem to be going wrong in the world, this event demonstrates what is going right,” she said.

“We have men and women from all walks of life and organizations, public, private and governmental coming together to make the world a better place.

“We believe in the Coral Triangle Initiative, and not just because our daughter Luli—seated over there—is a dedicated environmentalist and works for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).”

Ms Arroyo said she also had the deep conviction that environment conservation should not take a back seat to economic development.

“There is no reason that job creation and a good, sound, clean environmental policy cannot coexist. The Coral Triangle Initiative is proof positive that the sustainable environmental model is not only possible; it is also necessary and we are going to make sure it happens,” she said.

The President again expressed a mother’s pride in her child:

“We are proud of what we are trying to do today here. And on a personal note, I’m deeply proud that Luli has sought to spend her gifts working with the WWF and making sure she preserves God’s gift of the Coral Triangle, a perpetual blessing for the peoples of the region and the world.”

The Arroyo family is in full force here for the President’s trip. Aside from Luli, she is accompanied by her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, their sons, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo and Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado Arroyo, daughters-in-law and grandchildren.

Back to The Wild
By Bob on Jun 25, 2008 in Feature

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/6782/tinuyanbacktothewildtx0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9513/tinuyanpecqy6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Tinuy-an

Back to the Wild. Tinuy-an, a young female Philippine Eagle, was set free in the Mt. Kitanglad Natural Park in Sumilao, Bukidnon and marked a record of being the first Philippine eagle who underwent the process of
translocation. Tinuy-an was rescued from the forests of Bislig City in March 2007 and was rehabilitated at the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City. She was released back to the wild in Sumilao as a safe alternative
than dispersing the young eagle elsewhere.Jayson Ibanez, Philippine Eagle Foundation


http://mindanao.com/blog/?p=3882
.

http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW070208/content.php?id=006

E-Jeepneys start plying Makati routes
BusinessWorld
July 2, 2008

MAKATI BUSINESS district commuters worried about the environment can now salve their consciences by using electric-powered jeepneys.

Launched yesterday, the 14-seater E-jeepneys aim to help mitigate climate change while addressing problems such as air pollution, solid waste, and rising oil prices.

"After a long period of waiting we are very happy that E-jeepneys have now been given the green light to ply commercial routes first in the city of Makati," Green Renewable Independent Power Producer (GRIPP) chairperson Athena Ballesteros said.

GRIPP seeks to promote renewable energy in the country via the replacement of traditional and "dirty" sources.

With only four vehicles currently operating, the E-jeepneys’ environmental benefit are minuscule at the moment. Authorities plan to add more, and officials are even offering them for sale to private owners.

Rides on the four E-jeepneys will be free for two weeks until the Land Transportation and Franchising Board issues a fare matrix.

Officials said the fares would likely be lower than the minimum P8 charged those riding a diesel-fed jeepney.

The Makati routes the E-jeepneys will run are:

In Salcedo Village, Dela Costa St. turning right to Makati Ave., right to Paseo De Roxas, right to Villar St., left to Leviste St., left to Rufino St., right to Ayala Ave. and right to Dela Costa.

In Legaspi Village: Salcedo St. turning right to VA Rufino St., left to Adelantado St., left to Gamboa St., left to Salcedo, left to Benavidez St., left to Paseo De Roxas, right to Legaspi St., left to Dela Rosa St., and left to Salcedo.

The E-jeepney needs to be charged some eight to ten hours, with a full battery expected to last for three days or a maximum of 65 kilometers. It can be plugged to a conventional electric outlet which would cost the owner around P200 per charge or some P60 per day.

E-jeepney proponents said this would be much cheaper than the P400 required to run a diesel-fed unit for 65 kilometers.

Not just for public transport

The E-jeepney will also be available to anyone who wants to shift to "green" cars. "Anyone can avail of it, it can be used by private owners, as a school service, among many others," GRIPP’s Ms. Ballesteros said.

"I actually have friends and some family members who want to buy one because they are thrilled by the idea," she added.

A brand new E-jeepney costs around P550,000 to P595,000.

After Makati, the E-jeepney will also be launched in the cities of Puerto Princesa, Bacolod, and Baguio as a public utility vehicle.

The E-jeepney was developed by Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (MVPMAP). Except for the electric motor, powertrain, steering, and brake components which were imported, the body, chassis, and batteries are all made by local firms.

The MVPMAP projects that 771 million liters or 4.8 million barrels of oil can be saved by the country if all 260,000 public jeepneys are replaced by E-jeepneys.

Waste management

The E-jeepney project is an offshoot of GRIPP’s The Climate Friendly Cities program which aims to promote both sustainable transport and waste management initiatives.

The components are a fleet of electric jeepneys, a depot that will serve as charging station, maintenance, and project information center, and a power plant consisting of a generator and a biodigester. The biodigester will use organic waste to produce biogas than can be used to power electricity generators.

The three pilot areas of Makati, Bacolod and Puerto Princesa are in the process of developing and building their respective biogas plants with help from Philippine Bio Sciences Co. The biodigester will further decrease the cost of running the E-jeepney, Ms. Ballesteros noted.

She said GRIPP is developing a program to provide drivers a loan to buy an E-jeepney, in cooperation with the local government units.

Environment friendly

Energy Management and Utilization Bureau chief Mario C. Marasigan said the E-jeepney was a good alternative for public vehicles.

"It does not have emissions, and electricity in the country is not increasing as much as fuel," he told BusinessWorld.

The project is also supported by the international environmental organization Greenpeace.

"Given skyrocketing fossil fuel prices and the imminent threat of dangerous climate change caused largely by fossil fuels, innovations such as the E-jeepney, which promote renewable energy solutions, should be the technology of choice of developing countries like ours,"

Greenpeace Southeast Asia Executive Director Von Hernandez said.

"The Philippines stands to lose opportunities with the current oil crisis, and we stand to lose even
more lives and livelihoods with the onset of severe climate change impacts," he added.

Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner Jasper Inventor claimed that a diesel-fed jeepney emits 42 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions each day.

We decode the well-intentioned if baffling array of eco-jargon and symbols

By Louise Waterson

Alternative energy – is a term applied to energy sources that create less environmental damage than fossil fuels, such as wind, flowing water, solar energy and biomass, which is derived from organic matter that’s been photosynthesised.

Biodegradable – describes anything that decomposes into harmless compounds. It’s Mother Nature’s simple yet effective way of tidying up. You can think of it as the ultimate “hands-free” vacuum cleaner.

Biofuels – are eco-friendly alternatives to petrol, diesel and LPG gas made from not-so-long-ago living plants or animals, or manure.

Bright green – is a term that celebrates positive thinking and technology. It holds that future technological breakthroughs will one day, hopefully sooner rather than later, make our lives more comfortable and our habits more energy efficient.

Carbon footprint – is the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) we release into the atmosphere by living our everyday lives: doing things like driving to work, drying clothes – in fact, it encompasses everything from the shoes we wear to the books we read.

Carbon neutral – describes a balancing act, and one we’re encouraged to do each time we create carbon dioxide emissions. It’s based on the idea that when you create carbon emissions, you should also do something that cancels out their negative effects, such as planting a tree to absorb the CO2 your holiday trip pumped out. Think of it as giving back a little of what you’ve taken.

Carbon offsetting – involves making green investments that compensate for any unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions you create, for instance when you fly overseas, drive to the supermarket in your car or buy new furniture for your home. Think of it as a way to buying your way to being carbon neutral – and at the same time assuaging your conscience. Popular offsetting enterprises include planting trees and developing renewable energy sources.

Compost – is Mother Nature’s clever way of recycling. The work that goes on inside the average compost bin is amazing. Tiny micro-organisms that live in the bin chew up everyday organic materials, such as vegie scraps, grass cuttings and manure, turning each into a substance called humus. The resulting compost can be used as fertiliser to condition soil. Perfect for the garden.

Compact fluorescent bulbs – are different from the light bulbs we’re been using for decades because they use less energy and last much longer.

Dark green – is a term for the doomsayers in our midst who expect the future to be much like the Middle Ages, where electricity was non-existent, food was grown locally and transport was by good old foot power.

Desalination – is all about removing salt – either from water for drinking or from soil for better farming.

Ecologically sustainable development – is development that’s good for today and doesn’t create ecological problems for future generations, whose needs are just as important as our own.

Energy efficient – simply refers to a process or device that uses as little energy as possible to perform a function. For instance, pedal-powering to work using your legs as an energy source is more energy efficient than a large petrol-guzzling car.

Environmental footprint – is your personal impact on the world around you. We each have an environmental footprint – it’s the amount of resources we use and the waste we generate.

Fairtrade - This movement promotes self-sufficiency for small farmers and producers and greater equity in the global market, but also has an environmental focus. Products featuring the label use techniques such as shade cultivation (which is better for soil) and composting instead of pesticides. For a product to display the Fairtrade mark, it must meet standards set by the Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International.

Fossil fuels – are the organic remains of plants and animals, such as coal, oil and natural gas, which once burned can be turned into energy.

Global warming – is the increase in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation due to a build-up of…

Greenhouse gases – are natural gases and vapours that trap the sun’s heat in the atmosphere. They include water vapour, CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, halogenated fluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorinated carbons.

Green shopping – is more fun than it sounds. It means being a discerning shopper by looking at the labels and choosing to buy things that are eco-friendly, organic, Fairtrade and/or recycled.

Hybrid car – if you want to show the world that you’re serious about the environment and have the money to prove it, then this is for you. Models combine a petrol or diesel engine with a propulsion system powered from rechargeable energy storage, to achieve better fuel economy than a conventional car and much lower emissions.

The Kyoto Protocol – is an international treaty designed to limit global greenhouse gas emissions.

eWaste – is what’s left behind at the side of the road – when we upgrade to better TVs, PCs or mobile phones.

Organic food – is a crop grown with only the assistance of a watchful farmer or producer who doesn’t use chemical pesticides, artificial fertilisers or genetic modification. Chickens, pigs, sheep and cattle that are reared in organic conditions feed off non-pesticide grains and grass and aren’t given antibiotics or growth hormones.

Retrofitting – is what you’re doing when you decide to install renewable-energy gadgets in your house or workplace. In terms of your eco-conscience, it’s the perfect tonic.

The greenhouse effect – is the rise in the earth’s temperature that occurs when atmospheric gases such as water vapour, CO2 and methane trap energy from the sun. The name comes from an analogy with the warming of air inside a greenhouse compared to the air outside the greenhouse. The earth’s average surface temperature is about 33C warmer than it would be without the greenhouse effect. Trouble is, human activities are ramping up the thermostat.


http://www.readersdigest.com.au/content/the-meaning-of-green/

Japanese firms form RP vehicle for clean dev’t projects

By Zinnia B. Dela Peña
Thursday, July 17, 2008
The Philippine Star


Japanese firms Itochu Corp. and Dowa Eco-System Co. Ltd. have formed a joint venture company in the Philippines to serve as the corporate vehicle for its proposed clean development mechanism (CDM) project.

The new company, IDES Corp., has already been issued a corporate license by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Initially capitalized at P130 million, IDES is owned 51 percent by Itochu while the remaining 49 percent is held by Dowa.

The project is expected to generate CER (certified emission reduction) by reducing greenhouse gases through the capture and combustion of methane from swine manure treatment in the Philippines.

This is the first CDM project for both companies and is expected to generate about 150,000 tons of CER annually from 2009 by the installation of methane recovery systems at swine farms near Manila. IDES will conclude contractual agreements with pig farms in the vicinity of Manila before establishing methane collection facilities.

The CER generated by the project will be sold to Japanese buyers and to Itochu and Dowa for their own use.

Itochu and Dowa hope to expand the range of contracted farms in the Philippines and implement this project in other Asian countries to contribute to the middle and long-term efforts by the Japanese government to combat global warming.

Methane is a relatively potent greenhouse gas with a high global warming potential of 72 (averaged over 20 years) or 25 (averaged over 100 years). While it is not toxic, methane is highly flammable and may form explosive mixtures with air. Methane is violently reactive with oxidizers, halogens and some halogen-containing compounds.

With this CDM project, tent-like structures will be erected over the animal waste treatment ponds and the methane produced by fermentation will be collected and burned effectively. In this way, Itochu and Dowa will reduce the escape of methane into the atmosphere, thereby creating CERs that can be exchanged for the right to discharge greenhouse gases.

Founded in 1858, Itochu has evolved and grown over 150 years into a sogo shosha, engaging in domestic trading, import/export, and overseas trading of various products such as textiles, machinery, information and communications-related products, metals, products related to oil and other energy sources, general merchandise, chemicals, and provisions and food.

Itochu has also invested in insurance agencies, finance, construction, real estate trading, and warehousing as well as operations and businesses incidental or related to those fields.



* * * * *



from wikipedia

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is an arrangement under the Kyoto Protocol allowing industrialised countries with a greenhouse gas reduction commitment to invest in projects that reduce emissions in developing countries as an alternative to more expensive emission reductions in their own countries. A crucial feature of an approved CDM carbon project is that it has established that the planned reductions would not occur without the additional incentive provided by emission reductions credits, a concept known as "additionality".

Freed Philippine Eagle Kagsabua killed in Mt. Kitanglad (http://www.mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4753&Itemid=106)
Walter I. Balane/MindaNews
Thursday, 17 July 2008 08:55

MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/16 July) -- Three-year-old Philippine Eagle "Kagsabua" was killed by a local airgun shooter near the village where he was released just four months ago inside the Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park, an environment official said.

Felix Mirasol, community environment and natural resource officer, confirmed to MindaNews Wednesday that witnesses have identified the culprit described as a young man who failed to attend information drive on the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi).

Mirasol is also the superintendent of the Mt. Kitanglad Protected Area.

Kagsabua was last sighted on July 7 and was known to be missing between July 8 and 10, Mirasol said. He said a search operation was immediately launched.

On July 12, he said, the satellite transmitter gadget attached to the eagle’s body was found buried at least six inches in the bank of creek.

No carcass was found, but Mirasol said feathers identified to be of the eagle were found near the gadget. Walter Yabunan, head of the Kitanglad Porters Association, also reported recovery on July 15 of two avian feet believed to have belonged to Kagsabua.

Mirasol said he ordered a "full blown investigation" on July 14.

Mirasol quoted Celestinano Yabunan, head of the Kitanglad Guard Volunteers (KGV), as saying on Wednesday that three witnesses are signing an affidavit that they saw a man, whose name was not made available as of press time, shot and ate the male eagle in La Fortuna village, next to Lupiagan, where the eagle was released by officials of the Philippine Eagle Foundation and other government and community officials in March this year. :ohno:

Mirasol vowed to pursue the suspect for violating the country's Wildlife Conservation Act. But he admitted they were distraught about the "unfortunate" incident, saying it is a setback to local efforts to conserve the Philippine Eagle and its habitat.

He said it is embarrassing for environment officials and those who contributed in the environmental campaign. "We have claimed that that we have responsible people and that the park is well managed and then this thing happened," he added.

"But this will not stop us from releasing more eagles into Mt. Kitanglad. It just shows we are only halfway in the campaign. We fell short," Mirasol told MindaNews via telephone.

He said they were scheduled to report on Kagsabua's improvements in a meeting on July 24. He added they had good plans about using the eagle as a tourist attraction to improve conservation efforts.

Mirasol noted that they have decided to improve educational and information campaign on the conservation of the Philippine Eagle, and that they would go on one-to-one "interpersonal" campaign with the residents.

Mirasol said they have decided to use the transmitter on Tinuy-an, a female eagle released recently to accompany Kagsabua.

He said KGV officials identified the man as "someone who failed to attend their information drive on the Philippine Eagle".

Kagsabua was shot and captured in 2006. He was brought to the PEF site in Calinan, Davao City until he was released back to his home at Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park.

As of March, the 4.7-kilogram blue-eyed eagle had a wingspan of two meters.

Kagsabua was among the eagle raptors in the world that had blue eyes.

Kagsabua, born in the wild but rehabilitated at the Philippine Eagle Center, was trained against possible electrocution prior to his release. The eagle Kabayan, the first eagle born and bred in captivity and freed to the wild in 2004, died from electrocution nine months later.

Philippine eagle "Kabayan,” Asia’s first captive-bred eagle was released to the wild on Earth Day. April 22, 2004 and died on January 8, 2005. The Philippine Eagle Foundation’s press statement on January 11, said Kabayan may have perched on an electric post and electrocuted.

"We are very much saddened over this development. A proper site suitability assessment has been undertaken by the PEF, endorsed by the Mount Apo Protected Area Management Board and approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. We have done the best we could to prepare Kabayan for its life in the wild, but by the very nature of this exercise, it is not possible for us to control all elements in nature and predict nor direct the bird's behavior," the foundation said in its statement.

Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park where Kagsabua was freed, covers 28 barangays in the towns of Lantapan, Impasugong, Sumilao, Libona, Manolo Fortich, Baungon, Talakag and Malaybalay City. The park's highest peak, Mt. Dulang-dulang, is the country's second highest peak after Mt. Apo. (Walter I. Balane / MindaNews)

^^ tsk tsk tsk, how moronic.

kill that man! blue-eyed eagle? KILL AND EAT THAT MAN

:down:....:guns1:...:gunz:.....:skull:

Make him sorry for his cruel deed by requiring him to publicly apologize and campaign all over the country for the protection and conservation of the Philippine Eagle. Sya na rin mag-finance ng trip nya. His activities to be closely monitored by the Phil Eagle Foundation.

EDC vows to preserve Mt Kanlaon’s biodiversity
By Donnabelle L. Gatdula
Monday, July 21, 2008

The Lopez-owned Energy Development Corp. has vowed to preserve the ecosystem and to maintain the biodiversity of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP).

This as various environmentalists threatened to seek legal remedies to stop EDC from entering the MKNP to continue its drilling activities for the Northern Negros geothermal Power Project.

Green Watch Philippines spokesman Donato Flordeliza Jr. told reporters over the weekend that they are seeking a 15-week moratorium before EDC enters the park to discuss alternative solutions to the power problem of Negros Occidental aside from the NNGPP.

“We have requested for a 15-week moratorium of the project so we can beef up entry of investments from foreign investors so we do not have to use government resources to find an answer to the province’s power shortage,” Flordeliza said.

Flordeliza said if the call for the halting of the project will not be heeded, they would be forced to file a temporary restraining order (TRO) against EDC.

A group of Filipino-American investors, Flordeliza said, has signified interest to put up a wind power project in Negros which could be a better option than NNGPP.

“This project will not call for any extensive damage of our forest. We cannot just sacrifice our environment just to have power. There are other alternative power sources that we could tap like wind power,” he said.

EDC has been given a go signal by the local government of Negros Occidental to enter the MKNP prompting environmentalists to revive their opposition to the project.

Negros Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with EDC last July 17 for the implementation of the company’s comprehensive environmenta and watershed management plan for the buffer zone.

The plan, based on EDC’s 32-year experience in environment management and geothermal technology, was approved way back in 2007 by the Mt. Kanlaon Park board.

EDC president and CEO Paul Aquino has given his assurance that EDC will live up to its commitment to comply with the strict conditions that were stipulated in the MOA.

To start the project, EDC has already established a nursery in Bago City that has 14 premium endemic species including the first almagica plantation in the Philippines.

Since it started operating in February 2007, the Northern Negros Geothermal Production Field has been sourcing its power outside the Mt. Kanlaon buffer zone.

The Mt. Kanlaon Park Act of 2001 or Republic Act 9154 has allocated a buffer zone for geothermal development but the company has delayed the use of the buffer zone for as long as it could .

EDC tried to extract all of the power from outside the buffer zone but adverse reactions in the geothemal reservoir were observed after one year of operation.

The EDC had already poured in some P7 billion to P 8 billion for the development of the NNGPP.

Due to the difficulty in entering the Mt Kanlaon Park, EDC was able to produce only 15 to 18 MW from expected 49 MW capacity of the NNGPP.

“The decline in steam production was assessed to be due to the clogging of the wells by calcite minerals found in the current geothermal field,” Aquino said.

Aquino said the clogging prevents the wells from releasing the steam from its very source underneath the earth. Calcification is a technical problem that is not attributable to or within the reasonable control of EDC.

Source (http://philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2008072022)

with those 2 incidents the deaths of Kabayan & Kasagbua , it's futile to release the eagles in the wild .

Avoiding the tradeoff

By Cielito Habito
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:10:00 07/20/2008



THIS WEEK, Davao City plays host to a meeting of eminent representatives from various countries in the Asia-Pacific region comprising the Asia-Pacific Forum on Environment and Development (APFED). The group was established in 2001 at the annual Environment Congress for Asia and the Pacific (Eco-Asia), and through the years has sought to make tangible contributions to the pursuit of sustainable development in the region.

The concept of sustainable development has been around for decades, and has been the subject of countless summits, conferences, seminars and workshops all around the world. In spite of this, too many people still think that protecting the environment gets in the way of pursuing development, and hence there is a distinct tradeoff between the two. But sustainable development advocates have long argued that environment and development could and should go hand-in-hand with each other.

Building a zoo?

Not too long ago, I had occasion to interview key officials of the six countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion, which apart from Thailand and China are mostly still in a relatively underdeveloped state. My mission was to help these countries draw up their national strategies for sustainable development. It turned out that their biggest impediment was the still common view that development was synonymous with economic growth. One planning official candidly told us of a Cabinet discussion wherein the environment minister's concerns over the adverse impacts on biodiversity of certain development projects were roundly dismissed with the sarcastic admonition that the government was trying to build its economy, not build a zoo.

If development is not economic growth, then what is it? The United Nations defines development as the expansion of human choices. Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has defined it simply as freedom--indeed, the freedom to choose, and the widening of such choice. As such, it goes well beyond making the economy grow by producing more goods and services. It also implies permitting the economy to continue doing so indefinitely into the future. The most popular definition of sustainable development is the one adopted by the Brundtland Commission in 1987: It is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It is, in other words, development wherein environment and development mutually support each other.

Policy and actions

In its earlier phase, APFED brought together the collective wisdom and experience of its eminent members led by the late former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to influence policies and directions coming out of international discussions, and country commitments made therein. This it sought to do by issuing a message to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, and submitting a comprehensive report to the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific in 2005. APFED now focuses on fostering policy dialogues, expanding knowledge and encouraging concrete initiatives for sustainable development within countries of the region. The last is done through the annual Ryutaro Hashimoto APFED Awards for Good Practices and the APFED Showcase Program, which grants financial support to innovative initiatives for promoting sustainable development in the region.

One of the winners of the Hashimoto Award this year, and doing the whole country proud, is the municipality of Santo Tomas in Davao del Norte for its Ecological Solid Waste Management Program--making it quite fitting that this year's APFED meeting is taking place in nearby Davao City. Sto. Tomas shares honors with projects from Nepal, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India and China.

Win-win

The APFED meeting will also discuss ways to move the regional action agenda forward on climate change and protection of agro-biodiversity. Former DENR Secretary Bebet Gozun and UP Professor Dr. Perry Ong, both multi-awarded environmentalists, will lead off the APFED discussions on these topics, which have become timely and urgent concerns in the context of surging oil and food prices worldwide. As an archipelagic country composed of more than 7,000 islands, we are particularly vulnerable to climate change, and must take deliberate efforts to mitigate it as well as adapt to it. At the same time, we are also recognized to be among the countries with the richest biodiversity in the world--something that we cannot permit human economic activities to undermine and destroy, as the same biodiversity sustains much of our economic activities for everyone's benefit.

APFED's aim is to highlight that development is in fact served by protecting the environment, and that it is in everyone's interest to ensure that one is not promoted at the expense of the other. In hosting the APFED meeting this year, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the City of Davao seek to demonstrate that the Philippines in general, and Davao City in particular, commit to the pursuit of this win-win approach, and protection of the interests of generations of Filipinos yet to come.

Comments welcome at chabito@ateneo.edu

http://business.inquirer.net/money/columns/view/20080720-149642/Avoiding-the-tradeoff

^^ that's very good news ( i mean the APFED) . let's help in our own small ways. i usually bring my own small plastic bag for somethings that i buy. i would often ask the saleslady if they can just give me the receipt and i will just put the good in my bag so i can minimize the use of plastic bags. in one of the catholic store (st paul/pauline) in our city, i went there at one time to buy a mag for my friend. i told the salelady not to wrap the mag in plastic wrapper because it would destroy the environment. and when i went back to that store several months later to buy the candle holder which i want to use to decorate my room. i discovered that they are already wrapping the goods in brown paper. but still i think paper would still be a waste of our resources, so i often ask them to just give me the receipt and i place the goods in my bag. it's my small way of helping us save the earth.

Thank you for helping raise awareness on the need to prevent EDC from cutting more than 4,000 trees inside the Mt. Kanlaon buffer zone.

^^ that's very good news ( i mean the APFED) . let's help in our own small ways. i usually bring my own small plastic bag for somethings that i buy. i would often ask the saleslady if they can just give me the receipt and i will just put the good in my bag so i can minimize the use of plastic bags. in one of the catholic store (st paul/pauline) in our city, i went there at one time to buy a mag for my friend. i told the salelady not to wrap the mag in plastic wrapper because it would destroy the environment. and when i went back to that store several months later to buy the candle holder which i want to use to decorate my room. i discovered that they are already wrapping the goods in brown paper. but still i think paper would still be a waste of our resources, so i often ask them to just give me the receipt and i place the goods in my bag. it's my small way of helping us save the earth.


^^ very admirable and inspiring SirBukid :okay:

Let it be clarified, however, that GreenWatch founder and chairman Don Flordeliza asked for a 15 month moratorium, not 15 weeks.

Since 1993, EDC had spent 15 years on the project and produced nothing. GreenWatch Phils. is symbolically calling for a 15 months moratorium, one month for every year.

Within that period, EDC would still be exploring for a precise geothermal site. They will not be producing any electricity by then, but they would have already cut more than 4,000 trees!

Well within that period, a more environmental friendly windmill farm would have already been fully erected in one or more cinducive places in the province, and electricity would already be produced. The wind mills are already available any time and can be shipped in a matter of two months!

Furthermore, there is a group of businessmen in California, led by a multi-warded Filipino scientist, who is willing to put up an independent power producing firm in Negros using windmills, and sell the electricity they produce back to the grid. This they will do as a matter of investment, at the risk of their own monet and at NO COST on the part of the goverment.

And 4,000 trees need not be cut from Mt. Kanlaon...

b'z2;22984210"]^^ very admirable and inspiring SirBukid :okay:

i have to do this if i want the mountains to remain green. yes, call me "green-minded". i'm proud of it. :) and please don't call me "Sir", i'm not a teacher. ;)

Let it be clarified, however, that GreenWatch founder and chairman Don Flordeliza asked for a 15 month moratorium, not 15 weeks.

Since 1993, EDC had spent 15 years on the project and produced nothing. GreenWatch Phils. is symbolically calling for a 15 months moratorium, one month for every year.

Within that period, EDC would still be exploring for a precise geothermal site. They will not be producing any electricity by then, but they would have already cut more than 4,000 trees!

Well within that period, a more environmental friendly windmill farm would have already been fully erected in one or more cinducive places in the province, and electricity would already be produced. The wind mills are already available any time and can be shipped in a matter of two months!

Furthermore, there is a group of businessmen in California, led by a multi-warded Filipino scientist, who is willing to put up an independent power producing firm in Negros using windmills, and sell the electricity they produce back to the grid. This they will do as a matter of investment, at the risk of their own monet and at NO COST on the part of the goverment.

And 4,000 trees need not be cut from Mt. Kanlaon...

are you connected to GreanPeace? hope more investors like will do the the same in other areas in the Philippines . so how much does it cost to set up windmills say in Negros province ? are you planning to put it on the beach or off shore?

^^ that's very good news ( i mean the APFED) . let's help in our own small ways. i usually bring my own small plastic bag for somethings that i buy. i would often ask the saleslady if they can just give me the receipt and i will just put the good in my bag so i can minimize the use of plastic bags. in one of the catholic store (st paul/pauline) in our city, i went there at one time to buy a mag for my friend. i told the salelady not to wrap the mag in plastic wrapper because it would destroy the environment. and when i went back to that store several months later to buy the candle holder which i want to use to decorate my room. i discovered that they are already wrapping the goods in brown paper. but still i think paper would still be a waste of our resources, so i often ask them to just give me the receipt and i place the goods in my bag. it's my small way of helping us save the earth.

i have to do this if i want the mountains to remain green. yes, call me "green-minded". i'm proud of it. :) and please don't call me "Sir", i'm not a teacher. ;)


b'z2;22984210"]^^ very admirable and inspiring SirBukid :okay:

yeah that's a good work bukid sometimes i forget or unconsiously forgot such wasteful little things .

anyway can we create a thread " our own little way of saving our planet"? para naman conscious tayo after/before logging in SCC di ba? we can do it seriously everyday di ba?

i have to do this if i want the mountains to remain green. yes, call me "green-minded". i'm proud of it. :) and please don't call me "Sir", i'm not a teacher. ;)

^^ "Sir" was meant to underscore my admiration (call it respect, also :)) for your "green-mindedness", which is worth emulating :cheers2:

the story that you shared inspired moi to do my part and be as "green-minded" as you are ;)

SSC_Phil could organize a tree-planting activity in the future. i was able to participate in one such project sa Arroceros park in Manila :)

Bacolod City - The Green Alert together with the “Save Mt. Kanla-on” Coalition launched a “Tie a Yellow Ribbon to Save 4,000 Trees in Mt. Kanla-on” campaign to gather and visibly show the Negrenses’ support to lady-lawyer Andrea Si for her filing of a TRO, which will be heard today, in a bid to prevent the PNOC-EDC from cutting more than 4,000 trees inside the Mt. Kanlaon buffer zone. Gov. Zayco recently signed the MOA which gave the PNOC-EDC the go signal to start the cutting of the trees, which they immediately began last Monday. Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra endorsed the campaign in a letter to Catholic schools.
“We are appealing to the faculty and students of these catholic schools to stand up and show their support to today’s TRO hearing. They can show this by tying yellow ribbons on their arms, wrists, their cars, by donning yellow t-shirts or by simply wearing anything yellow, The youth should play a vital role knowing that this is for their own future. We should not forget that these trees too have lives and cutting them is no different from killing a human being. We owe a lot to these trees for providing us the Oxygen that we breathe everyday; we should bring that favor back to them,” Green Alert said. “We also encourage other sectors of the community to stand up and join us in this crusade. Every Negrense must participate in this cause because it affects our heritage and our future.” Green Alert added.
Green Watch Philippines, Inc. chairman Don Flordeliza, Jr. expressed his group’s solidarity and support to the “Save Mt. Kanla-on” Coalition’s bid for a TRO in a press conference held at the Bishop’s palace last Monday. He reported that they formed a “Save Mt. Kanla-on” Task Force in Manila and exerted efforts to bring the problem to the attention of various environmental forums and the national and foreign media. Flordeliza said he cannot take the issue sitting down, because he was born and raised in Canla-on City himself.
Flordeliza said that PNOC-EDC cannot give any assurance that their exploration activities in the Mt. Kanla-on buffer zone can immediately locate an ideal geothermal site, and once a site is located they cannot also guarantee that is will produce enough steam to operate a plant. Even after a plant is operated as they have already done before, they cannot further guarantee that it will produce enough power to answer the supposed deficiency in electricity in the province as they claim; they might even have to close it also as the previous one, Flordeliza emphasized. What is assured, however, is that more than 4,000 trees will be cut.
Flordeliza said that innovation and technology had developed within the 15 years that PNOC-EDC had spent on the project since 1993. “Are they not insisting to implement an outmoded proposal?” he asked “We are asking for a symbolic 15 month moratorium on the project, one month for each year that PNOC-EDC spent on it’” Flordeliza challenged. “This will give us enough time to beef up the entry of businessmen who will put up an independent power producing firm, using windmill technology, who will sell their power output back to the grid,” he added. “In a few months time, while they PNOC-EDC are still exploring, a windmill is already operational that can be put up without the government spending even a single centavo on it. Furthermore, not a single tree will be cut inside Mt. Kanla-on’s buffer zone or protected areas,” he concluded.
Other alternative sources of energy such as wind, solar and mini-hydro’s have long been pushed by various environmental groups. “There are alternatives that the government should have taken into consideration. Negros alone, being a part of the wind map of the Philippines, can produce 90 mega-watts of electricity by putting up windmills.” Green Alert said.
“Saving these 4,000 trees in Mt. Kanla-on symbolizes our way of investing for our children’s future. If we refuse to learn from lessons in the past, it will be our children who will pay the price in the end.” Green Alert said.

b'z2;23058958"]^^ "Sir" was meant to underscore my admiration (call it respect, also :)) for your "green-mindedness", which is worth emulating :cheers2:

the story that you shared inspired moi to do my part and be as "green-minded" as you are ;)

SSC_Phil could organize a tree-planting activity in the future. i was able to participate in one such project sa Arroceros park in Manila :)

:) it's our duty to help save the earth. one day, if i have enough money already. i'm also planning to built a house that is eco-friendly. a house that uses natural lights so that would mean plenty of windows and one that uses solar energy. i'd also like to buy a car that is powered by solar energy.

i also realized that many people do have a concience and wants to help, they only needs some encouragement and we have to always remind them to be "green-minded". just like what i did to the store. i told them not to wrap it in plastic because it will destroy the environment. and indeed months later when i went back, they were already using brown biodegradable paper. inother words, i was able to bring positive change without even twisting someone's arm.

we, the consumers should be the one who should initiate and demand these changes because we are the ones that these company serves. if we refuse to buy their product because it would destroy the environment, i'm sure they'll change their packaging to please us. and even if sachets are convenient. i dont buy them often, unless in cases where it is very necessary because that would mean more plastic waste.

^^ amen to that :cheers2:

Save Mount Kanlaon Coalition fails to get TRO on EDC project

By RAGIE MAE TANO-ARELLANO
ABS-CBN Bacolod

The Save Mount Kanlaon Coalition failed (SMKC) to get a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the geothermal exploration of Energy Development Corporation (EDC) at the buffer zone of the mountain in Negros Occidental.

The hearing at the sala of Judge Rodney Bolunia of Bacolod Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 44 Wednesday saw SMKC members wearing yellow ribbons pinned on their shirts and blouses.

Other members wore arm bands as they filled the courtroom to witness the rebuttal of legal counsel Andrea Si against lawyers of Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza, EDC and Pollution Adjudication and Management Board (PAMB).

The group filed a class suit against Atienza, EDC and PAMB. The group said that some provisions of Republic Act 9154 or the Mt. Kanlaon National Park Act were unconstitutional.

Senior State Solicitor Thomas Laragan, representing Atienza, filed a motion to dismiss the TRO because the complainants did not file the case against what he called were the indispensable parties in the issue.

Laragan specified the Office of the President, the Department of Energy and the Provincial Government are the indispensable parties.

"The issuing authority has a stake on the matter, because the petitioners seek to nullify that Presidential Proclamation allegedly for being illegal and unconstitutional. The issuing authority must participate in the proceedings to defend its action," said Laragan.

The legal counsels of EDC supported the motion of the Office of the Solicitor General.

"The court has to resolve the question of the complainant's failure to include indispensable parties because you cannot hear this petition without impleading the indispensable parties," said lawyer Alexis Jacoma, one of the legal counsels of EDC.

Si has asked the court for a TRO because EDC has already started cutting trees.

"The purpose of a temporary restraining order is while the case is still to be heard, the injury that is happening can be prevented or can be stopped, the status quo maintains," said Si.

The court however did not grant the TRO.

Full article (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=126314)

Is rain water still safe for drinking?

July 25th, 2008 | Views: 24

Is rain water safe for drinking?I was reading in the news about a company that was offering a rain water catchment and processing facility for would be buyers. This just got me thinking, is our air so polluted that we can’t even drink God given water from the clouds anymore?

My Dad worked in the island of Mindanao in the early 50’s. He was a teenager then and he contracted and suffered a severe bout of amoebiasis. Mindanao at that time was a forest, not really much development. So electricity and potable water wasn’t available yet at that time.

I don’t know how developed the medicines for amoebiasis was then but medicines like Flagyl weren’t available to him. So he lived a couple of years with an amoebiasis infestation in his stomach. Now if you’ve never experienced an amoebiasis infection before, let me tell you, its hell on earth with the stomach cramps and excessive trips to the bathroom.

So what he did was stay away from pork based foods which was said to trigger them to multiply. He also had to drink only rain water because it was clean, if it didn’t rain he had to make do with boiling water. I used to remember too in the 70’s when I was staying in the farm my Dad was working in, we also had to subsist on rain water and boiled water. We used to leave containers out to catch rain from a strong down pour. I didn’t contract any problems then.

I think there is only one way to find out with regards to this question. On the next downpour I should grab a cup and allow rain water to fill it up. See if the water is murky and all. Then again, you can’t really tell unless you bring it to the lab for an organism count.

http://www.alternat1ve.com/biofuel/2008/07/25/is-rain-water-still-safe-for-drinking/

Davao aerial spray fight reaches Supreme Court

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 21:27:00 07/25/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- A legal battle between banana farmers and environmentalists reached the Philippines Supreme Court on Friday with a petition to ground crop dusters blamed for health problems and ecological damage.

The country's highest court was asked to uphold a March 2007 ordinance banning aerial fungicide spraying on banana plantations around Davao, a major city of 1.2 million on the southern island of Mindanao, court officials said.

The court made no immediate comment on the petition filed by a group of Davao residents.

The group claimed that the spraying had led to various health problems and poisoned the water table in areas adjoining the plantations of Lapanday Agricultural Development Corp. and other contract growers for multinationals Dole and Del Monte.

Full story (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080725-150723/Davao-aerial-spray-fight-reaches-Supreme-Court)


^^ there's already an ordinance...
resort to the Supreme Court means---the local government failed/refused to enforce the ordinance???

b'z2;23131974"]Full story (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080725-150723/Davao-aerial-spray-fight-reaches-Supreme-Court)


^^ there's already an ordinance...
resort to the Supreme Court means---the local government failed/refused to enforce the ordinance???

the aerial spraying is totally ban , it's ground spraying that they are contesting, which it is not included in the ordinance.

^^ ah, ok. thanks.

this confused me kasi: V

The country's highest court was asked to uphold a March 2007 ordinance banning aerial fungicide spraying on banana plantations around Davao...

Group protests destruction of mountain in Zambales

By Robert Gonzaga
Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20080726-150768/Group-protests-destruction-of-mountain-in-Zambales)
First Posted 02:59:00 07/26/2008

PALAUIG, ZAMBALES – The Olongapo-Zambales civil society network, composed of nongovernment organizations pushing Mt. Tapulao here as a mining-free area, staged a protest march in this town on Wednesday to save the mountain from miners and turn it into an ecotourism site.

Mayor Generoso Amog said he is leading moves to declare Tapulao, which Americans used to call “High Peak,” into a “protected area or protected landscape.”

Local officials said pine trees abound in Tapulao, one of the highest peaks in Central Luzon, and its unspoiled environment could rival the attractions of Baguio and Tagaytay cities. They said the mountain has at least eight waterfalls.

Amog said because of mining activities in some of its sections, Tapulao is now “in grave danger.”

“Right now, the miners are tunneling all over the mountain in search for ore and they are putting the summit in danger of collapsing,” he said.

Councilor Eric Alba said mining companies have long been in the area because of chromite ore abundant in Mt. Tapulao.

Amog said the local government and other groups are appealing for the cancellation of the license issued to the C-Square Mining Co., which, he said, has been operating in Mt. Tapulao since he was a boy.

“We are trying to move [to] declare the area a ‘mine-free area,’” he said.

Amog said he hopes to turn Mt. Tapulao into an ecotourism site when C-Square’s permit expires next month.

“That’s why we are appealing to President Macapagal-Arroyo to declare Mt. Tapulao as a protected area so we can turn this into an eco-site for future generations,” he said.

“If we lose Mt. Tapulao to miners, then we would lose a very beautiful spot in Zambales. I hope it doesn’t go to waste,” he said.

Zambales Gov. Amor Deloso said the mining permit granted to C-Square came “from the national level.”

“They have been there for a long, long time,” he said.


http://bp0.blogger.com/_-fGx2wDrdVc/RtkLB1euXSI/AAAAAAAABRg/l7tBNj9d1to/s400/tapulao.jpg
Photo from pinoymountaineer.com (http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2007/08/mt-tapulao-2037.html)

b'z2;23136694"]^^ ah, ok. thanks.

this confused me kasi: V

i guess it was the petition of the banana companies that they are protesting AFAIK no more aerial spraying in DC except in other provinces

more news ..

http://www.yehey.com/news/Article.aspx?id=220890

^^ the news article in your link explains everything, thanks :)

In a 43-page petition, the residents of Davao asked the High Tribunal to reverse the preliminary injunction issued by the Court of Appeals against the implementation of an ordinance issued by the Davao City council which banned the aerial spraying of pesticides banana plantations near communities.

Farmer save RP eagle
By Charlie Lagasca
Sunday, July 27, 2008

ILAGAN, Isabela – A farmer here saved a Philippine eagle from possible capture by poachers last Wednesday, and turned over his accidental catch to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Charles Calucag, who facilitated the turnover, said the farmer discovered the eagle, also known as the monkey-eating eagle, wandering along the foothills of the town’s Sierra Madre mountains, seemingly weak due to hunger.

The turnover of the eagle, categorized as one of the country’s most endangered bird species, was in sharp contrast to reports from Mindanao about a farmer who is now facing charges for reportedly butchering a Philippine eagle.

Besides the Philippine eagle, the country’s national bird, other bird species endemic to the country like the serpent eagle have been saved in recent years in the mountain areas of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Isabela, whose vast Sierra Madre mountain range hosts some of the world’s most critically endangered flora and fauna.

Meanwhile, the preservation of an eaglet at the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) in Davao City is assured for the next six years.

The Allied Botanical Corp. (ABC), the first Filipino-owned vegetable breeding company in the country, has committed a cash grant of P750,000 for food and veterinary care of the rare bird it has adopted until July 2, 2014.

It named its adopted eagle Bighani, after the Bighani Super Sweet Corn F1 that the company had bred.

ABC and PEF signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the adoption of the eagle.

ABC has its main office in Quezon City and a 23-hectare research complex in Tayug, Pangasinan.

The PEF is a private, non-stock, non-profit organization committed to accelerate the captive breeding program of the Philippine eagle to replenish the wild eagle population now threatened with extinction.

Under the MOA signed between the two parties, ABC has committed to support the PEF’s wildlife conservation initiatives, adopting the eagle Chick #22, which was hatched on Dec. 7, 2007.

The ABC committed P125,000 a year until 2014 to support the eagle to maturity.

The company is allowed to use photographs, footage and graphic icons of its adopted eagle for the firm’s internal and external communications programs.

In case of the early demise of the adopted bird, the PEF will replace it with another for the purpose of adoption continuity.

ABC expressed optimism that Bighani “will grow healthy and strong much like the sweet corn that it is named after.” - With Rudy A. Fernandez

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?News%20Feature&p=49&type=2&sec=29

Is rain water still safe for drinking?

July 25th, 2008 | Views: 24

Is rain water safe for drinking?I was reading in the news about a company that was offering a rain water catchment and processing facility for would be buyers. This just got me thinking, is our air so polluted that we can’t even drink God given water from the clouds anymore?

My Dad worked in the island of Mindanao in the early 50’s. He was a teenager then and he contracted and suffered a severe bout of amoebiasis. Mindanao at that time was a forest, not really much development. So electricity and potable water wasn’t available yet at that time.

I don’t know how developed the medicines for amoebiasis was then but medicines like Flagyl weren’t available to him. So he lived a couple of years with an amoebiasis infestation in his stomach. Now if you’ve never experienced an amoebiasis infection before, let me tell you, its hell on earth with the stomach cramps and excessive trips to the bathroom.

So what he did was stay away from pork based foods which was said to trigger them to multiply. He also had to drink only rain water because it was clean, if it didn’t rain he had to make do with boiling water. I used to remember too in the 70’s when I was staying in the farm my Dad was working in, we also had to subsist on rain water and boiled water. We used to leave containers out to catch rain from a strong down pour. I didn’t contract any problems then.

I think there is only one way to find out with regards to this question. On the next downpour I should grab a cup and allow rain water to fill it up. See if the water is murky and all. Then again, you can’t really tell unless you bring it to the lab for an organism count.

http://www.alternat1ve.com/biofuel/2008/07/25/is-rain-water-still-safe-for-drinking/

safe yan, as long as you wait for around 10minutes to allow the rain to filter out pollution first, before drinking the water. (sa MM, siguro dapat longer)

MANILA - The Philippines has received an $8-million grant from the Spanish government to pursue a program together with the United Nations to help it cope with climate change, a problem that has resulted in substantial economic losses for the country, especially its farm sector.

Ralph Recto, newly appointed director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said the issue of climate change was one of the major threats to the country's economic development.

He cited a study that says the climate-related problems like typhoons, floods and dry spells resulted in P115 billion worth of damages in the country's infrastructure and farm sector from mid 1990s to 2007.

Recto also noted a study saying that temperature in the country is increasing every year by two-three degrees Celsius, something that has adverse impact on farm production.

"The time to act is now, and we should address this problem with foresight and political will," Recto said in a speech Wednesday during the launch of the joint UN-RP program against climate change held at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

The program is entitled "Strengthening the Philippines' Institutional Capacity to Adapt to climate change."

The UN in a statement said the program would help the Philippines contribute to the attainment of some of the Millennium Development Goals. It said the program to address climate change will help achieve the goals of safeguarding the life support system of the poor, preventing malaria and other diseases that are partly contributed by constant rains, and ensure environmental sustainability.

The problem of climate change is seen to affect the poor more because many of them rely on the agriculture sector for livelihood.

"The (program) is timely given the worldwide effects now being felt from global warming and climate change," NEDA and UN said in a press statement.

The grant will specifically fund studies that will help concerned national government agencies and local government units implement projects addressing climate change.

The program will run for three years, and will be covering various areas in the Metro Manila and the provinces.

The grant to the Philippines is part of the $700-million overall financial assistance from Spain, coursed through the UN, to help various countries attain Millennium Development Goals.

The Philippines is a signatory to the 2000 declaration that upheld the following Millennium Development Goals: halve extreme poverty and hunger; universal primary education; gender equality; reduce child mortality; improved women's health; stop and reverse the spread of HIVAIDS and other diseases; environmental sustainability; and global partnerships for aid, trade and debt relief.

http://www.asianjournal.com/?c=186&a=29357

Campaign on protection of eagles strengthened
Published : 2008-08-09

THE PHILIPPINE Eagle Foundation (PEF) will strengthen its educational campaign on protection and preservation of the Philippine eagle.
Makki Macajis, assistant communication officer of the foundation, said the program, “Kalumbata,” a Talaandig term for eagle, will educate the public about the plight of the bird.
Macajis said the foundation decided to strengthen the campaign in an effort to heighten the awareness to protect the bird after a farmer slaughtered “Kagsabua” and ate its meat in Bukidnon last month.
She said the initial target is to reach out to 66 upland elementary schools near the protected mountain range of Kitanglad in Bukidnon where a number of the eagles have been released. She said they are negotiating with the Department of Education in order to integrate the educational materials with the schools’ curriculum.
“We want to teach the children to be more caring to the environment especially to the Philippine eagle,” she added.
Macajis said apart from the schools they will also go to 66 other upland communities carrying the same thrust.
She said they will use the Open Classroom strategy for the campaign which also make use People’s or the Tropical Rainforest books, films and other documentaries that will encourage the direct participation of the audience during the lectures.
Macajis said the total cost of the program is about P800,000, P500,000 will come from the donors and sponsors, while the remaining amount will come from the foundation. In yesterday’s Club 888 press conference, Marco Polo general manager Stanley Lau turned over a check amounting to P60,000 for the program.
The Philippine Eagle is among the species in the country with less than 1,000 in population. Based on the latest count of the foundation, there are only 400 pairs of the bird nationwide and half of them are in Mindanao. Five pairs of the bird are in Mt. Kitanglad.
Macajis said the foundation was able to take care of 36 eagles, of which 18 are captive-bred.
The suspect in the killing of “Kasabua,” Brian Balaon, 22, shot the bird using an air gun and buried it after finding out that it had a radio tracking device attached to its feet. Later, he decided to excavate it and cooked it.
Balaon was apprehended and a case was filed against him for violating tepublic act 9147, the Wildlife Act.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/newreply.php?do=postreply&t=598276

I am happy that SM and other malls/supermarkets are now using biodegradable plastic bags. Sana bawal na ang non-biodegradable plastic pati sa palengke.

i am for a complete ban of plastic bags. magdala nalang tayo ng sariling bags natin.

I am happy that SM and other malls/supermarkets are now using biodegradable plastic bags. Sana bawal na ang non-biodegradable plastic pati sa palengke.

i am for a complete ban of plastic bags. magdala nalang tayo ng sariling bags natin.

I have my own bag for groceries, but sometimes i still need the plastic bags when i forget my own bag. I applaud SM for bringing forward biodegradable plastic bags, Hooray for SM!

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm209/waldenstrom/DSCI0075-1.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm209/waldenstrom/DSCI0076.jpg
Electric Jeepney now has Landmark-Makati Medical Center route via De La Rosa. :okay:

Hindi pa ba tumirik ito:D

naweweirduhan lang ako sa e-jeep na iyan. sobra talagang liit at impractical. hindi nga siya nageemit ng pollution pero yung magiging effect niya eh congestion sa streets ng Makati.

Hindi pa ba tumirik ito:D

ilang horsepower ba yan? mas ma igi pa ata yung kabayo sa Ongpin natural horse power at nag proproduce ng methane gas :D

cross-posting from Phil Aquaculture thread :):

http://images.inquirer.net/media/globalnation/snapshots/images/pic-08121237450474.jpg
NEMO WON’T BE ALONE at the Philippine Coral Reef Exhibit of the California Academy of Sciences in late September.
With him will be 4000 other reef fishes in “the most diverse marine ecosystem in the world,” according Dr. Terry
Gosliner, Senior Curator at the Academy. Photos courtesy of Tom Yang

http://images.inquirer.net/media/globalnation/snapshots/images/pic-08121238070804.jpg

http://images.inquirer.net/media/globalnation/snapshots/images/pic-08121238230731.jpg

http://images.inquirer.net/media/globalnation/snapshots/images/pic-08121238420085.jpg

http://images.inquirer.net/media/globalnation/snapshots/images/pic-08121238560785.jpg

http://images.inquirer.net/media/globalnation/snapshots/images/pic-08121239120772.jpg

http://images.inquirer.net/media/globalnation/snapshots/images/pic-08121239310416.jpg

Nothing like the Philippine Coral Reef

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 11:43am (Mla time) 08/12/2008

When the new building of the California Academy of Sciences designed by Renzo Piano opens its doors this September at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, one of its exhibits will be the world’s deepest living coral reef display.

The Philippine Coral Reef Exhibit will house a variety of soft and hard corals, mangrove trees, rays, black-tipped reef sharks and more than 4,000 reef fishes native to the Philippines in a 212,000- gallon aquarium tank. Showcasing the beauty and diversity of a Philippine coral reef, the exhibit will also feature interactive displays and in-tank diver presentations.

The Academy is partnering with PUSOD, a nongovernmental organization based in both the Philippines and Berkeley, California, to support scientific, educational and conservation efforts for Philippine coral reefs.

“We wanted to exhibit the most diverse marine ecosystem on earth – a Philippine reef. The Academy’s goal to reach a broad and diverse audience is the reason we have this wonderful evolution of interaction with Pusod and the Filipino community,” says Dr. Terry Gosliner, Senior Curator at the Academy.

“Because the Philippines has more marine biodiversity than anywhere else in the world,” says Malou Babilonia, Pusod Founder and Trustee, “we need to take action in any way we can to protect, preserve, and enhance our Philippine marine environments and all other ecosystems. It is so important that we all immerse ourselves in the Philippine Coral Reef Exhibit at the Academy.”

Read full story (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/sosy/sosy/view_article.php?article_id=154135)

Manila Bay rehab to cost P100B, SC told

By Edson C. Tandoc Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080813-154324/Manila-Bay-rehab-to-cost-P100B-SC-told)
First Posted 07:24:00 08/13/2008

MANILA, Philippines—It will cost around P100 billion to rehabilitate the Manila Bay, according to Environment Secretary Lito Atienza.

It should start with putting up a waste water treatment facility, which the two private water distributors in Metro Manila should have long begun as part of their contract with the government, Atienza told the Supreme Court en banc Tuesday.

“It would be impossible to clean the water in the Manila Bay as long as domestic wastes flow into the canals, into the Pasig River and into Manila Bay,” he said.

Atienza and other government officials are asking the Supreme Court to reverse a Court of Appeals ruling requiring them to come up with a consolidated plan to rehabilitate Manila Bay. They are also seeking the dismissal of the original complaint that concerned citizens living near the bay filed against them more than eight years ago.

The complainants wanted the courts to require that government agencies submit a plan of action to rehabilitate Manila Bay and restore it to “SB” classification, meaning it would be fit for swimming, diving, fishing and other recreational activities.

Assistant Solicitor General Amparo Cabotaje-Tang argued that Manila Bay had not been classified yet and since it has several uses, like for navigation, it would be impossible for it to attain “SB” classification.

The hearing Tuesday lasted for five hours, with many high court justices expressing dismay over how much Manila Bay has deteriorated.

Atienza said that setting up a sewage treatment facility was part of the government contract with water distribution concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water.

One of the concessionaires has started, with only 12 percent covered so far, while the other has not started anything, he said. If this rate is sustained, Atienza said the metropolis would have its sewage treatment facility in 100 years. Atienza did not name the water companies concerned.

Speaking for the concerned citizens who had filed the original case against the government, environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr. said the failure of the government to rehabilitate the bay was tantamount to “criminal negligence.”

“We have turned the Manila Bay into a toilet bowl which is not even flushed,” Oposa told the court.

He urged the Supreme Court to maintain the Court of Appeals ruling and form a committee of experts to monitor the implementation of a consolidated plan to save Manila Bay.

Oposa said the government has actually already complied with the appellate court decision that it is seeking to be reversed.

He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources had come up with an “Operational Plan for the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy” which details projects and budget to rehabilitate Manila Bay. The 108-page plan was completed in 2005, Tang’s copy of the plan showed.

With the plan already drafted, Oposa said what they want is just to make sure that it would be implemented.

The Supreme Court required the opposing parties to submit their memorandums within 30 days.

^^ wow! thatsalotofmoney!

When all the fossil fuel runs out that's when we will be forced to switch to renewable energy we have the capability to do it and switch today, but it would cost a lot and would deal huge losses on big company and industrialized countries dependant on oil i guess almost all countries are like that and so they are not ready for this because there is still a huge profit on fossil fuel(oil, coal, gas).

We already have an unlimited source of energy but we don't know yet how to harness it the "Sun". We can also mimic how the sun creates the energy which is by fission which is still being developed. The future always holds lots of bright and dark surpises and lots and lots of uncertainty.

sobrang init na ngayon compared dati... az in!!!

I just watched the movie WALL-E. It calls to my attention the effects of pollution and possibly, climate change.

sobrang init na ngayon compared dati... az in!!!

and marami rin akong napanood na news tungkol sa mga buhawi like sa bolinao pangasinan and pati na rin sa laguna de bay...

^ yeah. just recently at Los Baños, Laguna

^^ that buhawi is really scary.. imagine we have buhawi na now.. dati ata wala diba?

I just watched the movie WALL-E. It calls to my attention the effects of pollution and possibly, climate change.


Pati na rin DIET ng tao, is reflected in this movie!


But buhawi sa Pinas? Tornado yun di ba? Kakatakot naman! Pero parang mas mainit na lalo talaga ngayon sa Pilipinas. Matindi ang init, kakaiba. Kahit na dapat tag-ulan season na, ung init parang summer. Greenhouse effect lalo na sa Manila.

... nung elementary ako madalang signal number 3 bagyo nagyon signal number 4 pangkaraniwan na lang ...

... bakit kaya pati polar ice cap sa mars e natutunaw??

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9763

Climate Change: Breaking the "Political Consensus"
The Science of Climate Change: What does it Really Tell Us?

by Andrew G. Marshall
National Geographic News quoted a scientist in 2007 that, “Simultaneous warming on Earth and Mars suggests that our planet's recent climate changes have a natural—and not a human-induced—cause.” Mars’ ice caps had been diminishing for three years in a row, and the scientist, “Habibullo Abdussamatov, head of space research at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory in Russia, says the Mars data is evidence that the current global warming on Earth is being caused by changes in the sun.” He further stated that, “changes in the sun's heat output can account for almost all the climate changes we see on both planets.”[19] A NASA study in the same year also reported that Mars warmed since the 1970s, “similar to the warming experienced on Earth over approximately the same period,” which, they conclude, “suggests rapid changes in planetary climates could be natural phenomena.”[20] A study in 2007 on climatic changes on Earth and Neptune suggested that, “some planetary climate changes may be due to variations in the solar system environment.”[21]


... is it possible that our sun has a brown dwarf twin lurking at the edge of our solar system...
... an approcahing force that perturbs planetary orbits???
EgLvVcr9y_U&NR=1

... and our govt of course knew about this, they are just not willing to tell us because of the chaos and panic it would create?

Norways Seed Vault daw...
lPtrNxaZ4DE

... is it possible that our media and hollywood is being used by the government?
... Inducing us with a low dose of news, movies and documentaries about calamities... making it all seems normal when things really do happen right before our eyes...
... like a frog being boiled slowly... :nuts:

Pati na rin DIET ng tao, is reflected in this movie!

Bad diet can also contribute a lot imagine 6 billion plus people farting greenhouse gases everyday is a very considerable very amount of air pollution by any means. :) You can also add the livestock we keep. :nuts:

Basta napansin ko lang talaga everytime umuuwi ako ng Pinas, lalong mas mainit, painit ng painit. Pero when I visited Singapore dati, feeling ko parang mas mainit dun kesa Pinas.....it's just me siguro.

^^^ ikaw lang yan, change of hormones.. lagot ka malapit ka na mag menopause... he he biro lang

Having a good public transportation system and reducing public vehicles is the answer ! And of course plant more trees as possible !

^^^ ikaw lang yan, change of hormones.. lagot ka malapit ka na mag menopause... he he biro lang


OY ha, mga 30 years pa bago ako mag menopause AHEHEHEHE!!! LOL!!! :nuts::lol: Pero init sa Singapore talaga parang iba eh, siguro dahil " dry " pakiramdam ng init dun unlike sa Maynila, asus, manlalagkit ka, very humid kasi tapos parang mina-microwave ka, lahat ng taba mo kung maaari eh pwedeng lumabas!!! :nuts:

"We have less than 100 months to save the planet. When the clock stops ticking we could be beyond the climate's 'tipping point',the point of no return."

http://onehundredmonths.org/

In addition:

* The Philippines like many developing economies have much less capability to adapt and mitigate the threats of climate change (compared to developed economies).

* The Philippines' geographical location make it also highly vulnerable to climate change.

* The United Nation's IPCC predictions on the climate change threat is now found by many scientists to be too conservative and outdated, if the world fail to act on immediately reducing its carbon emissions, we are very likely to see within our lifetime the following:

- devastation of most economies
- severe water shortages
- massive sea level rises
- hundreds of millions of refugees
- stronger typhoons
- droughts
- more political instability/wars/conflicts

For more updates on the climate change threat, send me a message with your name and email address.

I'm gonna replace my power hungry Air conditioner with a solar-powered air conditioning system. I hope to get it replaced by year end.

RP lost forest fastest in Southeast Asia--EU official

Country also 7th in the world
By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:16:00 09/10/2008



MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines lost forest cover at a rate of 2.1 percent every year from 2000 to 2005, the fastest in southeast Asia and the seventh in the world, said Juan Echanove, a project officer of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines.

"The Philippines' total forest area, including degraded forest, is now just 24 percent of the land area, the second smallest to urban Singapore in southeast Asia, and one of the smallest of all tropical countries in the world, and even well below dry Mediterranean countries like Greece or Italy," he said.

In his report, Echanove also said the forest to population ratio in the Philippines is only 0.1 hectares of forest per head, "one of the worst in the world -- at the level of Saharan countries."

He said that in Southeast Asia, there has been a net 2 percent decrease of forest area a year, equivalent to 2.8 million hectares per year, much of it in Indonesia

Myanmar had the second fastest rate of forest decline after the Philippines, he said.

Echanove said that for Asia, overall efforts to conserve biodiversity through a system of protected areas has been "positive" as there has been a net increase of forest area during the same period.

This, he said, is a change in trend from the 1990s, when the region "suffered a dramatic net loss of forest."

Echanove attributed the improvement to China's efforts to stop forest loss through massive investments in reforestation and log bans. He said China's efforts have resulted in an increase of forest area of four hectares a year.

He also noted India's small net increase of forest area.

However, he pointed, "although the approaches for protected areas management have changed considerably, human-animal conflicts remain unsolved and hunting and habitat destruction is resulting in continuous loss of wildlife in the Asian forests, illegal trade of endangered wildlife is still a major concern in many parts of Asia."

Echanove said the rise of the middle class in Asia, particularly in China, with a huge demand for forest products and eco-tourism services are taking its toll on the environment.

"Despite various efforts to conserve forest in Asia through logging bans, acceleration and reforestation programs, the pressure on natural resources will remain severe," he said.

Echanove said balancing demand for diverse array of products and services from different segments of society in poverty alleviation, population control, and equitable trade will continue to be the most important challenge facing Asia.

"The environment is the base of the survival of the poor. Forests cannot be protected without securing the interests of the people," he said.



Phil Daily Inquirer (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/news/view/20080910-159813/RP-lost-forest-fastest-in-Southeast-Asia--EU-official)

... nung elementary ako madalang signal number 3 bagyo nagyon signal number 4 pangkaraniwan na lang ...

............................
... is it possible that our media and hollywood is being used by the government?
... Inducing us with a low dose of news, movies and documentaries about calamities... making it all seems normal when things really do happen right before our eyes...
... like a frog being boiled slowly... :nuts:


^^
The powerful oil, coal industries as well as those with other vested interests are funding so called 'think thanks' to sow confusion about the issues of climate change. The verdict is clear decades ago: what's happening right now is anthropogenic climate change (man made). The United Nation's IPCC, composed of thousands of scientists from all over the world, is very clear about the the climate change threat. In fact, the IPCC forecast in my opinion (and many other scientists) is too conservative for varied reasons.

What do you guys think? Is there really a significant increase in incidents of tornadoes in the country or is it just more are being recorded because of camera phones?


Here are some recorded incidents:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhg4un7F9PA

PIA Press Release
2008/09/13

RP initiative to renew call to save mountains at North Pole

Davao City (13 September) -- The Human Development International in partnership with the Philippine Norway Foundation in Skjeberg, Norway is poised to re-echo the Call to Save the Mountains of the World at the summit of the highest mountain in Scandinavia - Mount Galdhøpiggen (2,469 m asl) from September 12-15, 2008.

Looking back, the same call was first done at the Philippines' tallest mountain, Mount Apo during the celebration of the International Year of the Mountains in 2002 and since then has been continually re-echoed in many places including at Mount Everest and has raised awareness on the need to save and restore mountains.

This upcoming call at Mount Galdhøpiggen will be of great significance in the continuing advocacy to save the mountains. It is the first call of its kind to be done at the Arctic - North Pole (Arctic is the area around the Earth's North Pole that includes parts of Canada, Greenland - a territory of Denmark, Russia, Alaska, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland as well as the Arctic Ocean) at a time when melting of the polar ice cap due to global warming has raised serious global concern.

The Call to Save the Mountains, aside from reducing the use of fossil fuels and initiate adaptation measures like the use of cleaner energies, etc., is a vital mitigating measure in addressing global warming the fact that mountains are the habitat of forest which are natural sink of carbon dioxide that causes the warming of the earth's surface.

John Ryan Largo, HDI Founder said that the call at Mount Galdhøpiggen will give further impetus as the call moves towards becoming a global movement that derived strength from the endorsement of the former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1993, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Former President Fidel V. Ramos and other international leaders and influential individuals.

The call at the Arctic - North Pole is likewise in keeping with the efforts of the Human Development International to forefront Philippines' international advocacy effort to address climate change.

The call will be spearheaded by the HDI Founder and accompanied by Kjell Roar Iversen, Chairperson of the Philippine Norway Foundation based in Skjeberg, Norway and Laida Quidato - Ambassadress of the Call to Save the Mountains of the World. The trio team will jump off to the top from Spiterstulen lodge in Visdalen deviating of having to pass the dangerous Styggebreen glacier but still will be subjected to a strenuous climb of 1,300 meters and the cold arctic weather before reaching the summit. (more updates through www.humandevintl.org) (HDI-PIA XI) [top]

PIA News (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080913.htm&no=30&r=R11&y=08&mo=09)

Is it me or ang sobrang init ngayon compared dati? Napansin ko un nung dinalaw ko un lola ko (nakatira ako sa kanya dati, until we moved out). Dati at 12 PM, Kaya ko mag lakad habang naka paa lang ako sa street namin for about 5 to 6 mins. 10 years later, same spot. Halos hinde ko kayang mag paa sa street since sobrang nakakapaso un kalye, infact, ayokong lumabas na nung bahay dahil sa init.

:ohno:

Japanese firm helps Philippine
eagles soar back to the skies (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/09232008/nation05.html)


MARUBENI Energy Services Corp. (MESC), a Japanese conglomerate that operates and maintains the Mindanao 1 Geothermal Partnership on Mount Apo, has concretized its support for the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) in a partnership aimed to reintroduce Philippine eagles back to their natural habitat.

Dubbed “Back to the Wild,” the project aims to continue research on breeding Philippine eagles in captivity and test how effective current release techniques are for Philippine eagles.

Successful in some threatened animals, like the Mauritius Kestrel, Golden Eagles and Peregrine Falcon, releases as a management intervention are new for Philippine eagles.

According to the PEF, test releases are crucial to boost the diminishing eagle population in the wild. Releases also serve as a venue for research on eagle behavior in its natural habitat, and to know the cause in the event that the birds die in the wild.

In 2004 MESC was among the companies that made possible the release of Philippine Eagle “Kabayan” in the forests of Mount Apo. Kabayan was the first captive-bred Philippine Eagle in history released to the wild. The project, however, met an unexpected end when the eagle was found dead because of electrocution.

The recent killing of Philippine Eagle “Kagsabua” on the foothills of Mount Kitanlad is also one of the grim realities that have threatened the persistence of the country’s national heritage.

Though suffering from a drawback in its first experimental release and the untimely death of Kagsabua, the PEF has not changed its objective in seeing these eagles thrive in the wild in the future.

“Marubeni’s support has fueled our efforts in restoring a healthy population of this critically endangered species,” said Dennis Salvador, PEF executive director. He added that MESC has been instrumental in achieving milestones in the field of public education, research and conservation- breeding programs of the foundation.

PDCCP converts biodegradable
waste to functional products
(http://businessmirror.com.ph/09252008/economy03.html)
By Louise M. Francisco
Senior Researcher


WITH over 2.5 million tons of waste coming from Manila every year, the Product Development Design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP), together with its nine in-house designers, has formed a partnership with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IP Philippines) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to transform some of that biodegradable waste into functional products like furniture, bags and useful housewares.

The project, dubbed as “Used/Renewed Designs 2008,” is exhibiting more than 90 creations at the Innovation Area of IP Philippines in Makati City and at the PDDCP building in Pasay City from September 17 to October 10.

“We’re doing it [recycling project] for the first time to share in the environmental protection and extend help for micro SMEs [small and medium enterprises] to generate income,” explained Rhodora Leaño, supervising director of PDDCP, to the BusinessMirror.

Some of the designs lauded by visitors include chair made of plastic hoses; picture frame made of bike tires; ceiling lamps made of plastic bottles and corrugated boxes; human tic-tac-toe made of tarpaulins; and a table based with old cabinet handles.

The design prototypes are conceptualized by Filipino manufacturers. Other native products highlighted in the display consist of bayong, buslo, lampara, hawakan, tablado, lubid, sanga-sanga and dikit-dikit.

Onlookers who want to mass-produce the designs may contact its manufacturers who placed their business cards at the space of their creations.

Although the project is still at “water testing” stage, Leaño is confident the sustainability is within reach.

“Citem [Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions] has approached us to line up the designs in the next Manila FAME [exhibit of Asia’s best designs] this coming October,” said Leaño.

She added, “Companies may also come to us if they wish to recycle unused materials in their offices. Our designers can do product development, work with industrial designs, and even render services to assist academes and communities for only a minimal fee.”

Meanwhile, director general of IP Philippines Adrian Cristobal said design is one of the country’s top assets in the creative industry after the furniture industry contributed a total of $1 billion last year in the economy, which is higher by 9.6 percent from the same period in 2007 at $926 million.

Palawan: RP's last ecological frontier or mining frontier?
(http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/anc/09/22/08/palawan-rps-last-ecological-frontier-or-mining-frontier)
By Caroline J. Howard, ABS-CBN News Channel | 09/23/2008 2:34 AM

The mining industry is booming. And perhaps never more than today, mainly due to the Philippine government's openness to mining investments in the country both as a mode of development and as an important source of revenue.

Mining contributions to the national coffers have been steadily growing in recent years, bringing in close to 2% annually to the national economy. Figures from the National Statistical Coordinating Board show, revenue from mining operations rose from an estimated P46.3 billion or 0.9% of the Gross Domestic Product in 2005, to P59.6 billion or 1% in 2006, ballooning to P90.4B or 1.4% last year.

In 2007, three large-scale mining companies in southern Palawan paid substantial taxes and opened hundreds of jobs through mining operations. According to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 4 or the MIMAROPA (Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Romblon and Palawan) Region, Berong Nickel Corporation paid P171.4 million in taxes, Coral Bay Nickel Corporation, P202 million, and Rio Tuba Nickel P1.16 billion, employing 838, 3,132, and 400 people, respectively.

Despite the mining industry's potential contribution to economic and social development, critics in Palawan insist, mining activities also pose a challenge to the environmental future of the province.

Atty. Gerthie Mayo-Anda, assistant executive director or the Environmental Legal Assistance Center, says mining applications are now breaking into Palawan at a disturbing pace. "The threat of mining is real. It's not just imminent; it's there," she says. "There are 16 mining permits issued to various corporations in the province mainly in southern Palawan."

Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn agrees. "You'll be surprised with the number of mining claims in the province. There's a mining application for nearly every square meter here. There's an application to mine for marble even in the Underground River."

But the Mines and Geoscience Bureau in Region 4-B insists, protected areas like the Underground River are off limits to mining. "We are not opening mining in the area nor are we going to accept applications over protected areas," says MGB-Region 4-B Regional Director, Roland De Jesus.

The government bureau argues, the country's Mining Law has strengthened environmental and social aspects of mining operations, requiring them to put up a socio-environmental management fund to help assist communities and recommission areas approved for mining. De Jesus insists, this should be reason for critics to give the mining act a chance. "This is a newly implemented law. We're trying to improve monitoring system. Done responsibly, mining operations would outweigh the impact raised by various sectors."

Responsible mining possible?

Nonetheless, the spate of mining operations and applications have sounded-off alarm bells for environmental advocates in Palawan who have been campaigning to help it live up to its name as the country's last ecological frontier.

"We don't believe that responsible mining is possible in the Philippines because we have a weak institution in place," says Ma. Cleofe Pablo-Bernardino, Executive Director for Palawan NGO Network Incorporated. "The DENR can't do its work properly. Officials can't do their work properly."

As far as Mayor Hagedorn knows, mining operations in Palawan have only ended in environmental destruction. "If you can visit the mining pit in Sta. Lourdes, the company left mine tailings in Honda Bay and left without fixing the roads," Hagedorn laments.



The threat of mining

Palawan boasts of having two World Heritage sites: the Tubbataha Reef and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. It has the most number of protected areas in the country, mangrove forests and coral reefs teeming with life.

"Palawan is such a hotspot," says Aldrin Mallari, Country Director of Flora and Fauna International. "It has the biggest number of threatened species in the world. The Peacock Pheasant in the Philippines is a lowland specialist and it's only found in Palawan. Most species in the Philippines are threatened to extinction because of massive habitat change and habitat loss."

While lush, studies show, Palawan's forests are also vulnerable to erosion due to the island province's thin top soil, what environmental advocates fear will only make Palawan more at risk to the impact of mining and logging operations.

"The problem is massive deforestation and conversion of habitats," says Mallari. "That includes government's drive to revitalize mining at all costs. In Palawan, the targets of mining sites are key biodiversity sites. So, in effect, the Philippines being a signatory to the Convention on Global Biodiversity, we are violating that convention because it's mining over our commitment to biodiversity."

Atty. Mayo-Anda says, Palawan is fortunate to have a special law, The Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) or Republic Act 7911, which serves as a framework to guide environmentally-sound development in the province. "Section 9 of that law provides that all types of natural forest are supposed to be core zones or areas of maximum protection."

She adds, after threats to the forest were identified, counting in logging, mining, slash and burn, quarrying, a zonification scheme was put in place, dividing areas into specific management uses. Sadly, this zonification is not solidly in place.

"Not all government units acknowledge that forests are core zones, so natural forests are the subject of mining operations and opened for mining," Atty Mayo-Anda says. "Coordinated efforts and vigilance are needed to make sure the S.E.P. provisions are implemented.

Puerto Princesa has further backed up this mechanism with a resolution for a mining moratorium, an expression of political will. "We can't supercede the national law," says Mayor Hagedorn. "We just passed a resolution that says we won't endorse mining operations."

He admits, he fears the time when other localities will have used up Palawan's resources, it may turn to Puerto Princesa for its needs. He, however, finds hope in the fact that Puerto Princesa locals have become aware of the impact of destructive development and know the value of preserving the island province.

Critics urge shift

Today, environmental advocates hope, authorities take efforts to keep Palawan out of the reach of mining, explore other avenues for development, rethink the bid to explore mining opportunities in the province, and work with all stakeholders to help secure Palawan's ecological future.

"Palawan has 750,000 people but 1.5 million hectares of land," says Lawrence Padilla, Executive Director for the Palawan Center for Appropriate Rural Technology. "That's more than enough land for agriculture. If Palawan's forests are protected, agriculture and tourism will thrive, and that will be enough for the province to grow."

Dr. Gerry Ortega of Bayani Juan, ABS-CBN Foundation appeals to government to review its priorities and options for development. "Puerto Princesa is still the last ecological frontier but the entire province of Palawan is being threatened by mining companies which threaten the sustainability of this province. So we hope our policy makers reconsider that decision to open Palawan as a mining frontier instead of as an ecological frontier."

as of 09/23/2008 9:25 AM

Concerted efforts needed to
protect biodiversity of Davao Gulf (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/10062008/economy06.html)

By Jonathan L. Mayuga
Reporter

FRAGMENTED initiatives by national government agencies and local government units (LGUs) that deter integrated coastal management and the weak inter-LGU mechanism for coastal and fishery law enforcement, coupled by the booming population, have been identified as some of the pressing concerns in Davao Gulf.

The Davao Gulf Management Council, the coordinating body for initiatives to address environmental concerns in the gulf composed of 23 LGUs, said some of the world’s most vulnerable and threatened animal species found in the Davao Gulf are being pushed further to the brink by the lack of concerted initiatives to address the environmental concern in the Davao Gulf, considered a key biodiversity area (KBA) in the Philippines and listed as one of the world’s 34 biodiversity hot spots.

KBAs, which are considered “globally significant sites,” are building blocks for conservation programs that maintain effective ecological networks and prevent biodiversity loss.

The Philippines counts 128 KBAs, which were identified for 209 globally threatened and 419 endemic animal species. The KBAs cover 6,008,813 hectares, or about 20 percent of the country’s total land area.

Davao Gulf, in particular, is feeding ground to 11 species of cetaceans, including sperm whales, killer whales and bottle-nosed dolphins, as well as the nursing ground for five endangered turtle species, including the hawksbill, the leatherback and olive ridley.

On the other hand, five terrestrial KBAs in the uplands of the Davao Gulf region are also home to some of the world’s threatened mammals and birds, including the majestic, endangered Philippine Eagle.

An estimated 80 percent of Mindanao’s mammal species are not found anywhere else in the world. These include the Mindanao moonrat and the Mindanao pygmy fruit bat.

The rich biodiversity of Mindanao, however, faces threats from economic growth and population pressures. And this condition can best be seen in Davao Gulf, where population in the region reached 4.1 million in 2007.

“The pressures of economic and social growth have to be addressed through a concerted effort by gulf stakeholders, especially LGUs, because Davao Gulf is the source of livelihood for the people around the gulf,” said Leo Avila III, president of Save Davao Gulf Foundation.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Philippine Environmental Governance Project 2 (EcoGov) is currently assisting six LGUs in the gulf in the areas of forest and forestland management, coastal resource management and urban environmental management.

Help to LGUs, which began in 2005, centers on providing technical assistance on forest management, coastal-resource management and urban management, and providing advice on environment-friendly livelihood activities to communities, cooperatives and people’s organizations. EcoGov, for instance, teaches coastal LGUs and communities how to manage coastal resources and prevent overfishing or stop illegal fishing practices.

USAID, through EcoGov, also funds assistance programs for solid-waste and wastewater management in the gulf area. Davao Gulf is a catchment area for industrial, agricultural and human waste, as well as for siltation from the upland regions. Waste generation continues to be a serious threat to Davao Gulf, an area where EcoGov hopes to work closely with gulf LGUs.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza has also called for initiatives to address the environmental threats to Davao Gulf.

“We have to develop that awareness that what we do to our coastal areas would affect all our life-support systems. The impact of the degradation of the country’s coastlines will not only be felt by coastal communities but even the people in the upland areas,” Atienza said during a recent clean-up activity in Davao Gulf.

EcoGov is a technical assistance project in the Philippines funded by the United States Agency for International Development.

The project is a collaborative effort with the DENR, LGUs and other partners that aims to enhance the capabilities of LGUs to preserve and manage natural resources through good environmental governance and sound, sustainable management practices.

Abra river no longer fit for humans - study (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/125127/Abra-river-no-longer-fit-for-humans---study)
10/05/2008 | 11:11 PM

BANGUED, Abra - The mighty Abra River, one of the five largest rivers in the country straddling from Mountain Province and Benguet as headwaters downstream to Ilocos Sur, is being haunted by pollution.

A probe by the Saint Louis University (SLU) College of Engineering's Applied Research and Development Studies found out that the river, the home of the famous Abra River eel and very dear heritage of the Abreños, is no longer fit for domestic use.

The scientific study "The Abra River system water quality monitoring" by Josephine Aries Dulay, coordinator of SLU's Environmental Research Laboratory that came out in the Northern Luzon Research Journal (2007), found out that "except for temperature, all parameter readings exceeded allowable limits or did not meet minimum required concentrations set forth in DAO 34 for the rivers to be classified AA (public water supply Class I), Class A (public water supply Class II), or Class B (recreational water Class I)."

Meaning, the findings indicate that the river is polluted.

Data sampling for the research was started in October 2004. The sampling was performed on a quarterly basis.

Water samples were taken from different sites along the length of the Abra river and were analyzed in terms of physic-chemical characteristics, which include temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrates, lead, mercury, chromium and cyanide concentrations.

The samples were taken from the headwaters in Barangay Guinaoang in Mankayan, Benguet as control sample; then going down stream at the mill outlet, tailings dam spillway, Lepanto bridge, Kayan, Gitlangan, Bulaga, Patungkalew, Banoen, Manabo, Bucay, Bangued, Banaoang, Caoayan and Santa.

"During samplings at the mill outlets and tailings dam spillway, no life forms in these parts of the river were observed," Dulay said.

Dulay also noted an alarming presence of toxic substances. There are high nitrate concentrations, heavy metals and cyanides, she found out.

She attributed the nitrates to fertilizers, domestic and industrial effluents and animal manure.

Heavy metals present are lead, mercury, and chromium in concentrations much higher than acceptable limits. Although these metals are naturally present in the environment, "if found in excessive amounts, they are most likely due to industrial discharges," Dulay explained.

Cyanide has also been found to be in concentrations above the acceptable limits, "especially at the mill outlet and the mine tailings spillway," the study stated.

"Cyanide is the most common chemical used to extract gold from ore despite the fact that leaks or spills of this chemical is extremely toxic to fish, plant life and human beings," it also said.

Cyanide can break down with sunlight and oxygen, but the low amount of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water hinders it from breaking down. The low DO also means the water cannot support aquatic life.

"Due to the pollution, the river may no longer be able to fulfill its productive and life-sustaining functions as the river's assimilation and self-purifying capacity is greatly impaired," Dulay said.

The Abra River stretches from Mountain Province passing through Ilocos Sur and Abra.

It used to be rich in aquatic resources supporting the needs of the communities it traverses.

Population growth, urbanization, technological advancement, and mining have contributed to the river's pollution, said Dulay.

Aside from the blame on mining, deforestation and slash and burn activities in the upland area, illegal logging and tunnel shoring in mining areas causing soil erosion and river siltation, and use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers by the farmers nearby also cause the pollution.

Dulay insisted that while the research may hurt, she studied the Abra river to assess its capacity to receive waste discharge and later recover from the disturbance, to classify the river according to guidelines set by Administrative Order 34 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Eye opener

The SLU professor added that the Abra River though still has the capacity to regenerate if proper management of waste disposal is met, sounding that she wants people to open their eyes to the darn reality.

She suggested dredging, like what Marcopper in Marinduque did, which can be done to be able to bring back the ecological system of the riverbeds. She likewise proposed oxidation to destroy cyanide molecules.

Mining operations and environmental protection can go together, Dulay said, but "radical changes in mining practices and stricter government implementation of environmental laws" must be done.

She further said "mining companies (should) utilize available technologies for the treatment of contaminated fresh surface water, efficient on-site reduction of metal and the control, storage, and beneficial utilization of mine tailings. - Sun.Star Baguio

Saving the Tamaraws from extinction (http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/theenvironmentreport/view.php?db=1&article=20081011-165889)

October 11, 2008 11:39:00

goodnewspilipinas.com

THIS piece of news should gladden not only the hearts of Far Eastern University students and alumni. It’s a national triumph that FEU’s symbol—the more elegant cousin of the Philippine water buffalo which the Haribon once called “Mindoro’s endangered treasure” and later “the Philippines’ endangered flagship species”—is no longer about to disappear from the face of the earth.

The tamaraw resembles the carabao. But it is darker, has a shorter tail and a V-shaped set of horns while the carabao’s horn is crescent- or C-shaped. A mature tamaraw stands at only about three feet high at the shoulder and weighs 300 kilograms.

Unlike the farming carabao, the tamaraw is wild and fierce. It attacks and pursues intruders.

Scientists who spoke at the Third Tamaraw Forum, held at FEU on Friday, gave the news that the population of Bubalus mindorensis (that’s the tamaraw’s scientific name), also called the “Mindoro dwarf buffalo” has started to stabilize thanks to private sector and government efforts.

Until 2005, Haribon still referred to the tamaraw as an endangered species.

A report by the environmentalist NGO’s writer-researcher Art Fuentes in February 2005 said: “Apart from the Philippine eagle, perhaps there is only one other animal that can best symbolize the mass extinction of species that is happening here in the Philippines—the Tamaraw. Once found in the thousands on the island of Mindoro in the early 1900s, it is estimated that fewer than 300 survive today.

“The reasons for the dramatic decline in the Tamaraw’s population are many. The three most notable factors which led to it are: the introduction of cattle into Mindoro in the early 1900s, rampant hunting of the species, and the widespread logging that destroyed much of Mindoro’s forests where the Tamaraws live.

“In the 1930s, there was an outbreak of the deadly rinderpest disease among the cattle herds in Mindoro. The rinderpest plague eventually spread to the Tamaraws and caused thousands of deaths among them. When the plague subsided, less than a thousand Tamaraws were left.

“In the 1960s and 70s, hunters with automatic weapons flew to Mindoro from Manila to hunt Tamaraws for sport.

“The Tamaraw extinction was further exacerbated by the rampant destruction of Mindoro’s forests—the natural habitat of the animals. In the 1900s Mindoro had a forest cover of over 80 percent. By 1988, this was down to around eight percent. It was no coincidence that the dramatic decline of Mindoro’s forests was accompanied by the dramatic decline of Tamaraw population.

“But the Tamaraw has survived; and with our help it may even thrive. Various efforts are under way to help the Tamaraw regain a healthy population, the most important of which is the restoration of its devastated habitat.”

Haribon’s Fuentes also wrote, “Keeping the remaining forests of Mindoro intact is key to ensuring the Tamaraw’s survival.” For attempts to further increase tamaraw numbers through breeding in captivity have failed.

At last Friday’s Forum, Environment Undersecretary Manuel Gerochi said people have stopped hunting the tamaraw. Not only hunters from Manila but also the Mangyans of Mindoro, to whom catching and sharing a tamaraw had a ritualistic and solidarity-building value, became respectful of the law against tamaraw-hunting.

Observed by environmentalists protecting the Philippine eagle is the need for wild species to be isolated to reproduce.

The effort to keep the tamaraw’s habitat intact must be succeeding.

For Dr. Arnel del Barrio, director of the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC), said at the Forum that from 2001-2008 the tamaraw population has increased yearly by an average of 10 percent.

Del Barrio reported on the findings of the latest tamaraw expedition last April—participated in by government and private entities. The expedition was organized by the Tamaraw Conservation Program (TCP) at the Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park in Mindoro Occidental. Del Barrio said the group’s tamaraw population count is 263 this year compared to only 175 heads in 2001.

“The calving rate estimated by number of yearlings is considerably high… [which could mean that] more than 55 percent of the Tamaraws are giving birth,” Del Barrio said. In Mount Iglit-Baco National Park, where most of the tamaraws are sighted, the official count of the animal was 263 in 2006, 239 in 2007 and 263 in 2008.

The DENR’s estimate is higher. Gerochi said his agency’s finding is that in some areas of Mindoro today, the tamaraw population has grown to more than 1,000. This a result of the Tamaraw Conservation Program (TCP).

October is meaningful for the tamaraw and those concerned with its continued propagation. In 2002 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Presidential Proclamation 273, which sets October as a “Special Month for the Conservation and Protection of the Tamaraw in Mindoro.” The proclamation stresses the need for more intense effort to protect, conserve, and perpetuate this national treasure.

It would be good to keep the TCP alive and continue observing October as the special month for tamaraw. For the drive to modernize Mindoro and the greed of human beings can still bring about a situation in which the natural forest habitat of the tamaraw has been wiped out.

The Mangyans could suddenly be goaded by activist shamans to stand for their ancient tradition—hunt and kill tamaraw for its blood and meat. These in the Mangyans’ ancient belief were a source of good health, strength and invincibility.

RP hosts Coral Triangle meet (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20081019158)
By Katherine Adraneda
Monday, October 20, 2008

Government officials and technical experts from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands will hold a three-day meeting in Manila to find ways to undertake coordinated and sustained global action to protect the Coral Triangle, the world’s richest marine region in the Western Pacific Ocean.

The Coral Triangle includes the marine regions of Sulu-Sulawesi, part of the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and portions of Indonesia, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and the Philippines at its apex.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said the Coral Triangle, which spans 5.7 million square kilometers, contains 76 percent of all known coral species even if it only covers two percent of the world’s ocean.

Delegates from the six governments of the Coral Triangle Region are expected to discuss starting on Oct. 21 the comprehensive Regional Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) Plan of Action, which will be presented and affirmed by heads of state at the World Oceans Conference in Manado, Indonesia in May 2009.

“This meeting is very significant as it also aims to fire up world attention on the need to ease the impact of climate change on the country’s marine and coastal ecosystems,” said Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza.

Atienza said Philippine ecosystems play a crucial role in the preservation of the Coral Triangle, which contains more than 500 species of reef-building corals, as it is abundant in reef fish species, estimated at more than 3, 000, including commercially valuable pelagic species like yellow fin tuna, big eye tuna, bump head parrot fish, and Napoleon wrasse (locally known as mameng).

“These marine biological resources are at risk, threatened by over-fishing and other destructive practices; pollution; and climate change. So this new initiative (CTI-CFF Plan of Action) would address these threats and ensure long-term benefits from the marine biological resources of the region,” Atienza pointed out.

He said that like other marine ecosystems, the country’s marine areas, including corals and the biodiversity of the oceans, are vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.

Five initial goals were identified by the technical working group formed during the first Senior Officials Meeting, including the designation and effective management of priority seascapes, application of an ecosystem approach to the management of fisheries and other marine resources, effective management of marine protected areas (MPAs), achievement of climate change adaptation measures, and improvement of threatened species status.

The WWF said that the Coral Triangle is packed with an extraordinary variety of fish, and over 120 million people directly depend on the bounty of the area for their food and income.

“This area also supports the largest tuna fisheries in the world, which generate billions of dollars in global income every year,” the WWF added. “Healthy reef systems also help buffer coastal communities from severe storms and tsunamis.”

The CTI is an Indonesian-led multilateral partnership that aims to ensure long-term benefits from the sustainable management of marine and coastal resources across the Coral Triangle area.

A new CTI-CFF was launched in 2007 to help promote political commitments and action by governments of the Coral Triangle area, supported and carried forward by public funding institutions, non-government organizations, and the private sector.

Among the organizations participating in the CTI are the WWF, the Nature conservancy, and Conservation International (CI).

Aside from the DENR, the Department of Agriculture (DA), ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB), German Development Agency (GTZED), World Fish Center, and Asian Development Bank (ADB), among others, also support the CTI.

RP marine management plan in the works (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/128795/RP-marine-management-plan-in-the-works)
10/23/2008 | 03:38 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines, together with five other countries that form part of the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), will draft a plan to preserve and manage marine resources in the Coral Triangle in a meeting today, an official statement read Wednesday.

The Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste are prime partners in the CTI.

"The intention is to integrate nations’ programs into a regional action plan," Environment Undersecretary Manuel D. Gerochi said in a phone interview Wednesday.

The Coral Triangle Initiative is a regional effort launched last year with international partners the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Global Environment Facility, as well as environmental groups World Wide Fund for Nature, Conservation International and the Nature Conservancy.

"Elements of the action plan are already getting under way, and it will be fully operational after its endorsement by leaders of the participating countries at a Coral Triangle Initiative Summit in Indonesia, planned for May 2009," the statement quoted ADB Principal Environment Specialist David McCauley as saying.

The regional plan will include three projects in the local, national and regional levels based on the objectives agreed on by the participating countries.

Two out of these three projects are to be implemented in the Philippines. The first project will involve development of models for sustainable financing of efforts to preserve marine protected areas in Southeast Asia, while the second project will involve regional information exchange that will include the latest scientific data on climate change.

"The Philippines can benefit from the regional plan because it will allow us to avail of funding for projects," Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) director Malcolm I. Sarmiento Jr. said in a telephone interview Wednesday.

"We are looking at projects in strengthening our law enforcement capabilities in monitoring illegal fishing practices, establishment [sic] of threatened species and continuing research on tuna." — L. D. Desiderio and N. J. Morales, BusinessWorld

East Asia discusses biofuels database (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20081025-168440/East-Asia-discusses-biofuels-database)

By Carla Gomez
Visayas Bureau
First Posted 17:21:00 10/25/2008

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental -- Delegates from six countries were here Friday to discuss the progress of moves to set up a biofuels database for 16 East Asian countries.

The biofuels database would enable the sharing of information to boost clean alternative energy, said Nobuo Hashimoto, director of the New Energy Foundation (NEF).

NEF and the Department of Energy are the sponsors of the three-day workshop being attended by delegates from Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines who reported on the progress of database preparation in their respective countries.
The delegates visited the San Carlos Bionergy Inc. bio-ethanol project in San Carlos City Saturday.

Hashimoto, noting Negros's potential for ethanol production, said NEF was providing financial support and assisting in the setting up of a biofuels database.

The objective is to develop and establish the East Asia Biofuels Corp. website that will include basic information on energy, biofuels policies, supply potential of feedstock and utilization, investment, incentives, market and promotions, technical information, standards and quality assurance, and future outlook of feedstock.

He said the countries covered are Australia, Cambodia, India, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, China, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Vietnam.

The ‘midnight econo-run’ (http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/theenvironmentreport/view.php?db=1&article=20081025-168373)

October 25, 2008 02:24:00
Tessa Salazar
Philippine Daily Inquirer


MANILA, Philippines – There was no fanfare and hardly any spectators. In the dead of night, there were only the cars, their drivers and Department of Energy officials armed with pen, pad and calculator to determine which vehicles were fuel misers or costly gas users.

From 11 p.m. of Oct. 23 to 6 a.m. the next day, 52 different vehicles representing 14 brands ran 333 kilometers in DOE’s most extensive fuel consumption run to date.

In the end, a mini car with the smallest engine and the barest of amenities was deemed the top fuel miser to run on a per kilometer basis. The 0.8-liter Suzuki Alto (gasoline-powered, manual transmission) registered a fuel economy of 34 km per liter (better mileage than many motorcycles) and a fuel cost of P1.38 per km.

The costliest in terms of fuel consumption was the 3.2-liter Volvo XC70 (gas, automatic). Otherwise known for its sturdiness and premium on safety, the heavy XC70 showed a fuel mileage of 11 km per liter or a fuel cost of P4.26 per km.

The DOE’s seven-hour fuel consumption run transformed Edsa, the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) into one long proving ground.

Supervised by 20 support vehicles, 10 backup vehicles and three advance vehicles, the convoy of 52 vehicles filled up their tanks with gas or diesel at the Shell station at The Fort and assembled at the starting line – the DOE compound in Taguig City.

The destination? Subic via Edsa, NLEx and SCTEx. After reaching Subic, the convoy, representing 14 brands (some models did not participate) returned to the DOE compound using the same route for a total run of 333 km.

The vehicles, which included all types of sedans, sports utility vehicles, multi-purpose vehicles and pick-ups, filled up their tanks again to determine how much fuel they consumed. No LPG-powered vehicles were used on this run.

On Edsa, vehicles maintained a speed of 40 kph, while at NLEx and SCTex their speed was 80 kph. The air-conditioning was turned on and set to low fan, with the coldest thermostat setting. Only one stop was made during the entire run.

And the winners are ...

DOE officials took note of the fuel mileage and the resulting peso-per-kilometer consumption of each vehicle.

The top 10 fuel misers are:

1) Suzuki Alto 0.8L MT Gas – P1.38/km (34 km per liter)
2) Hyundai Getz 1.5L MT Diesel – P1.82/km (25.22 km/liter)
3) Hyundai Accent 1.5L MT Diesel – P1.97/km (23.38 km/liter)
4) Mercedes Benz C-180K 1.8L AT Gas – P2.07/km (22.70km/liter)
5) Toyota Vios 1.3L MT Gas – P2.08/km-(22.67 km/liter)
6) Ford Focus 2.0L MT Diesel – P2.15/km (21.39km/liter)
7) Kia Picanto 1.1 AT Gas – P2.18/km (21.60 km/liter)
8) BMW 320D 2.0L AT Diesel – P2.24/km (20.53 km/liter)
9) Isuzu DMAX Lt 4x2 2.5L MT Diesel – P2.24/km (20.57 km/liter)
10) Isuzu Alterra 4x2 3.0L MT diesel – P2.37/km (19.44 km/liter)

The top 10 gas users are:

1) Volvo XC70 3.2L AT Gas – P4.26/km (11.05 km/liter)
2) Suzuki SGX 1.6 AT Gas – P3.77/km (12.48km/liter)
3) Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4L AT Gas – P3.70/km (12.73 km/liter)
4) Ford Escape 2.3L AT Gas – P3.68/km (12.78 km/liter)
5) BMW X5. 30d 3.0L AT Diesel – P3.65/km (12.60 km/liter)
6) Mitsubishi Montero 3.2L AT Diesel – P3.52/km (13.05 km/liter)
7) Suzuki APV GA 1.6L MT Gas – P3.42/km (13.78km/liter)
8) Ssangyong Stavic 2.7L AT Diesel – P3.33/km (13.82 km/liter)
9) Mitsubishi Lancer EX 2.0L AT Gas – P3.28/km (14.37km/liter)
10) Ford Everest 2.5L AT Diesel – P3.27/km (14.07 km/liter)

Energy crisis?

The vehicles in the DOE fuel run were freely compared against each other and only their fuel consumption were considered while setting aside other key factors such as engine displacement, vehicle weight and vehicle classification.

The participating vehicles, however, were required to have odometer readings of not more than 15,000 km to ensure that the engines were running at optimum efficiency.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes told participants that hopefully, the exercise and its results would encourage consumers to consider fuel consumption and not just “porma (for show)” in their car choices because “we have [an] energy crisis.”

Controlled conditions

Mario Marasigan, director for the Energy Utilization Management Bureau, said this was a “rough tank test and not a scientific, instrumented test.”

He added that the DOE’s goal was to eventually standardize tests once instruments become available.

“There are refrigerators and air-conditioners with energy efficiency rating labels. Our ultimate goal is to label the vehicles as well for fuel efficiency,” Marasigan said.

Alex Loinaz, DOE technical consultant, said the rough tank test would already be indicative of fuel consumption since the vehicles ran the same distance, the same speed and in controlled and identical conditions. Variables were minimized to the drivers’ habits.

Unlike other fuel consumption runs conducted by private companies, participating cars at the DOE’s run were not allowed “short-cuts” such as shutting the engine and coasting, turning off the air-conditioning thermostat, tailgating or folding side view mirrors to reduce wind drag.

Marshals for the run included the Citizen Action Groups and the Automobile Association of the Philippines.

Get ready, get set

Before the start of the run, cars were filled with fuel, and their trip meters set to zero. Slanted ramps were used to hasten the flow of fuel to the tanks since cars have different fuel pipe configurations. After the run, the cars were filled up again at the same filling station for final tallying.

The trip meter reading was divided by the number of liters consumed, which resulted in an average distance the car ran for each liter of fuel.

To minimize inconsistencies at the fuel filling pumps, the four pumps at the Shell Station at The Fort were calibrated by the Oil Industry Management Bureau three days before the run.

Each car carried three passengers for an approximate combined weight of 210 kilos.

Clean energy to supply half of Asia's electricity needs by 2050 (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/130638/Clean-energy-to-supply-half-of-Asias-electricity-needs-by-2050)
10/31/2008 | 03:30 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Renewable energy sources will account for 67 percent of the electricity produced in developing countries in Asia by 2050, a report by Greenpeace and the the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) said.

Renewable energy will supplant “the need for nuclear energy and reducing requirements for fossil fuel-fired power plants," the report said.

Entitled ‘Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable World Energy Outlook’, the report shows that aggressive investment in renewable power generation and energy efficiency could create an annual $360 billion industry worldwide, provide half of the world’s electricity, and slash over $18 trillion in future fuel costs while protecting the climate, Greenpeace said in a statement.

It provides a practical blueprint to rapidly cut energy-related CO2 emissions to help ensure that greenhouse gas emissions peak and then fall by 2015. This can be achieved while ensuring developing economies in Southeast Asia, China, India and other developing nations have access to the energy that they need in order to develop.

“This report shows that there is a way forward toward economic prosperity in Asia while at the same time protect our future generations from the threats of climate change. We now need bold new energy policies from our leaders to revolutionize the way we produce and consume energy," said Beau Baconguis, Philippines Campaign Manager for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

“Strict efficiency standards make sound economic sense and dramatically slow down rising global energy demand. The energy saved in industrialized countries will make space for increased energy use in developing economies. With renewable energy growing four-fold not only in the electricity sector, but also in the heating and transport sectors, we can still cut the average carbon emissions per person from today’s four tonnes to around one tonne by 2050," she added.

In the context of today's economic instability, investing in renewable energy technologies is a 'win-win-win' scenario: a win for energy security, a win for the economy and a win for the climate. While ‘business as usual’ energy scenarios from bodies like the International

Energy Agency come at the cost of the climate and the economy, the Energy [R]evolution makes a clear case for ‘business unusual.’

It estimates that additional costs for coal fuel from today until the year 2030 are as high as $15.9 trillion, more than what is required to pay to implement the Energy [R]evolution scenario. Renewable energy sources will produce electricity without any further fuel costs beyond 2030, creating an enormous number of jobs and helping lift the world out of recession.

Oliver Schäfer, EREC Policy Director said, "The global market for renewable energy can grow at double digit rates until 2050, and overtake the size of today's fossil fuel industry. Currently, the renewable energy market is worth USD 70 billion and doubling in size every three years."

"Because of economy of scales, renewable energies such as wind power at good sites are already competitive with conventional power. From around
2015 onwards, we are confident that renewable energies across all sectors will be the most cost effective energy capacities. The renewable industry is ready and able to deliver the needed capacity to make the energy revolution a reality. There is no technical impediment but a political barrier to rebuild the global energy sector," he added.

Copies of the "Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable World Energy Outlook"
report can be downloaded at: www.greenpeace.org.ph - GMANews.TV

Asia to generate 67% of future electricity from renewable energy (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/130636/Asia-to-generate-67-of-future-electricity-from-renewable-energy)
10/31/2008 | 03:21 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Renewable energy sources will account for 67% of the electricity produced in developing countries in Asia by 2050, supplanting the need for nuclear energy and reducing requirements for fossil fuel-fired power plants, according to a comprehensive plan for future sustainable energy provision launched Friday.

The report, "Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable World Energy Outlook," produced by the European Renewable Energy Council and Greenpeace International shows that aggressive investment in renewable power generation and energy efficiency could create an annual $360 billion industry worldwide, provide half of the world’s electricity, and slash over $18 trillion in future fuel costs while protecting the climate.

The study provides a practical blueprint to rapidly cut energy-related CO2 emissions to help ensure that greenhouse gas emissions peak and then fall by 2015. This can be achieved while ensuring developing economies in Southeast Asia, China, India and other developing nations have access to the energy that they need in order to develop.

"This report shows that there is a way forward toward economic prosperity in Asia while at the same time protect our future generations from the threats of climate change," said Beau Baconguis, campaign manager for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

"We now need bold new energy policies from our leaders to revolutionize the way we produce and consume energy," she added.

Baconguis said "strict efficiency standards make sound economic sense and dramatically
slow down rising global energy demand."

"The energy saved in industrialized countries will make space for increased energy use in developing economies. With renewable energy growing four-fold not only in the electricity sector, but also in the heating and transport sectors, we can still cut the average carbon emissions per person from today’s four tons to around one ton by 2050," she said.

Oliver Schäfer, EREC policy director said "the global market for renewable energy can grow at double digit rates until 2050, and overtake the size of today's fossil fuel industry. Currently, the renewable energy market is worth USD 70 billion and doubling in size every three years."

"Because of economy of scales, renewable energies such as wind power at good sites are already competitive with conventional power. From around 2015 onwards, we are confident that renewable energies across all sectors will be the most cost effective energy capacities. The renewable industry is ready and able to deliver the needed capacity to make the energy revolution a reality. There is no technical impediment but a political barrier to rebuild the global energy sector," he added.

The report highlights the short window for making key decisions in energy infrastructure.

To achieve a greenhouse gas emission peak by 2015 and a fast reduction afterwards, governments, investment institutions and companies must act swiftly and a strengthened UN climate deal must be agreed, the study said. - GMANews.TV

Make The Colors of Christmas Red and Greener (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=423619&publicationSubCategoryId=90)

The global financial meltdown need not turn Christmas drab and dreary. Environmentalists say that one can still make the holidays merry and festive without putting a hole in people’s pockets by merely choosing to take the ecological celebration route.

Environment advocates recently kicked off their annual campaign to encourage the public to make the colors of Christmas red and “greener,” not only to save money but also help in efforts to conserve the natural world, especially in the face of the feared impacts of climate change due to global warming.

Manny Calonzo, president of the Ecological Waste Coalition (EcoWaste), says the public must consider “decorating green, giving green, partying green, cleaning green, and rejoicing green” at this special time of the year.

“We hope to lend a hand, to inform or educate the people in making informed choices on practices that would minimize the creation of trash,” he notes.

According to Calonzo, their “green” Christmas drive is likewise aimed at urging the public to opt for a “toxics-free” holiday, calling the attention of Filipinos against the many toxic threats “lurking behind the dazzle of the season.”

Calonzo asserts that people should reconsider the traditional merrymaking practices that pose chemical dangers to public health and the environment.

Filipinos could make the ambience of the season joyful through eco-friendly ornaments like the belen (Nativity scene) and parol (lantern) from used or locally sourced biodegradable materials, proving that simple decorations can be beautiful.

He also recommends “eco-gift ideas” that do not imperil children’s health and safety with hazardous chemicals, do not promote a culture of violence, and do not add to the usual mountains of holiday trash.

Among the eco-gift ideas he suggests are non-material gifts such as teaching a skill or participating in community endeavors.

And who says recycling should only involve garbage?

Budget-conscious consumers attest to a considerable amount of money saved by simply “recycling” gifts.

Of course, used clothing should not even be considered due to hygiene issues.

“Extra bottles of perfume which you’re not likely to use in the near future because you have lots of them; or unused bags or ceramic figurines you’ve received from previous occasions that are only gathering dust on the shelf can still make a perfect gift for someone,” says Elizabeth Jimenez, a housewife.

“In any case, though this might sound like a cliché, it is true what they say that it’s really the thought that counts,” says Joy, a student.

Sheryl Grace, a call center agent, vouched for what creative packaging can do to make up for inexpensive Christmas presents.

“An old newspaper can be turned into a colorful Christmas gift wrapper, using water colors to paint designs,” she suggests.

Meanwhile, Sonia Mendoza, chair of the Mother Earth Foundation, enumerates practical tips and information about “partying green.”

Christmas parties could be environment-friendly if people would only make a deliberate decision not to throw lavish and wasteful celebrations. Use only reusable partyware and segregate party discards for easy recycling or composting.

For her part, Gigie Cruz, of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), proposes that non-toxic cleaning materials be used to spruce up homes for the holidays. Avoid pesticides, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides that contain very harmful substances, and avoid dumping or burning trash.

As for New Year celebrations, actor Roy Alvarez, vice president of EcoWaste, advises the public to welcome the New Year without blasting expensive and polluting firecrackers and fireworks or burning used tires, and instead use substitute noisemakers that emit no pollutants and pose no threat to life or limb.

EcoWaste further warns the public anew against the risks that children face with exposure to hazardous substances such as lead in toys. Lead is a chemical that can cause brain damage in children.

EcoWaste has come out with a list of 50 Eco-tips for the public to take advantage of in order to make pro-environment holidays merry.

“By disseminating the 50 eco-tips, we hope to assist Filipino consumers in making decisions regarding practices and products that would minimize their exposure to hazardous chemicals as well as avoid the generation of garbage,” Calonzo stresses.

Below is an inspiring speech by Al Gore in Poznan, Poland on the 13th of December 2008.


(Transcript)
Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much for that warm welcome. And Yvo de Boer, thank you very much for your very generous introduction. And thank you for your leadership and tireless efforts in combating this crisis. Thank you so much. To all of the ministers, delegates, members of the NGO community, scientists, especially members of the IPCC who are gathered here, to my good friend who has shown such leadership and courage Wangari Maathai who is also here somewhere, and to all of the distinguished guests, this is an unusual moment during this long journey that began 16 years ago in Rio de Janeiro. To all of you who have worked here in Poznan and to the many of you who have worked at conferences throughout this process, thank you for your extraordinary efforts and for your remarkable achievements.

We, the human species, have arrived at a moment of fateful decision. It is unprecedented and in some ways even laughable to imagine that we could actually make a conscious choice as a species. But that is nevertheless the challenge that now faces us because our home, Earth, is in danger. What is at risk of being destroyed is of course not the planet itself but the conditions that have made it hospitable for human beings I will not dwell on the science but I want to state a few facts if only to underscore the urgency of our task. We are, after all, in a process of negotiation with one another around the world but it's important to remind ourselves that we cannot negotiate with the facts. We cannot negotiate with the truth about our situation. We cannot negotiate with the consequences of unrestrained dumping of 70 million tons of global warming pollution into the thin shelf atmosphere surrounding our planet every 24 hours. Scientists have for several years now warned us that we are moving dangerously close to several so-called tipping points that could within less than 10 years make it impossible to avoid irretrievable damage to the planet's habitability for human civilization unless we act quickly.

As many of you here know full well, in virtually all of the mountain ranges of this planet, the glaciers are now melting rapidly in the Alps in the Andes in the Rockies and most ominously in the Himalayas which contain number 100 times as much ice and snow of all of the mountains here in Europe.

The leading Chinese scientist who studies ice, professor Yao Tandong calls the Tibetan plateau the water tower of Asia. As you know it feeds the great rivers of Asia, the Indus, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Salween and the Irawati, the Mekong, the Yangtze and the Yellow. 1.4 billion people depend for more than half of their drinking water on the rivers and spring systems that flow from the ice of the Tibetan plateau which is now melting at an alarming rate. Because the climate crisis has also increased the rate of soil moisture evaporation around the world and concentrated rainfall in shorter periods of time, shifting the seasons during which it falls, there is increased desertification and longer droughts, increasing stress on all of the people who live in the dry land regions of our world. Many shallow lakes, including prominently lake Chad, have disappeared. The Great Lakes of Africa are undergoing dramatic change, the Great Lakes of North America are losing their ice cover, and the water level is dropping dramatically. Last year 2000 scientists gathered at the food and agriculture organization in Rome to discuss their fear of an impending crisis in the Mediterranean as it becomes saltier and as warmer water reaches its depths, threatening in the future to turn it into a stagnant sea if this process continues. The dumping of 25 million tons of CO2 into the oceans of the world every day, and the increasing acidification of the ocean water along with rising temperature is putting stress on the ocean Fisheries throughout our planet. And as you know, the warming ocean waters are also causing stronger typhoons and cyclones and hurricanes. Typhoon Saomai was the strongest to hit China in more than 50 years, two of the three strongest histories in history hit south Asia within the last 3 years, one of them killing 20,000 people in Myanmar. We have had such strong storms in North America as well, and in South America where Brazil had the first hurricane in recorded history. Massive flooding has resulted at record rates on every continent. Last year more than a dozen countries in Africa suffered the consequences of such flooding. Last year Mexico had record flooding. We have seen comparable events in Europe and throughout the world. Heat waves continue. Two winters ago was the hottest winter in the history of recorded atmospheric measurements. 20 of the 21 hottest years in recorded history have occurred in the last 25 years. The university of Tel Aviv recently published a new study predicting that with each 1 degree increase in temperature there is a 10 percent increase in lightning, along with man-made causes, we are now seeing record fires as dryer soils and dryer vegetation leads to spreading fires in Greece, for example last year and in many other countries as well. The extinction crisis is tearing at the fabric of the web of life, and the scientific consensus that we must take action was strengthened by the IPCC yet again earlier this year. So the science is clear, and we are faced with a sharp contrast between two notional rates of change, first, the rate at which we are approaching a point of no return in terms of systems collapse, and second, the slower rate at which we have been addressing the problem of how to reduce the emissions that are causing this crisis. We are moving up against a physical standard that doesn't give credit for a good try. We will succeed or we will fail. At every time of great challenge, we as human beings first of all must resolve a struggle in our own hearts between hope and fear. That struggle is palpable here during this meeting at Poznan. The causes for fear, pessimism, discouragement and doubt have been discussed in whispered conversations among the delegates here. The global recession, we are told, makes the task of solving the climate crisis more difficult. The businesses lobbies in the developed nations we are told have too much power and may divert leaders from their obligation to safeguard our future. The prices for oil -- the prices for oil and coal have, in a cyclical and destructive pattern, once again risen to new highs in the first half of this year, contributing to the causes of the economic downturn, only then to once again plummet to levels that threaten to discourage investments necessary to develop renewable sources of energy and effective measures to improve conservation and efficiency. We are also told that even though people throughout the world are more aware of the unprecedented threat posed by the climate crisis, many still seem not to feel the appropriate sense of urgency that should cause them to demand the emergency measures that the scientists have so clearly told us governments must take as quickly as possible. The gap between rich and poor as we are all aware is not being closed with sufficient speed to build the unity of purpose so desperately needed as a basis for supporting global action. These are all causes for doubt, for fear, for pessimism. But in spite of these fears and doubts, you have continued your work and have continued to make steady progress in resolving many issues that once seemed intractable. Thank you. And even though the steps that you have taken and that have been taken by nations around the world sometimes seem small and even though the progress seems painfully slow, it is worth taking stock and recognizing that this great enterprise that began 16 years ago has now taken us to a vantage point from which we can see the basis for success because in spite of the remaining obstacles and difficulties, I believe that the causes for hope and optimism are greater than the causes for doubt and discouragement, and I believe the road to Copenhagen is now clear.

Let me outline for you the basis for the hope and optimism that I feel in my heart. In the midst of this synchronized global recession, there is an emerging consensus throughout the world that the best, indeed the only way to effectively combat the recession is with a synchronized global stimulus and in nation after nation, leaders have concluded that they must design a green stimulus and build the infrastructure for renewable sources of energy and put people to work retro-fitting homes and buildings with CO2 reducing insulation and windows and lighting and more efficient technologies. China, a second cause for hope, China once seem by many as a looming obstacle to the world's effort to reduce CO2 emissions has itself announced a green stimulus of $600 billion over the next 2 years. Chinese leaders are mobilizing a national effort to introduce CO2 reduction initiatives and have already begun the largest tree planting program the world has ever seen. And in contrast to it 2 years ago, no one at this conference has said China is standing in the way of progress. China is ready to join in leading the world toward a solution for this crisis. Much more needs to be done, of course. Much more needs to be done even in countries that have in the last few years provided leadership. The struggle between hope and fear is taking place even today here in Europe. And yet we hear the reports that leaders once resistant to fiscal stimulus are now calling for massive new initiatives to create jobs in ways that also reduce CO2 and the Secretary general of the United Nations who has provided such tremendous leadership for the world in this process has himself called for what he terms a green new deal in the world.

Developing countries that were once reluctant to join in the first phases of a global response to the climate crisis have themselves now become leaders in demanding action and in taking bold steps on their own initiative. Just last week Brazil proposed an impressive new plan to halt the destructive deforestation in that nation.

Thanks to your efforts in Bali and in the continuing discussions, we now know how to integrate the protection of forests in a global agreement that also sharply reduces industrial sources of global warming pollution. Yes, much more work needs to be done, but you have created the basis for integrating the different kinds of solutions that must come together to solve this crisis. Another source of optimism, scientists and engineers and entrepreneurs in every part of the world have been busy and productive in developing exciting new ex-technologies that will dramatically improve our ability to create renewable energy, they are creating the basis for increasing living standards while simultaneously reducing pollution. In my country there have also been promising and optimistic changes. State governments, including the State of California, our largest state, have shown leadership by passing binding laws requiring the mandatory reduction of CO2. 884 U.S. cities have now embraced the principles of the Kyoto protocol without waiting for the Federal Government to act. The United States -- dozens of proposed coal firing generating plants have in the last 2 years been cancelled because of grassroots opposition and public pressure to adopt renewable sources of energy.

The United States Supreme Court, which I must tell you in my opinion does not always reach the right conclusion, decided earlier this year in a ruling that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is required by law to regulate CO2 emissions. No new coal fired generating plant can be approved without a decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

1 year ago this week in Bali at another extraordinary moment during this process, I asked you to anticipate the possibility that there would be significant changes in the approach of the U.S. national government to the climate crisis because of our oncoming elections.

Just prior to coming here to Poznan, I went to Chicago for a meeting with president-elect Barack Obama and he emphasized that the climate crisis will be a top priority of his administration. We discussed how to create millions of new jobs in a new clean energy economy, and he emphasized that once he is president, the United States will once again engage vigorously in these negotiations and help lead toward a successful conclusion.

I would like to read to you some of the public statements that president-elect Barack Obama has made since the election. He said, “…the time for delay is over. The time for denial is over. We all believe what the scientists have been telling us for years now, that this is a matter of urgency and national security and it has to be dealt with in a serious way. That's what I intend my administration to do.”

He said in another statement, “The science is beyond dispute. The facts are clear…. Washington has failed to show leadership. That will change when I take office. My presidency will mark a new chapter in America's leadership on climate change… That will start with a Federal cap and trade system... It will not only help us bring about a clean energy future saving our planet, it will also help us transform our industries and steer our country out of this economic crisis….Solving this problem will require all of us working together….Once I take office, you can be sure that the United States will once again engage vigorously in these negotiations and help lead the world toward a new era of global cooperation on climate change.”

Don't discount these words. Will there be difficulties? Of course. Not only in my country but in every country. You know that better than most. Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most inspirational leaders in the history of the world said halfway through the last century that the most powerful force in global politics is what he called "satyagraha" which I am told translates into my language roughly as "truth force". The reason why you have been able to continue moving forward is because you understand the truth about the crisis that we face.

One of Mahatma Gandhi's -- one of those inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said in discussing human rights, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. In that very same way, we now face a crisis that makes it abundantly clear that increased CO2 emissions anywhere are a threat to the integrity of this planet's climate balance everywhere. As a result, the old divide between north and south, between developed countries and developing countries is a divide that must become obsolete. We must link poverty reduction with the sharp reduction of CO2 emissions, including reduced emissions from deforestation with reform of the clean development mechanism and adequate funding for adaptation that is essential and must be financed even though obviously mitigation and prevention are the primary task because without them adaptation would ultimately prove to be impossible.

We hear a lot also about capacity building. A phrase that is almost exclusively used with respect to the developing countries and indeed capacity building is important there. But I want to talk about the need for capacity building in the developed countries as well. The political systems in the developed world have become sclerotic. We have to overcome the paralysis that has prevented us from acting and focused unblinkingly on this crisis as opposed to spending so much time on OJ Simpson and Paris Hilton and Anna Nicole Smith. In this struggle between our hopes for success and the doubts that constantly complicate this task, we have to call upon the people of the world to speak up more forcefully, to put their weight in the balance of the scales that are measured by world leaders. The truth is that the goals we are reaching toward are incredibly difficult, and even a goal of 450 parts per million, which seems so difficult today, is inadequate. We will soon need to toughen that goal to 350 parts per million. We understand that. But we have to understand as delegates in this process understand all too clearly the difference between stating the goal and reaching the goal. As governments come to grips with the very difficult work that has to be performed in order to reach even a goal of 450 parts per million, the task can seem very daunting. But for those of us who do understand that the goal should be tougher still, let us remember that the early steps in a process of reaching a goal of 450 parts per million and a process to reach 350 parts per million, the early steps are very similar, and we know from experience that once the process of change begins, once the momentum shifts, once the decisions are arrived at, then the task often becomes easier in the doing. As we start making these changes, we will see that they do strengthen our economies, they do create millions of new jobs, and they do improve the standard of living. To those who are fearful -- to those who are fearful that it is too difficult to conclude this process with a new treaty by the deadline that has been established for 1 year from now in Copenhagen, I say it can be done. It must be done. Let's finish this process at Copenhagen. Don't take the pressure off. Let's make sure that we succeed. Because ultimately this really is not a political issue. It is of course a moral issue, and even a spiritual issue, however you understand that word. And our different traditions lead us to different ways of describing a spiritual challenge. But this one affects the survival of human civilization. It is simply put, a question of right versus wrong, and we have to bring to bear that truth force and that moral courage necessary to do what is sometimes seen as impossible. Very simply put, it is wrong for this generation to destroy the habitability of our planet and ruin the prospects of every future generation. That realization -- that realization must carry us forward. Our children have a right to hold us to a higher standard when the future of all human civilization is hanging in the balance. They deserve better, and politicians who sit on their hands and do nothing to confront the greatest challenge humankind has ever faced. This crisis does offer us the chance to experience what few generations have had the privilege of experiencing, a generational mission, a compelling moral purpose, a shared cause and the opportunity to put aside the pettiness and conflict of politics and narrower concerns to embrace a genuine moral generational mission. I believe that it is time between now and the gathering in Copenhagen 1 year from now for heads of state to become personally involved in meeting several times between Poznan and Copenhagen. I don't think that they can stay disengaged from this process any longer.

I am very optimistic about the leadership of the new Danish chair that will preside over the meeting in Copenhagen, and even though I do not have the opportunity to speak formally for the people of my country, I would like to relay to you a message that I heard from the people of the United States of America this year, that I think is very relevant to the task the world is facing over this next year. Yes, we can. Thank you.

Science Channel has a show "Ecopolis"-- a one-hour documentary about what would our future cities should look like.. amazingly, they featured manila and its jeepneys that lasted about 10 mins!! :lol:

they talked about the e-jeepney, attributed to this woman (anybody know her? she's from greenpeace daw)...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3159/3112755638_228dd611e5.jpg

these were the old jeepneys...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/3112755862_f5c3529208.jpg

the science channel praised the idea and they said it is gonna be helpful if most of the population use public transportation...
_____________________________
EDIT: i just finished the show.. they ultimately picked the E-Jeepney..!!:banana: it has beaten different ideas such as the algae, hydrogen fuels, and redesigned planes... wow...:applause:

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/environment/archives/157691.asp

Obama sets quite a different course on climate change

As President-elect Obama moved through his early choices for his new Cabinet, we heard some grumbling around Seattle because he failed to tap any Northwesterners and, said some political progressives, his picks could be summed up in a song called "Same As the Old (Democratic) Boss." Witness the pick of Carol Browner, President Clinton's EPA chief, as Obama's climate czar, for instance.

But his latest choices, on energy, climate change and marine science, foretell policies that will be quite different from the Current Occupant's.

These latest picks are:


Harvard global warming policy wonk John Holdren for his top science adviser. Here's what Holdren told Democracy Now last summer:

Most people, even most scientists, continue to underestimate how far down the path to climate catastrophe we've already traveled. We are committed, the United States and 190 other countries are committed, under the Framework Convention on Climate Change to avoid dangerous human interference in the climate system. And the fact is, it's already too late to do that. We're already experiencing dangerous interference. Floods, major floods, are up all over the world. Wildfires are up in almost every region of the world where wildfires have been a problem. Wildfires erupt fourfold in the last thirty years in the western United States.

Oregon State University marine biologist extraordinaire Jane Lubchenco, who we've been fortunate to interview several times, for head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Like Holdren, she has served as president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and has been outspoken about the need for scientists to be outspoken about climate change. Here's what she told us a few years ago about ocean health:
If we want healthy seafood, we need healthy ecosystems. It's that simple. We have taken that bounty for granted and now face unanticipated challenges.

Phyisicist Steven Chu as secretary of energy. Here's what he had to say about climate change in an interview with NPR some time ago:

I don't think the American public understands [there's] a reasonably high probability some very bad things will happen. They fundamentally don't understand that, because if they really felt that then they would do something about it.
As NPR's Elizabeth Shogren pointed out, picking these people does not equal changing the nation's policy on climate change. First they'll have to be confirmed by the Senate, and we've already heard some pretty personal attacks starting by their opponents.

Then, they will have to transform Obama's Cap'n Trade campaign plank into actual policy by navigating the treacherous waters of a Congress that includes many who do not want change as much as the prez-elect appears to, judging by these nominations

Science Channel has a show "Ecopolis"-- a one-hour documentary about what would our future cities should look like.. amazingly, they featured manila and its jeepneys that lasted about 10 mins!! :lol:

they talked about the e-jeepney, attributed to this woman (anybody know her? she's from greenpeace daw)...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3159/3112755638_228dd611e5.jpg

these were the old jeepneys...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/3112755862_f5c3529208.jpg

the science channel praised the idea and they said it is gonna be helpful if most of the population use public transportation...
_____________________________
EDIT: i just finished the show.. they ultimately picked the E-Jeepney..!!:banana: it has beaten different ideas such as the algae, hydrogen fuels, and redesigned planes... wow...:applause:

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20081224-179845/TV-coup-spurs-devt-of-e-jeepneys

TV coup spurs dev’t of e-jeepneys
By Ronnel Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12/24/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Interest in, and support for, the electric-powered jeepney have perked up following the broadcast of a Discovery Channel feature on the environment-friendly mode of public transport, according to proponents of the project.

The e-jeepney is currently being pilot-tested in the cities of Makati and Puerto Princesa in Luzon, and Bacolod in the Visayas.

“We have a commitment to deliver six units in January 2009, which the Green Renewable Independent Power Producers (GRIPP) will award to designated recipients,” said Ferdinand Raquelsantos, president of PhUV Inc.

PhUV Inc. is the business arm of the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (MVPMAP), which GRIPP has tapped to produce at least 22 e-jeepney units.

“We are producing the first six units with funding support from DOEN Foundation of Netherlands,” Raquelsantos said. “But with the feature on the e-jeepney aired globally on cable TV, more parties, like the British Embassy, have shown interest in supporting the project.”

The e-jeepney was featured in the show “Ecopolis” on the Discovery Channel. The show investigates various challenges cities will face in the future—such as in the areas of food production, water access, energy, waste management and transportation.

Hosted by Nobel Prize-winning scientist Daniel Kammel, the show also examines visionary technology-driven solutions that would help in confronting such challenges.

In the episode that aired last Dec. 15, Kammel picked the Philippines’ Climate Friendly Cities (CFC) project—which the local nongovernment organization GRIPP is implementing—to illustrate an evaluation of several innovative technologies to address the twin problems of transportation and air pollution.

Kammel presented the e-jeepney initiative, which is part of the CFC project, as one that may prove to have the most impact in reducing harmful carbon dioxide emissions.

In the Ecopolis episode, GRIPP chair Athena Ballesteros explained that the NGO’s solution would address the pollution and noise problems that come with some 250,000 diesel-fed jeepneys clogging Philippine streets.

Under the CFC project, people will commute in quiet, smoke-free mass transportation vehicles that get their power from garbage.

The project’s first component involves the use of e-jeepneys as an alternative to diesel-fed ones that emit a lot of noise and smoke.

A second component involves the installation of bio-digesters coupled to gas engines. These are essentially power plants that convert organic trash to energy, producing electricity to run the e-jeepneys as well as homes and offices.

A third component is a piece of land that will serve as the garage, maintenance area and charging station of the e-jeepneys.

According to Raquelsantos, the e-jeepney—which can carry 14 people including the driver—can run for 60 to 90 kilometers after charging overnight from an ordinary wall power outlet.

“Charging is very easy, much like charging a cell phone because a charging kit is provided with the unit,” he said.

The e-jeepney can take on an incline with 20-percent grade and wade in flooded streets of up to a foot deep, he added.

“That is the advantage of the local design: The e-jeepney can take on local road conditions unique only to the Philippines.”

Yvonne Palomar-Castro, GRIPP project director, said the CFC project deserves the support of both the private and public sector.

“Having [appeared] in Ecopolis is proof that the e-jeepney is not science fiction,” Castro said. “It is already right here, right now.”

10 e-trikes start rolling at The Fort

At least 10 prototype electric tricycles or “E-3” started plying the streets of The Fort last Tuesday.

Taguig Mayor Sigfrido Tiñga, who led the inauguration, said the e-vehicles are the perfect alternative to fuel-consuming tricycles because they do not have gas emissions, are noise-free, and health and environment -friendly.

“The city government of Taguig aims to promote changes in our community by turning it into a better place for the benefit of our constituents,” Tiñga said.

Electric Vehicle Solutions President and CEO Sean Gerard Villoria, said the electric vehicle has an engine capable of running at the speed of 40-to-60 kilometer per hour, and is powered by five rechargeable batteries.

“More importantly, they are cost effective, because recharging the batteries will only cost P40.00 which is good enough for the whole day, unlike fueling engines that can consume up to P500 a day,” he said.

The 10 e-trikes are now operating in Fort Bonifacio and offering free rides to the public until Jan. 6, 2009 as part of the city government’s “Pamaskong Libreng Sakay Para sa Lahat.”

Tiñga said that, by next year, more E-3s will be ply strategic routes in The Fort and all over the city.

He said there are plans to subsidize and purchase these vehicles to replace the old tricycles. The city government has yet to determine and fix the routes and fare.

The project will be initiated in Barangay Ususan.

Local officials expressed belief that introducing E-3s in key areas of the city will help promote the local government’s target of inviting more foreign entrepreneurs to invest in the city. – Rhodina Villanueva

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20081227-180147/Electric-trikes-ply-Global-City

http://images.inquirer.net/media/newsinfo/inquirerheadlines/metro/images/pic-12270837140549.jpg
Source: Inquirer (http://images.inquirer.net/media/newsinfo/inquirerheadlines/metro/images/pic-12270837140235.jpg)

Electric trikes ply Global City
By Miko L. Morelos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12/27/2008

MANILA, Philippines – It’s way cheaper to maintain one, it’s environmentally friendly and, above all, drivers and passengers agree the electric tricycle is safe to ride in.

The drivers of the electric tricycles – called E3 – now plying the paved streets of Bonifacio Global City said the tricycle’s modern design complements the place while its limited speed and stability also provide plus factors.

In an interview Friday while waiting for other drivers, Peter Siasico, 46, shared that the new tricycle he was driving could run about 40 kilometers per hour but he doesn’t mind being slower than the usual four-stroke gasoline-powered trike.

“Besides running on batteries, the E3 has a limited speed which could help save passengers and drivers from accidents,” said Siasico, a tricycle driver for five years in Barangay Ususan.

“It looks better, too, compared to the usual tricycle. The E3 goes well with the surroundings here,” he added, referring to the sprawling urban jungle that is the Bonifacio Global City. “Passengers who have ridden the bike, especially foreigners, enjoyed the trip.”

Keeping up with its neighbor Makati city, Mayor Freddie Tinga on Tuesday led city officials in sending off the first batch of electric tricycles that would be servicing passengers around Global city as part of the vehicle’s test run.

He also revealed that the city government intends to subsidize and acquire more electric tricycles to service different routes in the city.

Geraldo Gonzaga, 52, initially hesitated when the barangay chair of his community enlisted him to pilot test the E3 because he’s satisfied with his tricycle, which he has driven for over two decades.

“When I started driving this (E3), it wasn’t that bad,” he said in an interview as he drove the vehicle. “Though I couldn’t get the speed which I had with the old tricycle, this one’s safer and cheaper, too.”

Changing the way people view electric-powered vehicles is one of the big challenges facing developers of eco-friendly tricycles like Sean Gerard Viloria, president and chief executive officer of Electric Vehicle Solutions Inc.

“The challenge for us is changing people’s mindset,” he said in a separate interview Friday. “Some people resist change. They often stick to the tried and tested (modes) and they don’t want to change it. But we try to explain to them the benefits and they understand along the way.”

The body of the E3 is made of fiberglass, which makes the vehicle less susceptible to corrosion unlike the traditional tricycle sidecar that is made of steel, Viloria explained. Five 12-volt batteries power the engine, which is encased under the driver’s seat. For at least P40 of electricity, the E3 could run about 120 kilometers, Viloria said.

The body could also go through flooded streets to a certain depth, he added.

When asked about the price of the E3, Viloria pointed out that a unit costs about P140,000 which he explained is still cheaper than the regular tricycle, the price of which starts at P70,000. According to Viloria’s estimate, the steel side car is priced at about P120,000.

The E3 also prides itself as “maintenance-free” as drivers would be doing away with oil changes and purchases of new spark plugs, among others. Users, however, would have to check the batteries regularly because it’s prone to wear and tear, said Viloria.

At present, Viloria has sent proposals of implementing the E3 in different cities, which includes Taguig’s neighbor Makati, and the world-renowned resort island of Boracay.



10 e-trikes start rolling at The Fort

At least 10 prototype electric tricycles or “E-3” started plying the streets of The Fort last Tuesday.

Taguig Mayor Sigfrido Tiñga, who led the inauguration, said the e-vehicles are the perfect alternative to fuel-consuming tricycles because they do not have gas emissions, are noise-free, and health and environment -friendly.

“The city government of Taguig aims to promote changes in our community by turning it into a better place for the benefit of our constituents,” Tiñga said.

Electric Vehicle Solutions President and CEO Sean Gerard Villoria, said the electric vehicle has an engine capable of running at the speed of 40-to-60 kilometer per hour, and is powered by five rechargeable batteries.

“More importantly, they are cost effective, because recharging the batteries will only cost P40.00 which is good enough for the whole day, unlike fueling engines that can consume up to P500 a day,” he said.

The 10 e-trikes are now operating in Fort Bonifacio and offering free rides to the public until Jan. 6, 2009 as part of the city government’s “Pamaskong Libreng Sakay Para sa Lahat.”

Tiñga said that, by next year, more E-3s will be ply strategic routes in The Fort and all over the city.

He said there are plans to subsidize and purchase these vehicles to replace the old tricycles. The city government has yet to determine and fix the routes and fare.

The project will be initiated in Barangay Ususan.

Local officials expressed belief that introducing E-3s in key areas of the city will help promote the local government’s target of inviting more foreign entrepreneurs to invest in the city. – Rhodina Villanueva

Antonio Oposa

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090102-181027/Manila-Bay-warrior-wins-SC-nod

Manila Bay warrior wins SC nod
Dream come true for environmental law professor

By Alcuin Papa
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01/02/2009

MANILA, Philippines—For the lawyer and law professor who filed the case to clean up the Manila Bay, his recent victory in Supreme Court is a dream come true.

“This 10-year saga started as a dream to see the bay clean again. Now, I will see the fulfillment of this dream,” said Antonio Oposa, a professor at the University of the Philippines College of Law.

Oposa, a longtime resident of Imus, Cavite, one of the provinces bordering the bay, saw firsthand the deterioration of the Manila Bay.
In 1999, he decided to do something about it. That year, he filed a case before the regional trial court in Imus to compel government agencies to clean up the bay.

The case was elevated to the high court. And last Dec. 18, after nine years of legal work, the Supreme Court ordered the government to immediately clean up the bay.

For Oposa, 54, the dream started in the late 1990s when he came across a study that showed that if the bay was properly cared for, “it could feed Metro Manila with enough fish. The bay has recreational value and is a national treasure.”

Outrage

However, stakeholders, including some local officials, “ignored the problem, they couldn’t care less. No one was interested in cleaning up the bay.”

According to the study, there were almost one million units of fecal matter per cubic meter in the waters of Manila Bay, way above the normal level of 20 units. The environmentalist in Oposa was outraged and he decided to take matters into his own hands.

“I am just a lawyer and I tell my story through the law. I thought that this needed to be brought to the attention of the public and the concerned government agencies,” he said.

He brought the issue to his students in environmental law at the UP and they agreed to help and stand as plaintiffs.

Oposa said he wanted to include his students in the suit “so there is representation from the youth. I wanted to make it symbolic.” He also included his then 3-month-old son, Jaime Agustin, in the list of plaintiffs.

Discovery of little-known law

As the years went by, Oposa’s students graduated and he was left to fight the battle alone. Fortunately, he was able to get the help of lawyer Sigfrid Fortun.

Oposa said he discovered a little known 1977 law, Presidential Decree No. 1152, which provided that when bodies of waters are polluted, it is the duty of the government to clean it up.

“Only two people knew of that law: me and former President Marcos,” Oposa said.

He said he met stiff resistance from various government agencies which argued before the high court that the cleanup of Manila Bay was a “political question” and therefore not subject to legal action.

Nonetheless, he thanked his opponents at the Office of the Solicitor General for bringing the matter up to the Supreme Court.

Final, executory

“Their appeal to the Supreme Court has resulted in this decision. Finally, we have a final and executory decision on the matter that is respected by all.”

Fighting wars in behalf of the government is not entirely new to Oposa.

It was Oposa who filed a case in 1980 against the then Environment Secretary Fulgencio Factoran to cancel all logging concessions “in behalf of the children and future generations.” He won that now landmark case before the Supreme Court in 1993.

In 1989, he started a campaign to clean up the rivers of Imus, Cavite, in cooperation with the local government.

“That project was successful. But when the rains came, the waste matter from Dasmariñas came flowing in and we were back where we started,” he said.

A lack of political will

In fairness to local officials, Oposa said he saw many local governments and agencies wanting to do something about Manila Bay. “But they lacked the political will,” he said.

“I know many want to do the right thing. Now, they have the teeth because the rule of law is behind them,” Oposa said.

He said he wants to see a serious implementation of the Supreme Court decision on the Manila Bay cleanup.

On Jan. 7, members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Philippine Bar Association will meet to discuss measures to monitor the implementation of the cleanup.

One of the initial ideas is to write to the government agencies concerned, asking for a report on the progress of the cleanup, with a copy to be furnished the Supreme Court.

“If government agencies and local governments waver in the cleanup, they will have to be answerable to the high court,” he said.

Wastewater treatment

He also said he agreed with the call of Environment Secretary Lito Atienza for the two major water concessionaires in Metro Manila—Manila Water Co. and Maynilad Water Services Inc.—to immediately set up wastewater treatment facilities as a start in the cleanup of the bay.

Oposa cited another study that showed that four million gallons, or 16 million liters of raw untreated sewage, were being dumped into Manila Bay every day.

“If we look at our water bill, we pay a sewage fee. How come there is no compliance at least for the past 10 years?” he asked.

For Oposa, the fight to save Manila Bay has just begun and he anticipates the day when he would see the bay back to its pristine beauty.

“The Supreme Court decision reminds us that we are responsible for the environment to our youth and future generations,” he said.

i saw i notebook. this guy who buys exotic animals sa aranque, then kills them so their carcasses could be studied upon, dislayed. pinag aaralan daw yung mga unggoy kasi they resmeble humans daw. if that's teh case, why not study homo sapiens themselves. yung mga parasitiko sa lipunan, bakit hinde sila ang e dissect. at bakit hinahayaan ang aranque magbenta ng mga endangered species. dati, i saw a philipine eagle dun. naka talukbong nga lang. bakit ba kailangan patayin yung mga hayop na yun para pag aralan. despite the technological advances, barbaric methods pa rin ang ginagamit ng mga schools. sana naman merung magtanggol sa mga hayop na ito. gaya nga ng sabi ng peta "they dont have voices to defend themselves"

mga karaniwang biktima:
palaka
unggoy
pusa
daga (yung dagan costa, sana yung mga black rats na lang)
pagong
paging
lahat sila pinapatay para lang kunin yung kalansay nila, para e display,
*sorry kung may na offend, pero gaya nga ng sinabi ni mar roxas sa rally
hinde ba pwede baguhin ang method to study, wherein we dont have to kill any animals. PACKING SHEATH!

^^oo, lahat nga ng hayop ay may karapatan pero sadyang ginawa ang lahat ng bagay/ tao/ hayop na hindi magkakapantay. may superior at may mababang uri/nilalang. kung lahat ay pagbibigyan sa kanilang karapatan, paano ka mabubuhay?

wag mong sabihin na hindi ka kumakain ng manok, baboy, baka, isda, mga bungang-kahoy...etc.

lahat sila ay may karapatan....pero may antas ng karapatan,

at may sukdulan ang sobra.

^^ baka sa susunod maaari ka nang makulong maxx kapag pinatay mo ang daga sa inyong bahay. may ganyan na sa ibang bansa. maaari kang makulong dahil sa pagpatay sa isang hayop na binigyan nila ng animal rights.

^ibang usapan na kasi kapag mga endangered species na ang pinapatay. biruin nyo pinapatay para lang sa taxidermy. gusto ko nga sana sumali sa peta, pero ang requirement, dapat vegetarian ka.
pero come to think of it, may mga pag aaral kung saan sinasabi na ang mga halaman ay nakakaramdam din, astig noh
ang mga dapat pinapatay ay yung mga dagang ngumangatngat sa mga wires . tsaka mga ipis na gumagapang sa katawan nyo.
last na lang, sa issue ng taxidermy, kayang-kaya naman ng tao na gumawa ng makatotohanang unggoy, bakit kailanag pang pumtay ng tunay na unggoy. at ang sabi, merun na daw kaso yung sa doj yung taong yun. pero wala na raw siyang pakealam sa kaso. dito nyo makikita na karaniwang palusout ng mga pinoy ang kahirapan para gumawa ng masama. pano pa tayo mag kakaroon ng gobyeronong walang korupsyun, kung ang mga taong nasa mababang antas ng pamumuhay ay walng pakealam sa batas.
kapayapaan...

^^ agree ako kung para sa protection of endangered species.

NASA scientist warns of runaway global warming

Here's a prediction to take note of: there will be an unambiguous new global temperature record during the first term of the Obama administration.

This prediction comes from leading climate scientist James Hansen of NASA. He made it in response to a question from a member of the audience during a lecture to the American Geophysical Union on 17 December.

The prediction comes at a time when there has been much discussion of average annual global temperatures, and just how hot or cool 2008 really was.

As you will no doubt see from the comments, Hansen is a hate figure for the climate deniers who insist it's getting cooler.

It's a bold and simple prediction, but I'm not sure how helpful it is. Making short-term forecasts is much harder than making long-term ones, and there are some climate researchers who think cyclic changes in the oceans will mask the underlying warming trend for the next five years or so.

What's more, a big volcanic eruption would cause a sharp but temporary dip in temperatures.

If Hansen is right - as he has been before - the deniers will continue to find reasons to persuade themselves it's not true. An ever-popular one is that global warming is all a conspiracy to impose a global government on the world.

If he's wrong, he'll have handed the deniers what might seem like a convincing argument to people who don't know much about the evidence for climate change.

As for the rest of Hansen's lecture, much of it emphasised points he has been making for some time: we should to aim to reduce carbon dioxide levels to 350 parts per million, we cannot afford to built more coal power plants (without carbon capture and storage) and that a carbon tax with a 100% dividend should be introduced.

However, he also made another striking prediction. According to Hansen, human activity is causing greenhouse gas levels to rise so rapidly that his model suggests there is a risk of a runaway greenhouse effect, ultimately resulting in the loss of oceans and of all life on the planet:

"In my opinion, if we burn all the coal, there is a good chance that we will initiate the runaway greenhouse effect. If we also burn the tar sands and tar shale (a.k.a. oil shale), I think it is a dead certainty."

That's a cheerful thought. Let's end instead with a quote from Hansen's new boss:

"Today, more than ever before, science holds the key to our survival as a planet and our security and prosperity as a nation... It's about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It's about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it's inconvenient - especially when it's inconvenient."

Michael Le Page, features editor

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2008/12/nasa-scientist-warns-of-runawa.html

As far as I know, weather is not only getting warmer. It's also getting colder. In other words, weather patterns are getting erratic and temperatures are extending to both 'extremes' - hot and cold alike.

BBC's Planet Earth documentary has enlightened me a great deal when it comes to environmental protection. Little do we know that a simple act of negligence can result to the extinction of a whole population of species. I became more concerned with mother nature after watching the series. It also makes me rethink about my current job. I might be polluting our freshwater resources directly and indirectly.

As far as I know, weather is not only getting warmer. It's also getting colder. In other words, weather patterns are getting erratic and temperatures are extending to both 'extremes' - hot and cold alike.

BBC's Planet Earth documentary has enlightened me a great deal when it comes to environmental protection. Little do we know that a simple act of negligence can result to the extinction of a whole population of species. I became more concerned with mother nature after watching the series. It also makes me rethink about my current job. I might be polluting our freshwater resources directly and indirectly.

why? do you mine if i ask you what kind of job are you in? don't tell me you're a "basurero" :D

why? do you mine if i ask you what kind of job are you in? don't tell me you're a "basurero" :D


:lol: at first reading, i thought you know me somehow. turns out you mispelled "mind" with "mine." i don't mind you asking, but i do "mine." i am into minerals testing. so i am directly helping miners with their explorations around the country. take one example the unusual flood in Cagayan de Oro. mining activities were blamed for this. hence the city mayor ordered a total ban on mining. as far me, testing for mineral contents of some ores requires the use of toxic chemicals like cyanide (for copper). you know what cyanide can do when disposed off improperly.

^^that exactly what im trying to predict:D:lol:


what a lame excuse

:lol: at first reading, i thought you know me somehow. turns out you mispelled "mind" with "mine." i don't mind you asking, but i do "mine." i am into minerals testing. so i am directly helping miners with their explorations around the country. take one example the unusual flood in Cagayan de Oro. mining activities were blamed for this. hence the city mayor ordered a total ban on mining. as far me, testing for mineral contents of some ores requires the use of toxic chemicals like cyanide (for copper). you know what cyanide can do when disposed off improperly.


mapaminsala/ harmful talaga ang mining industry sa kalikasan lalo na kung hindi tama ang pamamraan ng pag-mimina at pag-didispose ngduming nagmumula dito.

^^that exactly what im trying to predict:D:lol:




:lol: you serious? and guess what? tuesday night this week, after staying in a room where cyanide was used i suddenly felt dizzy and my tummy started to revolt. i was the only one left in the lab. i was reading some reports for around 5 minutes in that room when i suddenly felt something is wrong. i immediately washed up myself. i looked at myself in the mirror and i noticed my pupils are dilating!!! immediately called our safety officer and asked for assistance. thank goodness i'm still alive.

^^:D you should wear a goggles to protect your eyes from chemical spews:D

I have that actually. They call it PPE. Personal Protective Equipment. There's a special face mask we use for cyanide. It looks like those they use in biological warfare. I thought cyanide fumes were already flushed out of the room as the testing was over several hours ago. Turns out, half a day is required to do that.

^^Wow.. half-a-day to fumes

Yes, half a day to remove all traces of cyanide vapor (HCN). Anyway, back to the topic. :D

^^ geez, kiki was that the lab where you took me into, you mean to tell me you test harmful chemicals in there??

^^ I'm curious, did it look like a Nazi gas chamber? :shifty:

New thread! (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=788636) :colgate:



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