18th March 2013

News Feature: Philippine Eagle abounds in the rich forests of Taft, Eastern Samar Posted by Jani Arnaiz, Chief Editor on March 18, 2013, 6:55 am   By Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu Saturday 16th of March 2013 TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, March 16 (PIA) -- The ecologically important bird species, the Philippine Eagle with the scientific name of Pithecophaga Jefferyi naturally inhabits the rich forests of Samar.  The recent citing of the Philippine Eagle at the Taft Forest Wildlife (Philippine Eagle) Sanctuary confirmed this, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Executive Director Manolito Ragub said.  “The sighting of the Philippine Eagle is something which the people of Eastern Visayas must be proud of,” Ragub said. "It is in this part of the country where this important bird species naturally abound," he added.  He said that the presence of the Philippine Eagle is an indicator that there is still an ecologically-balanced forest in Samar.  He added that while the government is spending so much money just to propagate this species in captive breeding like what is being done by the Philippine Eagle Foundation Center in Davao, Eastern Visayas has its own naturally breeding Eagles in the forests of Samar.  The Taft Forest Wildlife¸ the Philippine Eagle¸ was sighted on March 10, in the forests of San Rafael, Taft, Eastern Samar which is part of the Philippine Eagle Sanctuary, Samar Island Natural Park Protected Area Superintendent Angelito Villanueva informed RED Ragub in a report.  The Philippine Eagle was sighted by Ms. Ruth Francisco, a member of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines in the course of her bird watching activity. Together with Ms. Francisco was Mr. Joselito Sierra, a local tour guide of the SINP.  Ms. Francisco who has been conducting birding activities for two years already, has been to different forested areas in the country like the Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon.  Francisco said that she usually sees wild birds in flight and the Philippine Eagle in captivity.  At the Taft Philippine Eagle Sanctuary, however, she actually sighted a Philippine Eagle in the wild just about 100 meters away from her standpoint.  Ms. Francisco was on her second visit to the SINP to look for the Mindanao Bleeding Heart, a species of bird in the pigeon and dove family (Columbidae) so named because of a red blotch on its breast, which is endemic to the Philippines.  At 7:55 a.m. of March 10, while hiking amidst the forest on a cloudy with occasional rains morning, we heard the call of a Rufus Hornbill, Ms. Francisco excitedly shared to DENR Region 8 Regional Public Affairs Officer Purificacion Daloos.  “Expecting that the Mindanao Bleeding Heart will follow, I positioned my camera and was excited to see a raptor… the Philippine Eagle,” Ms. Francisco narrated.  “The Philippine Eagle was preening while perching for about five minutes, on a leafless tree on top of a cliff. It stayed there until three Rufus Hornbills flew in and perched on a nearby tree. Disturbed by the noise of the Hornbills, the Philippine Eagle flew away,” Ms. Francisco recounted.  She added that other birds seen in the thickly forested area with surrounding perching trees were two Samar Hornbill, two Yellowish Bulbul, one Amethyst Brown Dove, four Red¬-keeled Flowerpecker, four Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, two Philippine Bulbul, and one Sunpride Species.  RED Ragub said the sighting of the Philippine Eagle is not only a moment of pride and rejoicing, but more so, a challenge and reminder to every Filipino especially the people of Samar to help protect the remaining forest of Samar.  The continued existence of the Philippine Eagle and other wildlife species depends on the condition of the forest, their habitat, RED Ragub said.  The Philippine Eagle was first sighted in Paranas, Samar on June 15, 1896 by a British collector John Whitehead. The various sightings of the Philippine Eagle in the forests of Samar prompted then President Joseph Estrada to declare on July 31, 1999, the 3,720 hectares of the said forests as Taft Forest Wildlife (Philippine Eagle) Sanctuary through Presidential Proclamation No. 155. (PIA 8) Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

29th July 2012

'GREENING' HEADWAY Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on July 29, 2012, 7:57 pm (Manila Bulletin, 28 July 2012) MANILA, Philippines --- Eastern Visayas (Region 8) was selected as pilot site for the 2012 National Greening Program (NGP), to highlight the region’s record of exceeding its targeted number of hectares with tree seedlings planted since the program was launched on May, 2011. Eastern Visayas, consisting of six provinces - Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar and Southern Leyte - exceeded its 2011 NGP target. It produced 4,052,500 seedlings and planted 8,105 hectares with indigenous tree species and fruit-bearing trees. Eastern Visayas has been given a higher target of 12,365 hectares to be planted with trees this year.   The Bicol Region (Region 5) also surpassed its 2011 target by 12 percent with 6,303 hectares of open and denuded forestland planted with close to 4 million tree seedlings. When the NGP was launched in Bicol in May last year, stakeholders in the region planted 3.9 million tree seedlings in 6,303 hectares of open and denuded forestland. Camarines Sur led with 2,102,578 tree seedlings planted in 3,005 hectares. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

21st July 2012

Floods Grip Metro Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on July 21, 2012, 8:27 pm More Rain Predicted Today as Storm Merges With Low-Pressure Area (By Elena L. Aben and Ellalyn B. De Vera, 21 July 2012) MANILA, Philippines --- Tropical depression “Ferdie” blew out of the country on Saturday after unleashing rain the whole day that flooded many parts of Metro Manila.   Ferdie may have left, but weathermen predicted more rain today as the storm merged with a low-pressure area hovering east of the Philippines.   Authorities reported two people dead and six missing in Luzon because of flooding.   Still, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Benito Ramos described the effects of “Ferdie” as minimal and credited the improved preparedness of local government units (LGUs). Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

17th July 2012

Rechanneling sets at Subangdako River Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on July 17, 2012, 10:16 pm (By Ronald O. Reyes, 17 July 2012) Tacloban City --- The provincial government of So. Leyte is set to start the rechanneling of Subangdako river in Sogod on August this year. So said Gov. Damian Mercado in a phone interview, adding that one  winning bidder private construction company will handle the job of rechanneling the river. The rechanneling activity will take around one year to finish, Gov. Mercado added. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

11th July 2012

Fishers blame firm's wastes for fish kill Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on July 11, 2012, 10:00 pm (By Joey A. Gabieta, Inquirer Visayas, 11 July 2012) MACARTHUR, Leyte --- Residents of Barangay (village) Imelda here are up in arms against a mining firm that they accused of causing a fish kill that affected one of their main sources of income --- tilapia-raising. The residents tied a rope across the street at the boundary of Barangays Imelda and Pongon to prevent the heavy equipment of Nicua Mining Corp. from getting near their quarry site in Saloquege Creek, Barangay Pongon. "We will not allow them to enter our village. This is ours and we will not allow them to cause further destruction," said Jesus Cabias, president of Bito Lake Fisherfolk Association. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

4th July 2012

Unknown disease kills 60 children in Cambodia: WHO Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on July 4, 2012, 8:55 am (By the World Health Organization through Y! News, 3 July 2012) An unidentified disease has killed 60 young children in Cambodia in three months, the World Health Organization said Tuesday as it raced to identify the cause. "The number of deaths reported to WHO is 60 cases and they have all been in young children," said Dr Nima Asgari, a public health specialist for the UN body in Cambodia, adding that the first casualties were reported in April. The WHO is currently working with the Cambodian Ministry of Health "to identify the cause and the route of spread of this disease", he said. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0 Camarines Norte governor probed on illegal mining Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on July 4, 2012, 7:29 am (By Cecille Suerter Felipe, The Philippine Star, 4 July 2012) MANILA, Philippines --- Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo has ordered Camarines Norte Gov. Edgardo Tallado investigated for his alleged involvement in illegal mining activities in the iron ore and gold-rich towns of Paracale and Jose Panganiban.   Robredo issued the directive in the wake of several complaints from local non-governmental organizations and environmental groups about illegal mining operations in Camarines Norte, which allegedly have the “blessings” of Tallado.   “I have ordered the agents of the DILG Office for Internal Security and DILG Region 5 director Blandino Maceda to investigate the case against Gov. Tallado ASAP. The complaints lodged against him by his constituents are serious enough to warrant an immediate investigation,” Robredo said. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

8th June 2012

LGUs in Sogod Bay scrapping funds to remove crown-of-thorns starfish Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on June 8, 2012, 11:05 am (Reyan L. Arinto, Leyte Samar Daily Express, 8 June 2012) TACLOBAN CITY -- Local governments sharing the Sogod Bay area are looking for funds to intensify the removal of crown-of-thorns starfish that has spread to over 200 hectares of coral reefs in Southern Leyte. “The Sogod Bay Sustainable Marine Management Alliance (SBSMMA) needs at least P2 million to contain the starfish from spreading wildly in the bay,” Eva Abad, chief of Coastal Fisheries Resources Management of Southern Leyte’s Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) said. Abad added the alliance proposed each town to allocate funds from their respective calamity funds to be used in the extraction of starfish. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0 REEF RESTORATION SET IN SOUTHERN LEYTE Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on June 8, 2012, 7:34 am (By Leyte Samar Daily Express, 8 June 2012) PALO, Leyte -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) will push through a one-year pilot technology demonstration on coral reef restoration in Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte.   The coastal area situated within the Sogod Bay will get a P5-million budget out of the recently approved P35.35 million funding for nine coral reef rehabilitation projects nationwide.   Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos. DOST Regional Director Edgardo Esperancilla said they signed an agreement with SLSU based in Sogod town, which will be their partner in undertaking pilot technology demonstration. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0 Leyte leads Danajon Reef preservation Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on June 8, 2012, 7:31 am (By Felix Codilla III, BusinessMirror.com.ph, 8 June 2012) ORMOC CITY­ Local government units (LGU) in Central and Eastern Visayas will reactivate a management council that will protect and preserve the marine resource-rich Danajon Double Barrier Reef. Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho L. Petilla said the governors and mayors of Cebu, Bohol, Leyte and Southern Leyte have agreed to come up with new steps to mitigate further damage to the reef. The four provinces cover Danajon Bank, a 130-kilometer (km.) long, 272-square km. coral area. It represents one percent of the country’s total coral area. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0