TACLOBAN CITY- More mangroves are to be planted along the coastlines as the Environment Secretary Gina Lopez is pushing for a massive mangrove plantation nationwide.
Planting mangroves in the coastlines will protect the coastal communities from the rising of sea water or storm surges during the occurrence of strong typhoons, Lopez said during an interview.
“During typhoons our best protection are mangroves,” she said.
The massive mangrove plantation establishment is to strengthen the degraded mangrove forests along coastlines and make coastal communities less vulnerable to future destructionsas typhoons have become more ferocious and destructive, contributed mainly due to climate change.
During the incumbency of former Environment Sec.Ramon Paje, the government has allotted P1 billion for the massive mangrove reforestation and beach forest rehabilitation nationwide on top the P6.2 billion budget allotted for the country’s National Greening Program that includes the rehabilitation of denuded beach forests and mangrove areas.
Leonardo Sibbaluca, executive regional director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-8)was earlier instructed by Sec. Lopez to evaluate and assess all areas and establish more mangrove plantations in places suited for mangrove growing in Eastern Visayas.
Records show that that DENR-8 launched the P380 million mangrove and beach forest rehabilitation project in the region last April 22, 2015, with a target of 13,500 hectares of mangrove and beach forest areas to be planted along Leyte Gulf areas.
The project covers the coastal areas from Tacloban City to the towns of Abuyog, Palo, Tanauan, Tolosa, Dulag, Mayorga, Javier, and Macarthur, all in Leyte; Basey and Marabut, both in Samar; and the municipalities of Lawaan, Balangiga, Giporlos, Salcedo, Guiuan, Hernani and Llorente, all of Eastern Samar.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
DENR Secretary Lopez pushes for massive mangrove plantation
Mayor Espinosa to be laid to rest
By: JOEY A. GABIETA
ALBUERA, Leyte- The murdered mayor of this town, Rolando Espinosa Sr., who was linked to the illegal drug trade in the region, will be buried on Sunday(Dec.4), a month after he was gunned down at the Leyte subprovincial jail.
This was confirmed by the family members of the slain mayor whose son Kerwin, self-confessed drug lord, failed to pay his last respects to his father.
Kerwin is now detained at the detention facility of the Camp Crame, national headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The elder Espinosa will be buried at the Catholic cemetery of the town at around 2 pm, preceding a requiem mass at the Saint James Parish Church.
The former mayor of the town (population: 46,322) was gunned down inside the Leyte subprovincial jail on November 5 in an alleged shootout by the members of the regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) who were to serve him a warrant for illegal possession of firearms.
His killing sparked an inquiry by the Senate’s committee on illegal drugs and public order chaired by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.
Kerwin described the killing of his father as a “rub out.”
The family is calling for justice for the killing of their patriarch.
Lawyers of the Espinosas are calling for continued security for the family members considering that some of them have executed an affidavit detailing their father’s and Kerwin’s alleged illegal drug trade, to include high profile personalities who allegedly received drug money from them.
“They need also to be protected considering that some of them also executed an affidavit,” lawyer Johan John Ungab, one of the counsels of the Espinosas, said in a phone interview.
At present, eight policemen, doing shifting duties, were detailed during the wake of the former mayor at their residence in Barangay Binolho.
Ungab said that they have made a request earlier before the regional PNP headquarters for security.
Meantime, Ungab and his co-counsel Leilani Villarino said that they were surprised over reports that the sacked CIDG regional chief, Supt. Marvin Marcos, was reportedly reinstated to his post.
“It sends a bad signal (to prospective witnesses). There is a pending investigation and there are witnesses that need to be protected, “Ungab said.
Villarino, for her part, declined to comment, on who could have ordered for the reinstatement of Marcos back to his old post as CIDG-8 chief.
“I don’t like to speculate,” she said.
Earlier, PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” De La Rosa, admitted that a “kumpare” had asked him to reinstate Marcos as CIDG-8 chief. He declined to identify the person whom he said made the request.
Beltejar urges cops to respect and promote children’s rights
TACLOBAN CITY- The police should always protect the rights of the children and make them feel closer to them.
Thus said Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, regional police director, during his speech at the culmination of the Philippine National Police’s observance of children’s month on Wednesday (November 30).
As part of the organization’s observance of the children’s month, a search of “Batang Probinsiyano”, a take-off from a popular television series, was held which was won by Wielvynn John Brato.
The seven-year old boy, who also received the People’s Choice Award, was the candidate of the Samar Police Provincial Office, besting 10 other young candidates.
This year’s theme of the children’s month celebration was “Isulong: Kalidad ng Edukasyon Para sa Lahat ng Bata.”
“The activity is one of the thrusts of the PNP to make children closer to the PNP. Supporting children for a great cause is a fulfillment not only of the mere fact that they were able to give joy to the people, they were given a good lesson, ensuring their role for the future generation,” the police regional director said.
Among those who served as judges of the “Batang Probinsiyano” search was the regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Restituto Macuto.
Carlos Miguel Advincula, representing the Leyte Provincial Police Office, placed second while the representative of the Biliran Provincial Police Office, Ron Cezar, landed third. He also received the special award as best in GOA uniform.
Meantime, the representative of the Regional Public Safety Battalion, Francis Zhek Anthony Tomas, was named as best in athletic uniform and the best in talent award was bestowed to Kyle Don Veliganio of the Ormoc City Police Station.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Red tide persists in 7 Eastern Visayas bays
TACLOBAN CITY – Red tide toxins remain on the seven bays of the region, raising shellfish ban in some coastal towns to prevent poisoning, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reported.
For months now, the contamination thrives in Irong-Irong and Cambatutay Bays in Samar; Carigara Bay in Leyte; coastal waters of Leyte, Leyte; Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar and coastal waters of Naval, Biliran.
Last week, the phenomenon expanded to Calubian, Leyte.
BFAR Regional Director Juan Albaladejo warned that all types of shellfish taken from affected bays are positive of red tide toxins.
Albaladejo said that the red tide toxins found in these seven bays are beyond the regulatory limit of 10 cells per liter in seawater and 49 saxitoxin per gram in shellfish meat.
In affected areas, the density is as high as 600 cells per liter in water and 129 saxitoxin per gram in meat.
“All types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption,” Albaladejo said.
“Thus, the public is advised to refrain from eating, harvesting, marketing, and buying shellfish and Acetes sp. from Irong-Irong Bay and Cambatutay Bay until such time that the shellfish toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory level,” he added.
Fish, squid, shrimp and crab are safe to eat “provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking”, according to BFAR.
With the recent spate of red tide bloom, the fisheries bureau asked local government units to enforce shellfish ban to ensure public safety.
“We have been issuing local bulletins to inform local officials but I have to admit that some are not really seriously enforcing the ban,” Albaladejo said.
Earlier, BFAR lifted the shellfish ban in Maqueda and Villareal Bays in Samar, and Cancabato Bay in Leyte.
During the peak of red tide bloom this year, local authorities buried at least four tons of shellfish gathered in Samar province.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO)
Villar leads celebration of International Volunteer Day at LPPCHEA
Sen. Cynthia A. Villar on Thursday (December 1) joined the rest of the world in the observation of the 2016 International Volunteer Day and led hundreds of volunteers in numerous environment-friendly activities to mark the celebration.
Some 500 environmental volunteers from partner government agencies joined Villar in a coastal clean-up of the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) to kick-off the event, which carries this year’s theme, ‘Global Applause – Give Volunteers A Hand.’
The group also enjoyed bird watching and had a breath of fresh air while in a Nature Walk at the LPPCHEA grounds, a 175-hectare protected area which is Metro Manila’s last remaining beach and mangrove area.
‘We all love Mother Nature. And there is nothing more that touches my heart than seeing hundreds of volunteers share my passion. This act of volunteerism to protect the environment is one of the most noble, if not the noblest of all, because the task entails so much work, time and effort,’ Villa told the volunteers present during the event.
The observance of the International Volunteer Day, set on December 5, aims to encourage organizations and individual volunteers to work together on projects and campaigns, such as environment protection, that will promote their contributions to economic and social development at local, national and international levels.
This year’s observance celebrates volunteerism in all facets and pays special tribute to the success achieved through volunteerism. The theme, ‘Global Applause- Give Volunteers A Hand’, recognizes volunteers all over the world for making peace and sustainable development a reality.
To give tribute to the achievements of our country’s environment volunteers, Villar partnered with Villar SIPAG, the LPPCHEA Management, theCAVITEX-CARE (Cavitex Advocates for the Restoration of the Environment), the Alliance for Stewardship and Authentic Progress (ASAP), the Save Freedom Island Movement (SFIM), the Ministry of Ecology of the Archdiocese of Manila, the Center for Environmental Concerns, the Ecowaste Coalition, the Greenpeace Southeast Asia, the Mother Earth Foundation, the Oceana Philippines and the Society for the Conservation of Wetlands Philippines.(PR)