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Archive for May, 2006

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Dad wants execs’ stand on Visayan Sea closure

Posted by Michille on 31st May 2006

Dad wants execs’ stand on Visayan Sea closure – Sun.Star Iloilo!

The Visayan Sea Squadron (VSS) proposed that the Visayan Sea, which covers the Islands in Carles like the Isla de Higantes will be closed for five years to allow the island to rehabilitate itself and allow coral reefs to grow.”

Glimpse of the story:

A NON-government organization (NGO) is proposing that the ‘destroyed’ Visayan Sea be closed for five years to make it heal itself but people relying on fishing opposed this.

This was revealed by Liga ng mga Barangay President Board Member Angel Briones. He asked the Provincial Board (PB) to then make the local chief executives to make a relative stand.

The PB however, did not allow his request after Board Member Niel Tupas Jr. said that getting the stand of the LGU heads is not agreeable. He then suggested that the matter be referred to Briones’ committee on aquatic resources and make hearings on this matter and then make report and recommendations.

Briones then nodded to the suggestions.

The Visayan Sea Squadron (VSS) recently proposed that the Visayan Sea, which covers the Islands in Carles like the Isla de Higantes “which can be a tourist spot but has destroyed coral reefs, be closed for five years to allow the island to rehabilitate itself and allow coral reefs to grow.”

However, in a broadcast of Aksyon Radyo, the residents were opposing the said proposal as it would affect their prime livelihood.

Tupas revealed that in line with this issue, he and Briones arranged a meeting with the VSS, other NGOs that are environmentally concerned, the Iloilo Provincial Police Officers among others which was scheduled within this week.

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Sec. Lotilla echoes positive response from Japanese trading companies

Posted by Michille on 31st May 2006

Sec. Lotilla echoes positive response from Japanese trading companies – PIA!

by T. Villavert

Iloilo City (31 May) — “We are pleased with the positive response of various Japanese trading houses and companies who have signified interest to invest in the Philippine energy sector, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said.

Secretary Lotilla said that the high prices of oil today have prompted renewed interest from the Japanese corporations to pursue investment opportunities in oil and gas in Asia, particularly in the Philippines.

“We are optimistic that these companies will seriously consider the Philippines as alternative area for investments now that we are seriously concentrating on reforming our economy,” the energy secretary said.

The Department of Energy press report disclosed that several Japanese companies have signified intention to participate in the DOE’s competitive petroleum contracting rounds. They likewise inquired on opportunities for joint ventures with private companies or the Philippine National Oil Company for existing oil and gas concessions in the Philippines.

Secretarry Lotilla who attended the energy road show in Tokyo, Japan with NPC President Cyril del Callar and PNOC President Eduardo Manalac, said that investments from Japan will certainly contribute to the acceleration of our energy independence agenda.

The Philippines has high hydrocarbon potential. Northwest and Southwest Palawan have proven oil and gas reserves. East Palawan and Sulu Sea, on the other hand are surrounded by similar oil and gas geology of proven petroleum provinces in Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. Reed Bank in West Palawan is analogous to South Vietnam and South China oil structures likewise near proven petroleum provinces, the DOE press report said.

Meanwhile, President Arroyo said that “the government shall continue to work with the petroleum industry to temper the impact of oil price increases in the world market. We also appeal to our legislators to pass immediately the Biofuel Act to encourage more investments in alternative fuel sources”.(PIA)

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Raise the reef

Posted by Michille on 31st May 2006

Raise the reef – Sun.Star General Santos!

Petron Corporation joined this effort by hosting an awareness seminar, donating materials for the domes, and allowed the project to place an artificial reef in the shallow portion of their pier, and pledging continued support for the project.

More of the news:

DEEP were their thoughts once upon a drinking session. Bottoms up, two expatriates — both scuba divers — agreed about the lamentable state of local coral reefs and its lack of protection. Ideas flowed, and the Sarangani reef dome project was born.

More bottles of beer later, Chris Dearne (a British) and John Heitz (an American) decided that if anything was going to be done to restore and improve the local marine environment, the private sector (Chris and John, among others) would have to take the lead.

They remembered a discarded cement hollow block in one of their dive sites that had sprouted some coral, and out of this an inspiration surfaced.

Over the next few weeks, after some preliminary research, the domes were designed and construction followed in earnest at the Cambridge Farm Hotel.

Materials used were cement, sand, bamboo, and a couple of tubs made from industrial plastic to serve as molds. The domes had to be heavy enough not to be blown away by currents; light enough to be manhandled by divers, and had to be cheap enough so that plenty of units could be fabricated.

Together with the members of the Tuna City Scuba Diving club, the first domes were deployed last April 2005.

Now over one year into the project, the results have been “quite astonishing.”

Corals, sponges, barnacles, tunicates and bryozoans have already encrusted most of the domes that used to have no attached growths. Juvenile reef fish now hide within the structures. Crinoids and sea stars (not starfish, as commonly called, because it’s not a fish) now crawl over them and even the bigger fish graze on the algae cover.

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‘Media in Black’ to decry killings

Posted by Michille on 31st May 2006

‘Media in Black’ to decry killings – Sun.Star Davao!

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) invites all media practitioners in a candle-lighting ceremony expressing the grief and outrage at the murder of another journalist.

Read the full story:

WELL-meaning journalists all over the country will wear black on Wednesday.

But unlike the famous “Men in Black” who fight alien invaders, the “Media in Black” are fighting the senseless killings of media practitioners. The latest victim was Palawan broadcaster Fernando “Dong” Batul.

Batul was gunned down on May 22. He was the fifth journalist killed this year, the 42nd under the Arroyo administration and the 79th since 1986 when press freedom was supposed to have been restored.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) invites all media practitioners in a candle-lighting ceremony today as their way of expressing grief and outrage at the murder of another journalist.

“We say: Enough is enough! Let us cease to be just observers and recorders to the death of democracy. Let us unite and fight back the threats to our lives and liberties,” NUJP said in a statement.

Media organizations in various parts of the country (including in Baguio, Subic, Iloilo, Lucena, Sorsogon, Albay, Pampanga, Laguna, Bacolod, Tacloban, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Pagadian, General Santos and Ozamis), will also hold simultaneous candle-lighting ceremonies at 6 p.m. today.

The hard-hitting journalist was known as the “Bastonero ng Palawan”.

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No Sugbuak hearing in Cebu: Macias

Posted by Michille on 31st May 2006

No Sugbuak hearing in Cebu: Macias – Sun.Star Cebu!

Rep. Emilio Macias cancelled today’s scheduled hearing in Manila on the House bills that seek to create Cebu del Sur, Cebu del Norte and Cebu Occidental.

Macias, who heads the House committee on local government, also told radio dyLA that he will never bring to Cebu the public consultations on the bills.

He does not see the need to hold public consultations here, saying that Cebuanos are already represented in his committee by the proponents, as well as critics of the bills.

Today’s hearing would have allowed the technical working group to present its recommendations on the bills, filed last year by Reps. Simeon Kintanar, Antonio Yapha and Clavel Martinez.

All on their last term and barred from seeking reelection, these lawmakers want their congressional districts converted into provinces, claiming these have been neglected by the Capitol.

If not for the several arguments and conflicts over the issue, Macias stressed, his committee would have already resolved whether to approve or disapprove the bills.

“I would like to make this clear…I arranged for both sides to have a fair chance,” he said over the radio.

The hearing scheduled for today was cancelled, he revealed, because of the caucus that majority of the House of Representatives have called.

As that developed, Francisco Nemenzo, former president of the University of the Philippines, said in an interview that he considers “binuang” (foolishness) Macias’ continued refusal to hold public hearings in Cebu.

The decision is typical of “the trapo attitudes that bring the country down,” he added.

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Oro archbishop cites peace-building mission

Posted by Michille on 31st May 2006

Oro archbishop cites peace-building mission – Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro!

PEACE and community building are among the main themes touched by newly installed Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Javellana Ledesma in his message during the three-hour installation ceremonies held at the St. Augustine Cathedral Tuesday.

The installation was attended by church delegations and church officials from all over Misamis Oriental and even as far as Ipil, and top local and national officials and political figures.

Still in keeping with the apolitical tone of the activity, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales and Ledesma refrained from making any references to political issues.

In his message, Rosales said the archbishop could be likened to many persons or icons such as teachers, fishermen, and leaders of the flock.

Rosales emphasized that an archbishop is first and foremost a shepherd of the flock tasked to guide the Church faithful to the Word of God.

“(The archbishop is meant to) touch the humanity of every person in the hope that he/she will eventually inculcate moral reforms,” Rosales said.

And in his speech, Ledesma said he will pursue his mission of espousing peace in much the same way that he made peace his motto since his assumption of the Ipil prelature almost a decade ago.

Ledesma said at the time he assumed the prelature of Ipil the area is beset by violence caused by the Abu Sayaff and even the kidnapping of a former Ipil archbishop.

This peace, he said, is still being sought in Mindanao. In light of this, he gave recognition to the Ipil delegation that attended the installation ceremonies Tuesday.

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