Manila-On January 22, the United States government launched the second iteration of an environmental justice program that will provide an additional Php28 million ($500,000) in funding to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute environmental crimes in Palawan.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) announced the continuation of the “Environmental Justice Sector and Law Enforcement Support for the Philippines” project with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) in Puerto Princesa City. During the launch, INL turned over three new units of U.S. government-donated Starlink satellite internet terminals that will boost PCSD’s law enforcement capabilities and case management operations.

The continuation of this environmental justice project will enable INL to provide more equipment and capacity building assistance to PCSD and its partners, including technical exchanges between local environmental law enforcement officials and U.S. Forest Service officials, training, support for the prosecution of environmental cases, and the development of training manuals and other guidebooks.

“We convey our deepest gratitude to the U.S. Department of State’s INL. Their continuing partnership, donations, and support have continued to bring outstanding results in our efforts against wildlife trafficking and environmental crimes,” PCSD Executive Director Teodoro Jose Matta said at the launch event.

“This collaboration with the PCSD is a testament to our ongoing dedication to environmental justice,” INL Deputy Director Luke Bruns said. “We believe that through our shared experiences and resources, we can make significant strides in preserving our natural environment for future generations.”

INL’s engagement in addressing environmental justice issues in Palawan began in 2019 through a Php28-million ($500,000) partnership with the U.S. Forest Service that strengthened the institutional capacity of PCSD and its law enforcement partners to effectively combat and prevent environmental crimes. Through this partnership, PCSD was able to reorganize its evidence facility, develop evidence management policies, and improve the proper handling of evidence.

Globally, INL assists partner governments to assess, build, reform, and sustain competent and legitimate criminal justice systems and develop and implement the architecture necessary for cross-border law enforcement cooperation. For more information on the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and its global initiatives, please visit www.state.gov/j/inl. (PR)

NAVAL, Biliran– Officials from the Americares Philippines trained Biliran’s disaster responders on preparedness for effective emergency communications from January 8 to 10.

The three-day training aims to strengthen health system preparedness, integrate preparedness activities for the local responders to serve their communities, and enhance coordination during disasters.

The participants completed three modules: Understanding communication basics, Communicating with the whole community, and Communicating in emergencies.

The local disaster responders were trained to express the value of empathic listening and effective feedback; discuss how speakers’ and listeners’ non-verbal cues impact communication; identify vocal factors that contribute to effective communication; explain how actively engaging the audience contributes to effective communication; discuss the do’s and don’ts of using voice; and assess their current communication skills.

Local disaster responders will also analyze their community to identify groups requiring consideration when preparing and delivering communications; identify factors that impact communication requirements; identify strategies for communication effectively; indicate how day-to-day communication differs from communication during an incident; identify strategies for communicating effectively in emergency situations; select the most appropriate form of communication for a given situation; and indicate how social media and other communications technology can be used to communicate with members of the community.

The 25 participants in the training were composed of personnel from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), Rural Health Unit (RHU), Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), Municipal Police Station (MPS), Municipal Fire Station, and some key personnel from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).

Jennifer Soledad Chico, the DRR program officer of Americares Philippines, emphasized that the training will enhance the communication skills of local disaster responders. It aims to identify the emergency communication team in the LGU or agency and practice creating media statements, advisories, press releases, and fact sheets.

She added that the training will allow the participants to practice being the media spokesperson during a crisis or emergency and to communicate information that the public needs to know to reduce the incidence of illness and death.

Participants shared their perspectives on the training, expressing that they found the subject matter to be informative and beneficial, particularly in the context of managing disasters and emergencies.

Sofronio B. Dacillo, Jr., DRRM officer of Biliran province, said that the training will assist local disaster responders in locating and reuniting lost or separated family members during emergencies, particularly when communication facilities and infrastructure are damaged.
Raoul C. Villordon, a representative from the Naval MDRRMO, stated that misinformation during times of disaster can be prevented with the kind of training they have.

Jan Albert I. Saulan, a representative from the Naval MSWDO, said that the training is essential and relevant in his line of work since he is on the frontlines during emergencies or calamities. The training will help them fulfill their duties more effectively, especially in providing updates and situational reports to their stakeholders.

“We always owe the public true and quality news, along with authentic information about what is happening in the locality during times of emergency or disaster,” Saulan said. (AAC/RSV/PIA Biliran)

ORMOC CITY-A woman from Almeria, Biliran was arrested by the police after the court issued a warrant of arrest against her for illegal gambling activity on Wednesday (Jan.24).

The accused, only identified as a certain Odar, 47, married, was arrested at about 5:50 pm at her house in Barangay Iyusan.

The arrest of the accused was based on the warrant of arrest issued by Judge Anabelle Donasco-Balledo, acting presiding judge of Municipal Circuit Trial Court, 8th Judicial Region, Kawayan-Almeria, Biliran, dated January 4, 2024, for violation of Sec 1 (a) (1) of PD 1602(illegal gambling law).

The court recommended a P30,000 bail for her temporary liberty.
(ROBERT DEJON)

On DBSN poultry farm issue

TACLOBAN CITY– A lawyer has reminded Mayor Ramon Oñate of Palompon, Leyte that his poultry farm is located within a forest reserved area which should not be used as a dumping ground.

Lloyd Surigao said that the forest reserved area of the town was created under Presidential Proclamation 212 which was even used by the municipal government when it drafted its comprehensive land use plan and forest land use plan.

Surigao made this reminder in reaction to an earlier statement of Oñate who has maintained that his DBSN farm is not located within a protected area.

The DBSN poultry farm, owned by the family of Oñate, is now a subject of complaints by local residents as represented by Surigao, of alleged environmental violations.

They claimed that the DBSN poultry farm dumps its ‘hazardous and toxic materials’ within the compound, polluting a watershed area located within the farm.

But this claim is being disputed by Oñate.

“May I remind the mayor of the existence of Presidential Proclamation 212 which created the Palompon Watershed Forest Reserve. This is the same PWFR that he used when the LGU drafted its CLUP (Comprehensive Land Use Plan), the same PWRF used as a reference in the FLUP (Forest Land Use Plan) that his office filed with the DENR-8. So, his statements are inconsistent and illogical,” Surigao said during a press conference on Thursday (Jan.25) here in the city.

Meanwhile, Surigao said that the residents of Barangay San Joaquin, where the DBSN poultry farm is located, were happy after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) conducted an excavation inside the DBSN as part of its investigation that it is dumping ‘hazardous and toxic materials.’

“The decision of the Regional Trial Court Branch 45 permitting the search and excavation of several areas of the Palompon Protected Watershed being occupied by the poultry farm is a huge victory for our clients, regular citizens, who have taken a staunch stand against the mayor of their town, whose family owns DBSN. These people are outranked in power and influence, and yet they stood their ground to defend their survival,” the lawyer, who represents the residents of a complaint against DBSN, said.

Surigao also claimed that the controversy surrounding the continued operation of the DBSN poultry farm is a battle between ‘logic’, which is sufficiently backed by evidence, and ‘lies’, which is being propagated by Oñate.

“This is a battle between logic and lies which could drag on for years due to legal maneuverings,” he admitted.

Surigao also cited alleged inconsistencies in the statements and actions of Mayor Oñate during a hearing at the House of Representatives on the controversy, where he invited congressmen to do an ocular inspection of the DBSN site to disprove the allegations of illegal dumping of chicken and other solid wastes, but used government resources to stop the DENR from checking the farm site.

“He deliberately used LGU vehicles to block the barangay road and even sent his employees as human barricades. Mayor Oñate’s words contradict his action,” he said.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)