For decades, dynamite or blast fishing and cyanide fishing has been destroying our coral reefs , but up to this day it is still widespread though there are efforts to build artificial reefs in the Philippines, the root cause must still be eradicated. CORAL REEFS ANNIHILATION Cyanide fishing is harmful. “It is a deadly poison not only to people…
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Station Eastern Sarangani participated in the MANGROVE PLANTING & CLEAN-UP DRIVE activities in celebration of “WORLD WETLANDS DAY” at Sitio Mauswagon, Barangay Glan-Padidu, Glan, Sarangani Province, on 03-February-2023. Personnel of CGS Eastern Sarangani led by Station Commander CG ENS KENNETH JOY R ALCANTARA,kqwd and the Sub-Station personnel joined the Mangrove Planting Activity and Clean-up Drive…
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Capital Region (DENR-NCR) has recognized the Estero de San Miguel in Manila as Metro Manila’s “most improved estero” during the 2nd Gawad Taga-Ilog awarding ceremony on March 22. The Gawad Taga-Ilog recognizes the efforts of local governments in Metro Manila—barangays in particular—in keeping their waterways clean and trash-free, as well as their active…
More than 800 tons of trash coming from the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal were kept from finally draining to Manila Bay through the trash traps installed along the waterways and the regular cleanup activities of the river rangers on the first quarter of 2022, per report of the Manila Bay Site Coordinating and Management Office (MBSCMO)-4. About…
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Phase 1 (4 years) – A Pacific Ocean marine corridor in central Philippines Background. Phase 1 of the Programme spotlights a Pacific Ocean corridor in central Philippines serves as the initial focus for the wider Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific 3/ maritime region that is critical to global health and security. This large sea area as designated is comprised of interconnected enclosed-semi-enclosed seas…
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INTRODUCTION. Everything these days appears daunting, even overwhelming. We have challenges internally and externally. The global pandemic has showed us in no unmistakable terms how fragile and vulnerable we are. The world we live in continues to be at risk not so much from the wrath of nature more than the greed of man. By all accounts, both internal and…
The 4th National Environmental Law Enforcement (NELE) Summit led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ended recently with the adoption of three resolutions to prevent and fight environmental crimes. The NELE summit, held last July 14-16, resulted in the adoption of resolutions to approve a five-year indicative plan of the National Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee-Sub-committee on Environment…
True to its commitment to help promote environmental protection and sustainability, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has ordered the mandatory planting of trees and mangroves for every contract, accreditation and permits issued by the agency. The order took effect on the 2nd of February after the 15-day publication period reckoning from 19-January-2021. PPA Administrative Order No. 14-2020, signed by PPA…
The promise of President Rodrigo Duterte to normalize the lives of Cagayan residents and those in nearby provinces after the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses was further realized as government agencies pooled resources to restore the Cagayan River. Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade joined Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu, Department of Public Works and…
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AREAS (FMA) The Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 263 or the Establishment of Fisheries Management Areas (FMA) for the Conservation and Management of Fisheries in Philippine Waters took effect on 9-February-2019. The objective of the policy is to establish FMA and provide a science-based, participatory and transparent governance framework and mechanism to sustainably manage fisheries. Under FAO 263,…
The Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary is located 5 kms east of Mactan Island. The Sanctuary is composed of the main island, Olango, and six nearby islets namely: Sulpa, Gilutongan, Nalusuan, Caohagan, Pangan-an, and Camungi. The total land area of Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary is approximately 1,030 ha (2,500 acres). The Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary falls under the jurisdiction of Lapu-Lapu…
(A presentation made by (DENR) Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Undersecretary Analiza Rebuelta-Teh during the Roundtable Discussion on West Philippine Sea/South China Sea organized by the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations (PCFR) and Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA) held on 9-October-2019 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) CURRENT STATE OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES IN…
The world continues to emit greenhouse gases while our planet’s climate is changing faster than ever. The 10 New Insights in Climate Science 2019 report intends to take up the latest and most essential scientific findings published in an extraordinary year –the climate science year in review. The world is not on track Greenhouse gas emissions continue increasing; gap between…
The Agusan Marsh, located in the province of Agusan del Sur, Northeastern Mindanao, was declared a protected area by Presidential Proclamation no. 913 dated 31-October-1996. Total protected area is 19,196.56 hectares (14,835.99 hectares core zone; and 4,360.57 hectares buffer zone). Agusan Marsh controls the flooding in the Agusan River by sponging the high level of water, thus preventing flooding in…
The latest warning issued in early November 2019 by thousands of scientists from 153 countries about instituting measures that would effectively address Climate change speaks volumes in terms of human nature’s resistance to change. According to the scientists, Mother Earth “clearly and unequivocally faces a climate emergency.” She has registered faster than expected acceleration of global warming. This alert came…
DENR Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu hit the ground running Wednesday as the newly appointed chair of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) in answer to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s call to clean the Pasig River. The environment chief led a technical inspection of Pasig River, and pledged to get rid of informal settlers and go after polluters of the…
Liguasan Marsh, located in Southern Mindanao, is the largest Marsh wetland in the Philippines, covering over 220,000 hectares, spread across the provinces of Maguindanao, Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. It is a conglomeration of three marshes: Liguasan Marsh proper, Libungan Marsh, and the Ebpanan Marsh. A marsh is a tract of soft wetland characterised by grasses and cattails (Monocotyledons), which are…
Bulusan Lake surrounds the foothills of Mount Bulusan Volcano, located in the municipality of Bulusan, Sorsogon province, Bicol Region. Mount Bulusan, which has erupted at least 15 times since 1885, is considered the 4th most active volcano in the Philippines after Mayon, Taal, and Kanlaon Volcanos; and is the highest peak in Sorsogon. On 23-October-2016, Rappler reported that a phreatic…
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The neglect by the government in implementing environmental laws and regulations caused some concerned residents to file suit, and this resulted in the issuance of the Supreme Court Continuing Mandamus on the Clean-up of Manila Bay. Lead Counsel Antonio Oposa Jr stated it succinctly: “If there is lack of political will on the part of government agencies, it is the…
The Cagayan River is known throughout the Philippines as the “Rio Grande de Cagayan” because it is the longest, largest and widest river in the Philippines. The length of the river is about 350 km and has a drainage basin covering 27,753 sq. km, flowing along the provinces of Apayao, Aurora, Cagayan, Ifugao, Isabela, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya and…
The Philippine government launched early this year a coastal and marine environmental campaign to clean up, rehabilitate and preserve Manila Bay. Dubbed “Battle for Manila Bay,” the move is in compliance with a Supreme Court decision. It also tests the political will of the government. Clearly, this noble task is aligned with Section 16 of the Constitution, to wit: “The…
The Taal Lake, also known as Talisay Lake and Bombón Lake, is a circular fresh water lake located in the Province of Batangas, in Southern Luzon with over 26,700 hectares. As a child, I frequented my great grandaunt’s house by the ridge of Tagaytay City, overlooking Taal Lake. Every year, I was awestruck by the beauty of Taal Volcano, its…