We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Tommy Osmeña on call for stoppage of Cebu BRT civil works: ‘We have leaders acting like spoiled brats’
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña lambasted several Cebu government officials following the call to halt the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) civil works. Osmeña called out officials, particularly City Councilor James Cuenco, the Provincial Board, and Cebu Provincial Governor Gwen Garcia. “It’s very important not to insult the funders of.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Feb. 13
KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysian authorities launched a search and rescue operation on Tuesday following a plane crash in Selangor state. The aircraft, which crashed around 1:30 p.m. local time, had two on board including its pilot, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia said in a statement. (Malaysia-Aircraft-Crash) - - - - NEW DELHI -- Police Tuesday fired dozens of tear smoke shells and used drones t.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Feb. 13
KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysian authorities launched a search and rescue operation on Tuesday following a plane crash in Selangor state. The aircraft, which crashed around 1:30 p.m. local time, had two on board including its pilot, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia said in a statement. (Malaysia-Aircraft-Crash) - - - - NEW DELHI -- Police Tuesday fired dozens of tear smoke shells and used drones t.....»»
SP’s Laban o Bawi
It seems that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) played a role reminiscent of an Eat Bulaga segment when they withdrew the Mining Ordinance, causing a stir among the island residents. On Radyo Peryodiko, listeners heard perspectives from Mr. Jerry Beo and Mr. Andy Po of Kontra Mina, Vice Gov. Peter Cua of SP, former Congressman […].....»»
Philippines keeps searching missing aircraft with 2 aboard
MANILA, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has started searching for a missing aircraft with two people on board, including the pilot, in the northern Isabela province, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said Friday. The single-engine light aircraft with fixed landing gear took off at 9:39 a.m. local time on Thursday at the Cauayan City airport, heading for Palanan, a coastal town east of the.....»»
Philippines keeps searching missing aircraft with 2 aboard
MANILA, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has started searching for a missing aircraft with two people on board, including the pilot, in the northern Isabela province, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said Friday. The single-engine light aircraft with fixed landing gear took off at 9:39 a.m. local time on Thursday at the Cauayan City airport, heading for Palanan, a coastal town east of the.....»»
NIA, DENR to promote advanced water security in Phl
The National Irrigation Administration and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources agreed to strengthen the water rights of NIA and further promote water security in the Philippines, Malacañang said on Thursday. In a statement released by the Palace, Environment Undersecretary Carlos Primo David underscored that the government will ensure water security through various government agencies. "(This) is a convergence between several government agencies with water-related functions … we are able to plan and coordinate our efforts together and I'm referring to the DENR, which I represent, the National Water Resources Board, and everyone here in Malacañang," David said. This means that NIA's irrigation water will not only be used for the agricultural sector but will also be utilized for power production, bulk water supply, aquaculture, recreation, tourism, and other purposes. DENR has been given the directive to protect the country's water resources to meet its needs, as mandated by the law. In connection with this, the Office of the Executive Secretary has encouraged the NIA, the National Water Resources Board, and the Water Resources Management Office to be more responsive to the country's needs in the use and development of water resources. The DENR, through the National Water Resources Board and the Water Resources Management Office, will have the responsibility of safeguarding and preserving water resources to meet the evolving requirements as outlined in the existing laws governing water management and utilization. In a similar vein, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevarra encouraged the NIA, NWRB, and the WRMO to be more adaptable to the changing needs of the nation in how they use and develop water resources, aligning their actions with the fundamental principles of the water code and the President's objective of achieving water security. This memorandum of agreement aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s Executive Order No. 22, which established the WRMO under the DENR, tasked with coordinating and harmonizing all government initiatives and regulatory activities to ensure the sustainable management and availability of water resources throughout the entire country. Also in attendance at the event were Assistant Secretary Jason Alba from the Office of the Senior Deputy Executive Secretary, Department of Finance Undersecretary Catherine Fong, and NIA Acting Civil Works Design Section Chief Engr. Roald Marck Revellame. The post NIA, DENR to promote advanced water security in Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Domestic aviation rebounds this year
The local aviation industry, which was badly hit by the global health crisis, is seen to achieve full recovery this year. This was according to the International Air Transport Association in a recent forum organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. During the Aviation Forum last week, Yuli Thompson, area manager for the IATA in Southeast Asia, said the Philippines and the rest of the Asia Pacific region’s aviation market is swiftly recovering and seeing a consistent rise in terms of growth in international and domestic travel. Thompson said passenger traffic trends for international flights in the Philippines were logged at 75 percent of 2019 levels as of June 2023. As for the Asia Pacific passenger forecast, Yuli maintained that domestic travel will fully recover in 2023, while international travel will occur sometime in 2026. Further, Asia Pacific will be seen to lead in traffic growth in the next 20 years. “However, overcoming current challenges riding on the current momentum, and meeting full recovery will require strong interventions from all players in the aviation sector,” he said. Infra investments For his part, Cebu Pacific Air chief executive officer Michael Szucs emphasized the need to invest in infrastructure, citing that “Philippine carriers will need to quadruple in size to cater to growing demand.” In her keynote speech, Secretary Grace Poe urged stakeholders to support necessary infrastructure investments, especially following the air system glitch incident earlier this year. The senator called for the acquisition of a new Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management. Poe also recommended the hiring of a third-party maintenance provider for the CNS/ATM system. “It is my hope that the government, the private sector, and other stakeholders can work together and collaborate on air transport projects which will not only generate economic growth but also provide our people with excellent and affordable public services that can improve the quality of life for all,” she said. Also filed by Poe is Senate Bill 1121 which proposes the creation of a Philippine Transportation Safety Board. Under the directive of the current Marcos administration, Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Roberto Lim highlighted the government’s key priorities, including aviation safety and strengthening of learning institutions. Lim further noted the agency’s priority of strengthening the Civil Aviation Training Center and engaging with the private sector as close partners for Air Transport Skills Training and Development. “If we are able to train our air traffic controllers, we would not only meet our own requirements, but the requirements of other countries. We can develop this on an institutional basis,” said Lim. Open up the industry Kurt Edwards, director general of the International Business Aviation Council, also raised the fact that much could be gained “by opening the industry and making it more known to people.” In terms of managing safety risks, Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, shared initiatives to advance safety capabilities in the aviation sector through the State Safety Program. The program employs a risk-based approach to regulations, capacity building and integration of a new organizational structure for monitoring and evaluation. Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista stressed that the DOTr’s goal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport through a public-private partnership agreement, which he said, will present a “landmark opportunity for economic growth, improved infrastructure, and a world-class travel experience.” Added Bautista, “We are also developing regional airports, such as the unsolicited proposals for the operations and maintenance of the Bicol International Airport, Bohol-Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan Airport.” The post Domestic aviation rebounds this year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Government retains fuel surcharges
The Civil Aeronautics Board is keeping the fuel surcharge steady in October to offset the continued increase in airfares......»»
New Cebu International Container Port seen
The Department of Transportation on Tuesday announced that the construction of the New Cebu International Container Port is expected to start within the third quarter of the year. According to DoTr Undersecretary Elmer Sarmiento, the project’s funder — Export-Import Bank of Korea — has granted the renewal of the loan of P10.45 billion, adding that the procurement for the project has been delayed by the coronavirus disease pandemic. Sarmiento said that the agency is hoping to award the civil works contract within the third quarter. The groundwork should have originally started in August 2022. The civil works was bid out in 2022 and won by a Korean firm. He added that the KEXIM has approved the proposed changes and DoTr is now awaiting the special allotment release order. Sarmiento explained that the project has two approaches — civil works which will be funded by official development assistance from KEXIM — and the purchase of quay cranes will be under public-private partnership. The NCICP will be built on a 25-hectare reclaimed area in Tayud, Consolacion, Cebu and will be connected to the mainland by a 300-meter offshore bridge. It will have a berthing facility with a 500-meter-long quay wall that can simultaneously accommodate two 2,000 twenty-foot equipment unit vessels, operating facilities and structures for containers such as a freight station and an inspection shed, an access road and bridge, and a dredged waterway and turning basin. It will be equipped with four quay cranes. A counterpart funding will be financed by Philippine government of P1.28 billion. In 2016, the NCICP was approved by NEDA Board and the signed loan agreement then with KEXIM pegged at $172.64 million. NCICP is seen as the long-term solution to growing volumes handled by the Cebu International Port in Cebu City. The post New Cebu International Container Port seen appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CHR not antagonistic
The Commission on Human Rights is not antagonistic to the police but a mere bridge between the people, civil society and the government. This was the message left by CHR chairperson Atty. Richard Palpal-latoc, at the 57th Anniversary of the National Police Commission held at the DILG-Napolcom building in Quezon City. Palpal-latoc clarified that the agency is not an adversary to the police but a mere bridge between the people, civil society and the government. According to CHR chairperson, there are misconceptions whenever they enter into the picture regarding what seems to be abuses committed by the police on civilians. “We are the watchdog, our primary mandate is to protect and promote human rights and to prevent violations,” Palpal-latoc said. He added that they are not only conducting investigations for nothing but “we propose and offer solutions to address concerns.” At present, Palpal-latoc said, the CHR is emphasizing one of its mandates which is on the bridging role hence the need to make it sure that the agency is always in between the people and the government being a national human rights institution. The CHR he said, is also engaged in discussions with other government agencies like DoLE (Department of Labor); the Professional Regulations Commission; the Board of Claims also to address human rights concerns. On the labor part, Palpal-latoc said they are looking into the tripartite mechanisms to make it sure that the rights of the laborers especially on the freedom to associate, are taken care of. All those concerns according to Palpal-latoc are among the agency’s emphasis just to highlight the important role of CHR as a bridge for the people and government. The post CHR not antagonistic appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Return separation pay, viral ex-cop told
Brig. Gen. Niño David Rabaya, director of the Philippine National Police-Retirement and Benefits Administration Service, demanded from viral road rage ex-cop Wilfredo Gonzales the return of the money he received despite his dismissal from the police service. Gonzales was dismissed for grave misconduct in 2018, two years after he retired upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 where he got his separation pay. His dismissal which stemmed from a gun-toting incident he was involved in in 2006 led to the forfeiture of his benefits retroactively. In a press conference in Camp Crame on Monday, Rabaya, said Gonzales is required to bring back to the PNP around P588,000 sending him letters demanding the return of the money, since 2019 but they have yet to get any response from him. “It’s basically his terminal leave or leave credits as he also received ‘three’ year lump sum pension starting 2016 to 2019 but when the PRBS was able to receive the dismissal order, his monthly pension which was supposed to start in 2019 was not anymore activated. So basically he is not anymore receiving pension from us,” Rabaya told reporters. “As a matter of procedure, we are already preparing the demand letter for patrolman Gonzales to return the money. We will be taking civil action against him. We have already referred this to our legal then civil action will be taken against him if he refuses to return the amount,” he stressed. The QC People’s Law Enforcement Board started the conduct of a thorough investigation of the incident upon the order of Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. The probe aims to identify the lapses committed by the police during the settlement of the case. Gonzales is currently in hot water after he was involved in a viral altercation with a cyclist in Quezon City on 28 August. He hit the cyclist on his head and even pulled out and cocked his gun. Gonzales said they had already settled the matter in a police station. It was reported that the cyclist paid Gonzales P500 for the damages to his vehicle during the settlement. Gonzales is now facing charges for alarm and scandal filed by the Quezon City Police District. The PNP Firearms and Explosives Office also revoked the License to Own and Possess Firearm, Firearm Registration and Permit to Carry Firearms Outside Residence of Gonzales. The Land Transportation Office also issued a 90-day preventive suspension on Gonzales’ driver’s license pending the conduct of an investigation on the matter. The post Return separation pay, viral ex-cop told appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Zambales sets new capitol building construction
Iba, Zambales — The provincial government here is eyeing the construction of a P500-million capitol building that will replace the current establishment. According to Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., the new Capitol building in this town is set to replace a structure that was reconstructed at least two times from a building built in the 1870’s by the Spanish Civil Government. Ebdane said that the new “modernized” building will have tech upgrades that will boost the provincial government’s capacity to provide better-quality public service and enable greater access to residents and customers. “We have to build a new seat of government that would be in keeping with the needs of the times and with our mandate to elevate public service to a new level,” Ebdane said. “If our physical facilities stay in antiquated condition, it would not be surprising if government services remain as outdated. That’s why we need to bring the Zambales Capitol up-to-date. Our people need and deserve this upgrade,” he added. The new building will be constructed at the People’s Park across the old capitol building, around four stories high, with basement parking and a total floor area of 15,475 square meters. The project would be funded out of a P2.6-billion borrowing from the LGU-Omnibus Term Loan Facility Program of the Land Bank of the Philippines to finance priority development projects of the province. The loan was approved by the Zambales provincial board in October last year through Resolution No. 2022-283. The existing Capitol building is a two-storey structure that was renovated in 1979 under the administration of then Gov. Vicente P. Magsaysay. It houses the administrative and financial offices of the provincial government. The legislative department had since moved into a new building completed in January 2021 under the Ebdane administration. The original building where the Capitol now stands was constructed by the Spanish Civil Government in 1875 to 1878. This was used as a provincial prison and later as the general headquarters of the Revolutionary Government of Zambales in 1899. The post Zambales sets new capitol building construction appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CAB chided over surcharge
Lawmaker and lawyer Rufus Rodriguez chided the Civil Aeronautics Board for imposing a higher aviation fuel surcharge, slated to go into effect next month, that would likely result in higher airfares. Considering that airline firms have already imposed “unreasonably very high prices for their plane fares,” Rodriguez wanted the CAB to defer implementing the planned increase. The CAB’s move, according to Rodriguez, indicates a prioritization of airline firms over the welfare of the millions of travelers. Thus, he proposed it should cease the imposition of a higher aviation fuel surcharge to maintain plane fares low. Public first “The CAB is quick in giving more to airlines at the expense of the Filipino riding public,” the Cagayan de Oro solon said. “It has been remiss in penalizing airlines for flight cancellations, overbooking resulting in bumping off of passengers, delays, inordinate baggage policies, and failure of customer service availability,” he added. The CAB, in an advisory dated 16 August, announced that passenger and cargo fuel surcharges for domestic and international flights would increase to Level 6 in September owing to higher fuel prices. Substantial surcharge hike Depending on the distance, the CAB said the increased surcharge would range from P185 to P665 per ticket for domestic flights and from P610.37 to P4,538.40 for international travel. In the current Level 4, passengers are charged P117 to P342 for domestic flights and P385.70 to P2,867.82 for international flights, varying based on the flight distance. While the CAB said that the collection of the higher charge would be optional on the part of airlines, Rodriguez appealed to Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, and other carriers to forego the collection of the increased surcharge given that the travel and tourism industry starts to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. “Higher plane fares will dampen both domestic and international travel. I appeal to the carriers to defer the higher surcharge to encourage more tourists,” he said. The post CAB chided over surcharge appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ten killed in light plane crash on street in Malaysia
A light plane crashed into a street in Malaysia's central Selangor state on Thursday, killing eight people on board and two motorists on the ground, the local police chief said. "For now, I can say at least 10 people were killed in the plane crash. Two passing motorists -- one in a car and one on a motorcycle -- also perished together with the eight on board the plane," Mohamad Iqbal Ibrahim told AFP. Johari Harun, a state assemblyman in central Pahang state in charge of housing and the environment, was among the plane passengers killed, police said. Malaysia's civil aviation authority said in a statement that six passengers and two flight crew were on board the aircraft when it crashed, although it did not confirm any casualties. The plane took off from the northern resort island of Langkawi and was heading to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, west of the capital Kuala Lumpur, civil aviation authority chief Norazman Mahmud. "No mayday call was made," he said. An investigation into the crash will be made by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau, he said. Mohamad Syahmie Mohamad Hashim, a former member of the Malaysian air force, said he saw the plane flying erratically. "Not long after that I heard a loud boom," he told reporters. "I sped towards the location and saw the remains of an aircraft. I also saw (a) human body on fire. I couldn't do anything," he said. Other witnesses said the Beechcraft Model 390 burst into flames as it hit the ground in Elmina Estate near the suburb of Shah Alam, which houses a mix of residential homes and factories. An explosion was also heard, they said. One user of X, formerly called Twitter, shared a brief video showing fire and black smoke billowing from the crash site, which was covered with dark soot. Debris was scattered around and houses could be seen in the background. In September 1977, a Japan Airlines plane bound for Singapore crashed into another housing estate. Forty-five people survived and 34 were killed. The post Ten killed in light plane crash on street in Malaysia appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Airfares to go up next month
People planning to travel by plane in September must prepare for higher fares following the hike in fuel surcharge approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board......»»
Wreckage of Philippine Cessna plane found with pilot, passenger dead
MANILA, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said that a search and retrieval team found the wreckage of the missing Cessna 152 plane in the northern Apayao province on Wednesday with the pilot and passenger dead. "The search and retrieval operations are now ongoing to retrieve the bodies of the two persons on board the aircraft," CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said......»»
A flying fiasco
Gokongwei-owned Cebu Pacific Air has proven time and again that it is more interested in counting its profits than upholding its duty to the public. As irate passengers lined up to air their grievances during congressional investigations, it has become evident that Cebu Pacific’s approach to customer service is nothing short of a disaster. The tales of woe begin with the grim reality of overbooking, a practice that seems to have become the signature move of the budget behemoth. Countless passengers have found themselves heartlessly cast aside, denied the right to board their flights, while Cebu Pacific’s rapacity for more revenue reached obscene heights. As these passengers shared their nightmarish experiences, Cebu Pacific’s customer service had been exposed as a mere façade, masking the truth of their disdain for the people they are meant to serve. “Everyone should fly,” Cebu Pacific says. Yes, everyone should fly away from an airline that is a veritable circus of excuses for delays and cancellations. The airline’s explanations for rebooked flights are nothing short of outrageous insults to the intelligence of their customers, each excuse more pathetic than the last. Lightning strikes and bird collisions may be acts of nature, but Cebu Pacific’s callous disregard for its passengers’ well-being is an act of corporate mischief. And the airline’s people at its check-in counters have apparently been coached to lie. A group of journalists hustling back to Manila from a provincial coverage to catch and cover President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address discovered this for themselves. All were supposed to board a 5:30 p.m. flight, but one photographer was rebooked for the next day, while another was told to board the 10:30 p.m. flight. Explaining at the airline’s check-in counter that they could not afford to be offloaded, the journalists were told that a smaller plane than the one they were booked on was dispatched. Allegedly, the bigger plane encountered mechanical problems and did not leave Manila. Then the check-in staff started playing the guilt-laying game, saying: “We cannot sacrifice the safety of the other passengers by accommodating more people than the smaller plane’s carrying capacity.” “But who told you to sacrifice anyone?” one of the journalists retorted. “What we want to know is how on earth Cebu Pacific chose us to be the ones to be off-loaded. And why are we being told only now, just a couple of hours away from our scheduled flight?” Cebu Pacific’s check-in staffer then mouthed what we presume to be the routine argument-ender they’d been given as a tired script — that they could do nothing about the problem except to find other flights for the off-loaded who may then file a complaint with their customer care department. To the chagrin of the photographer and reporter, they were told by their colleagues who were lucky enough not to be taken off the 5:30 p.m. flight that, yes, the original plane that was supposed to fly them back to Manila was the very same plane they boarded. What happened to the smaller plane? Lies, lies, lies. The question that looms larger than an Airbus A380 is this: How can an airline that rakes in billions in revenue conveniently blame external factors for its failures? “Freak incidents” do not occur with such alarming regularity, and when they do, a responsible and reputable airline has contingencies in place to mitigate their impact on passengers. Cebu Pacific booked a net income of P1.08 billion in the first quarter of this year, tripling its revenue to P20.88 billion from P6.71 billion in the same period last year, during which it recorded a net loss of P7.6 billion. But the carrier’s return to profitability, alas, has been at the expense of customers forced to book hotel rooms at their own expense or sleep on airport floors. To add insult to injury, the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines have failed miserably in their oversight of Cebu Pacific and other erring airlines. Their inaction amounts to a dereliction of duty, leaving passengers vulnerable to the whims and caprices of a budget carrier that cares only for its bottom line. It is high time for Congress to wield its power and act decisively to protect the rights of the flying public. Rep. Rufus Rodriguez’s call for the suspension of Cebu Pacific’s legislative franchise echoes the sentiments of millions who have suffered at the hands of this budget airline. A suspension will send a clear message that reckless indifference and incompetence will not be tolerated, and the privilege of serving the public will be revoked if the airline fails to meet its obligations. We will not be saddled with Cebu Pacific’s flying fiasco. The post A flying fiasco appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Dirty brew
Harmony with the communities where San Miguel Corp. — which gained fame for its renowned beer — has put up its energy plants is not what the company is projecting, as most plants have been the subject of massive complaints from residents. According to a survey by think-tank Center for Energy, Ecology and Development, most of the complaints are related to the effects on the environment of the projects. For instance, in 2017, communities and civil society organizations launched the Break Free 2017 campaign to oppose the expansion of fossil fuel industries at the project site of SMC’s Limay Coal Power Plant. Residents of Limay, Bataan complained of being exposed to the emissions of the then 300-megawatt, or MW, coal plant and the 140-MW plant of the Petron Bataan Fuel Refinery. The groups’ claim that the plant’s testing operations may have resulted in ash spills was found to be accurate by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which issued a Cease and Desist Order. Before SMC acquired the Masinloc power plant in 2018, the plant was already subjected to opposition, which led to delays in its operation during the 1990s. Environmentalists, farmers, and fishermen at the time staged protests, claiming that contaminated water from the plant would reduce the fish catch. The Masinloc power plant was then owned and operated by state firm National Power Corp. and was billed as the solution to the long brownouts that Luzon suffered daily. Using his emergency powers, then-President Fidel Ramos endorsed the quick construction of the project, displacing over 1,000 individuals in the process. It was then discovered that the plant produced over 385,000 tons of ash yearly, putting local communities’ health at risk. The previous owners of the Masinloc power plant claimed to have spent over $1 billion for its realignment to make it more environmentally friendly. SMC considered the power asset as allowing them to increase their footprint in clean coal technology. There were then also complaints from residents whom CEED said were directly impacted by some of SMCGP’s coal power plants. The residents alleged harassment and intimidation by various individuals for them to give up their properties. In 2016, SMCGP proposed to construct and operate its Limay Power Station in Limay, Bataan. A portion of the power plant site was thereafter fenced off by private individuals who claimed to have sold the property, and people were prohibited from entering or accessing the crops they had planted in the area. The situation was the same in Sariaya, Quezon in 2018, after SMCGP proposed the construction of a circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plant in the municipality. In Mariveles, Bataan, where SMC’s Mariveles coal-fired power plant units 1 to 4 will rise, residents found themselves ousted from the property they were living on, through rights, at the peak of the Covid-19 lockdowns by alleged landowners claiming the property had been sold. SMC’s mining business is also facing its fair share of opposition. Its Daguma Agro Minerals Inc., or DAMI, was granted a coal development and production operating contract in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat by the Department of Energy back in 2002. The contract included the 17,000 hectares of collective land that the SMC mining companies planned to explore. San Miguel Energy Corp. acquired full ownership of DAMI, which was owned by a group headed by businessman Ben Guingona. DAMI has coal mines in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, in areas known for being rich in mineral deposits. DAMI’s projects in South Cotabato were opposed by environmental advocates, the local Catholic diocese, and the host communities, due to environmental and encroachment concerns. DAMI uses the strip mining method, a form of open-pit mining that is forbidden by South Cotabato’s 2010 environment code. The provincial board of South Cotabato rejected a resolution that would have endorsed DAMI’s mining operations since it violated South Cotabato’s ban on open-pit mining. The provincial board, however, moved to amend the code and lift the ban. Local officials are now under fire as they kept residents unaware of SMC’s tree-clearing operations. South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., in response, vetoed the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining. The classic sound bite of the company of leaving no one behind is hard to discern from the way SMC treats communities it considers as getting in the way of its massive projects. The post Dirty brew appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DENR accelerates water security initiatives
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Thursday said it will ramp up efforts to improve the country’s water supply situation, amidst lingering shortage concerns over the El Niño climate pattern and growing population demand. Aside from working with other government agencies and the private sector to identify potential sources of surface water for over 1,400 barangays at higher risk of dry spells, the DENR’s newly-created Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) is set to release an Integrated Water Resources Management Plan that will account for all water resources in the country and set directions on optimizing the use of existing supply through impoundment, treatment, and recycling. “The solution to our problems starts with fixing the disconnected and fragmented management of water by more than a dozen agencies of government,” Environment Secretary Antonia Loyzaga said, noting that aside from the DENR, several other government agencies and other entities are involved in managing water resources for a variety of uses such as power generation, irrigation, and household distribution. These agencies include the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, the Local Water Utilities Administration, over 500 water districts, the Laguna Lake Development Authority, and the National Water Resources Board. Aside from these, there are thousands of private water providers primarily servicing residential communities nationwide. “There are long-standing institutional issues which we now have a strong chance of solving and this unlocks some of the barriers in managing water. It also opens the possibility of coordinating projects between agencies to enter with more efficient programs like the construction of multi-use dams and reservoirs,” she added. On top of the creation of the WRMO, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said in his State of the Nation Address that his administration will give a "special focus" on improving water security, with efforts that should be "cohesive, centralized, and systematic." Around P14.6 Billion has been allocated in the 2023 national budget for water supply projects. Further, a portion of the P276 Billion flood control budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways will be repurposed for initiatives such as offline storage to address multiple needs for irrigation, power generation, industry, and domestic uses. The WRMO is a transitory body pending the creation of the Department of Water Resource Management which is covered by several bills pending before both houses of Congress, including House Bill 2880, authored by AGRI Party-list Representative Wilbert Lee, Senate Bill 1021 filed by Senator Jinggoy Estrada, and Senate Bill 102, filed by Senator Grace Poe. Meanwhile, the National Economic and Development Authority submitted the revised draft executive version of the bill to the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office. The bill was referred to the Senate Committees on Public Services; Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation; and Finance. The post DENR accelerates water security initiatives appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»