Looking at garbage and birds in the eye
One Sunday in September, on the small strip of beach on Long Island in the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area, we looked garbage straight in the eye......»»
Cebu bans for 45 days entry of live birds from Leyte
Cebu bans for 45 days entry of live birds from Leyte.....»»
DA lifts ban on poultry imports from 2 US states
The Department of Agriculture has lifted the ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products from two states in the US after the outbreak of avian flu had already been addressed......»»
Philippines bans poultry from Sweden, Czech Republic
The Philippines is banning the importation of domestic and wild birds from Sweden and the Czech Republic amid the outbreak of avian influenza in the two countries......»»
Kindhearted ladies at the Birds of Paradise pop-up
On Valentine’s Day, the tight-knit group of Beng Aspillera, Madlen Faustmann, Jenny Paradies, Sylvia Singson, Ging Hizon, Marian Aboitiz, Katy Paradies, Tessa Tayag, Merce Melian Tovey, Cherry Salazar and Becca Jose from Assumption High School (San Lorenzo) 1968 met at the Makati Garden Club with an important goal to accomplish: organizing, fixing, and displaying the one-of-a-kind assorted European items for the weekend’s pop-up bazaar, aptly named Birds of Paradise......»»
BAI: Gamefowls from US negative for bird flu
The Bureau of Animal Industry has released the 378 gamefowls held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after the birds tested negative for avian influenza......»»
‘Mutt & Jeff’ giving Pinoys a bad name
Among serious breeders and importers of game fowl, one of the key elements in bringing good material from the United States and elsewhere is having an experienced professional shipper who consolidates birds coming from different parts of the United States, Mexico and, on rare occasions, from Europe or Australia and ships them to Manila......»»
Philippines bans poultry products from 2 U.S. states
MANILA, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has banned the imports of domesticated and wild birds, including poultry meat and eggs, from the U.S. states of California and Ohio, the country's Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday. Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the move was due to the outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the two areas. "The rapid spre.....»»
Philippines bans poultry products from 2 U.S. states
MANILA, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has banned the imports of domesticated and wild birds, including poultry meat and eggs, from the U.S. states of California and Ohio, the country's Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday. Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the move was due to the outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the two areas. "The rapid spre.....»»
Philippines bans live poultry from Belgium, France
MANILA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has indefinitely banned the importation of poultry and other poultry products from Belgium and France due to the outbreak of bird flu in the two European countries, the Philippines' Department of Agriculture said Tuesday. Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the ban will immediately stop domesticated and wild birds from Belgium and France from ente.....»»
Philippines bans live poultry from Belgium, France
MANILA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has indefinitely banned the importation of poultry and other poultry products from Belgium and France due to the outbreak of bird flu in the two European countries, the Philippines' Department of Agriculture said Tuesday. Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the ban will immediately stop domesticated and wild birds from Belgium and France from ente.....»»
Early Birds
A handful of traders renew their business permits at the “One Stop Shop” site at the Almendras Gym, Davao City on Wednesday (3 January 2024). According to city government personnel, they are expecting more number of clients on the third week of January. MindaNews photo.....»»
Wings of hope: PH eagles to be translocated to Leyte in conservation effort
The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) is undertaking a conservation effort to translocate two Philippine eagles to Leyte in collaboration with the Mohamed Bin Zayed Raptor Conservation Fund (MBZRCF). The aim is to reintroduce and establish a self-sustaining population of Philippine Eagles in Leyte. The decision to focus on juvenile and immature eagles for translocation is driven by the high rate of shooting and trapping of these birds in Mindanao. Leyte was chosen as the relocation site due to the commitment of the Local Government Unit (LGU), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Energy Development Corporation to protect the habitat. Pending government permits, a male and a female eagle will be released to the mountains of Leyte, with identified release sites. Over the course of three years, the foundation hopes to release a total of six eagles. Before their release, the eagles will undergo the hacking process and will be monitored using GPS trackers. Leyte was chosen as a relocation site due to the absence of Philippine Eagle sightings after Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. The loss of the eagle population on the island highlights the importance of repopulating Leyte, and the MBZRCF partnership is crucial in.....»»
Aral-aral din pag may time, Sen. Risa!
Isumbong mokay DRAGON LADYni Amor Virata TOTOO nga ang kasabihang “birds of the same feather flock together”! Napatunayan natin ito nang mabasa ko ang ‘praise release’ ni Senador Risa Hontiveros, pinuri niya ang pag-disallow ng Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) sa mga gastusin ng National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). Kung hindi tayo nagkakamali, ang ….....»»
IN PHOTOS: Elderly arrive early for BSKE 23 election
The elderly are among the early birds in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Monday in Davao City, defying their age, health, and heat......»»
Alleged cult leader Senior Agila ‘can stop rain, make birds sing’
Testifying at the Senate hearing over the alleged human rights violations and "cult" practices of Socorro Bayanihan Services Incorporated, Riza Guma narrated how she became a die-hard member due to "supposed powers” of the group’s leader, Jey Rence “Senior Agila” Quilario, to stop rain and voice changing ability. Guma, a former educator, admitted that she previously left her teaching profession to serve full-time as a member of the Kapihan community, in Soccorro town, Surigao del Norte. In her affidavit which was read by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa during the hearing, Guma claimed that Quilario “was able to change and contort his voice into different persons.” “Yung cousin ko ay nagkasakit siya at dinala sa hospital at biglang dumating din si si Jey Rence Quilario. Pag dating niya sa ospital ay pabago-bago ang boses niya,” Guma said. She shared that Quilario can shift his voice into an old woman, a Godzilla, and an old man. Dela Rosa then asked Quilario if he could really change his voice as alleged by Guma. “Hindi po Iyan totoo,” Quilario told Dela Rosa. The senator continued reading Guma’s affidavit. “Let the bird sing and unexpectedly, the bird sang.” “Yes po sir. May boses po ng ibon na biglang tumunog,” Guma said. “There was a time that it was raining hard and Senior Agila shouted: Let the rain stop! And indeed the heavy stop. Since then, we really became die-hard believers because of those supposed powers,” she added. Dela Rosa asked: “Huminto talaga yung ulan?” Guma laughed it off and said. “Baka aksidente lang din po iyon.” The senator continued asking, “Why did you become a diehard member?” “Noon po iyon Sir. Noong sobrang diehard ako, kaya nga tumigil po ako sa pagtuturo,” she replied. On the other hand, Senator Risa Hontiveros lambasted the group for depriving children of to access the right to education. Despite being a teacher, Guma disclosed that even her own child was not allowed to study not until he left the community in June 2022. Hontiveros asked Guma about her assessment of children still residing in Sitio Kapihan. “Yung ibang bata po na nakapag-aral before pumunta doon sa bukid ay marunong silang magsulat at makabasa pero yung mga bata from age 5, hindi po sila marunong magsulat at magbasa,” Guma told Hontiveros. At least 200 minors don’t know how to write and read, she confirmed. “Dati kayong teacher. Papaanong napapayag kayo na hindi makapag-ara ang sarili ninyong anak?,” Hontiveros asked. Guma replied, “dahil ipinagbabawal na po ni Senior Agila ‘yung pag-aaral.” She added that who will disobey Quilario's orders would be heavily punished. According to Hontiveros, SBSI Vice President Mamerto Galanida said the group is eyeing to build a school inside the community. Guma brushed off the idea. “Ngayon lang din po sila nagplano na magtayo ng school noong pumutok na po yung kaso mam.” She claimed that the plan would serve as a cover-up from calling the SBSI a “cult.” The post Alleged cult leader Senior Agila ‘can stop rain, make birds sing’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
India’s Nipah virus outbreak: what do we know so far?
Authorities in India are scrambling to contain a rare outbreak of Nipah, a virus spread from animals to humans that causes deadly fever with a high mortality rate. Here is a look at what we know so far: What is the Nipah virus? The first Nipah outbreak was recorded in 1998 after the virus spread among pig farmers in Malaysia. The virus is named after the village where it was discovered. Outbreaks are rare but Nipah has been listed by the World Health Organization -- alongside Ebola, Zika, and Covid-19 -- as one of several diseases deserving of priority research for their potential to cause a global epidemic. Nipah usually spreads to humans from animals or through contaminated food, but it can also be transmitted directly between people. Fruit bats are the natural carriers of the virus and have been identified as the most likely cause of subsequent outbreaks. Symptoms include intense fever, vomiting, and a respiratory infection, but severe cases can involve seizures and brain inflammation that results in a coma. There is no vaccine for Nipah. Patients have a mortality rate of between 40 and 75 percent depending on the public health response to the virus, the WHO says. What has happened during previous outbreaks? The first Nipah outbreak killed more than 100 people in Malaysia and prompted the culling of one million pigs in an effort to contain the virus. It also spread to Singapore, with 11 cases and one death among slaughterhouse workers who came into contact with pigs imported from Malaysia. Since then, the disease has mainly been recorded in Bangladesh and India, with both countries reporting their first outbreaks in 2001. Bangladesh has borne the brunt in recent years, with more than 100 people dying of Nipah since 2001. Two early outbreaks in India killed more than 50 people before they were brought under control. The southern state of Kerala has recorded two deaths from Nipah and four other confirmed cases since last month. Authorities there have closed some schools and instituted mass testing. This marks Kerala's fourth recorded spate of Nipah cases in five years. The virus killed 17 people during the first instance in 2018. The state has managed to stamp out previous outbreaks within a matter of weeks through widespread testing and strict isolation of those in contact with patients. Are animal-to-human viruses becoming more frequent? Having first appeared thousands of years ago, zoonoses -- diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans -- have multiplied over the past 20 to 30 years. The growth of international travel has allowed them to spread more quickly. By occupying increasingly large areas of the planet, experts say, humans also contribute to disruption of the ecosystem and increase the likelihood of random virus mutations that are transmissible to humans. Industrial farming increases the risk of pathogens spreading between animals while deforestation heightens contact between wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. By mixing more, species will transmit their viruses more, which will promote the emergence of new diseases potentially transmissible to humans. Climate change will push many animals to flee their ecosystems for more livable lands, a study published by the scientific journal Nature warned in 2022. According to estimates published in the journal Science in 2018, there are 1.7 million unknown viruses in mammals and birds, 540,000-850,000 of them with the capacity to infect humans. The post India’s Nipah virus outbreak: what do we know so far? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Snake no mistake: Australian fined for surfing with python
As if sharks were not already enough to worry about, an Australian surfer has been seen paddling out with a python coiled around his neck. The intrepid surfer caused a stir on Australia's Gold Coast after footage emerged of him carving through the azure waves while carrying his pet carpet python. Authorities were fine with him keeping the snake as a pet but said he did not have a permit to remove the reptile from its registered address -- let alone to take it surfing. "To take an animal out in public or display it requires a separate permit," Queensland's Department of Environment and Science said in a statement. "Snakes are obviously cold-blooded animals, and while they can swim, reptiles generally avoid water. "The python would have found the water to be extremely cold, and the only snakes that should be in the ocean are sea snakes." Carpet pythons are non-venomous snakes that can grow up to three meters (about 10 feet) long, and wrap around their prey and squeeze it until it suffocates. They mostly eat birds, lizards, and other small mammals. The post Snake no mistake: Australian fined for surfing with python appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl spikers keenly await draw
Whether the Philippine beach volleyball teams will make inroads in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou will be determined during today’s groupings, Philippine National Volleyball Federation national commission chief Tonyboy Liao said. The Philippine volleyball teams flew to Hangzhou last Saturday to become of the early birds. “There’s a general technical meeting for pool play. They haven’t started I don’t know who we will be up against,” said Liao, also the commissioner of the Premier Volleyball League. “There’s no meeting yet so we don’t know the pool play. Once the groupings have been decided, then we can gauge our chances.” “The preliminary inquiry was yesterday so most likely, the general technical meeting was last night.” Ranran Abdilla, James Buytrago, Jude Garcia and Jaron Requinton, the core players who snagged three bronze medals in the Southeast Asian Games, will banner the squad in men’s play. With the dynamic duo of Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons unavailable for the national team, it’s up to Dij Rodriguez, Gene Eslapor, Grydelle Matibag and Khylem Progella to banner the Philippines as this will be the first time in 17 years the country will join the women’s volleyball tournament in the Asiad since the Filipino-American pair of Diane Pascua and Heidi Ilustre finished seventh in 2006. The post Phl spikers keenly await draw appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
VP Duterte and partners release turtle hatchlings at Cleanergy Park
Aboitiz Power Corporation subsidiary Davao Light and Power Co. Inc., with the participation of Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio, oversaw the release of 152 hawksbill sea turtle hatchlings at Aboitiz Cleanergy Park in Punta Dumalag, Matina Aplaya, Davao City. The released turtle hatchlings came from the third of five nests found this year at the park. In total, over 7,993 hatchlings have been released from the area since 2014. Besides the Office of the Vice President, the distribution utility was joined by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine Coast Guard, non-governmental organizations or NGOs and schools and universities, who had their students do the releasing. [caption id="attachment_185477" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Davao Light president and COO Rodger S. Velasco and Davao Light community relations manager Fermin Edillon show VP Sara Duterte-Carpio one of the rescued sea turtles at Cleanergy Park.[/caption] “Karamihan ng mga adult turtles na nakukuha natin sa dagat ay meron silang mga problema dahil nakakakain sila ng mga plastic. Kaya importante na maintindihan ng mga bata ang life cycle ng turtles at gaano kahirap sila mabuhay,” Duterte-Carpio said. (Most adult turtles that we get from the seas have problems because they inadvertently consume plastic [waste]. That is why it is important to have children understand the life cycle of turtles and the difficult lives they have.) While only a few turtles will survive into adulthood, conservation efforts and proper waste management remain important to ensure that these endangered creatures can thrive in the oceans. According to the World Wildlife Fund, sea turtles help maintain the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs. In particular, hawksbill sea turtles live on coral reefs and eat the overgrown sponges that suffocate slow-growing corals, resulting in a healthy reef. They also help prevent the overpopulation of jellyfishes in the ocean. "We’re honored that VP Sara joined the event and showed her support for pawikan (turtle) conservation efforts,” said Davao Light reputation enhancement department head Fermin Edillon. Edillon added that it was Duterte-Carpio, when she was still mayor of Davao City, who signed a joint memorandum of agreement with DENR-Region XI and Davao Light establishing Aboitiz Cleanergy Park as a pawikan rescue center in the Davao region. Currently, there are seven rescued adult pawikan of varying species under the care of Aboitiz Cleanergy Park. These include five hawksbill sea turtles, as well as a green sea and an olive ridley turtle. They are provided veterinary care and are being observed at the facility until they are fully recovered and can be released back into the wild. The eight-hectare ecological preserve and biodiversity conservation site is managed by Davao Light and Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Since its launch in 2014, it serves as a protected nesting ground of the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle and a home to more than 100 species of endemic and migratory birds and other marine life. Aboitiz Cleanergy Park also actively promotes decarbonization in an urban area, showcasing a mangrove reforestation site, nursery and botanical garden for the propagation of multiple native tree species. The post VP Duterte and partners release turtle hatchlings at Cleanergy Park appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PLDT, Smart work with Maynilad on reforestation and water stewardship
In line with continuing efforts to fight climate change and promote water security, the country's largest integrated telecommunications network PLDT Inc. and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. have teamed up with water solutions company Maynilad Water Services Inc. on various reforestation and water stewardship programs. PLDT and Smart recently supported Maynilad’s annual tree planting initiative “Plant for Life” at the La Mesa Watershed. This is a multi-site reforestation program that aims to recover denuded forests within critical watersheds that surround Metro Manila and nearby areas. The telcos, through their social outreach arm PLDT-Smart Foundation, adopted one hectare of the reforestation site within Ipo Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan. “Recognition of the importance of sustainability is shared within the MVP group of companies. At PLDT and Smart, we appreciate the significance of our forests and nature-based solutions in helping us mitigate and adapt to the worsening impacts of climate change. It is thus in our best interest to pursue synergies with like-minded organizations, such as Maynilad, to amplify efforts to take care of our environment and of our customer communities,” said PLDT first vice president, chief sustainability officer and head of investor relations Melissa Vergel de Dios. As co-chair of the Planet Pillar of the United Nations Global Compact’s local chapter Global Compact Network Philippines, PLDT and Smart also tapped Maynilad as one of the speakers during a learning session for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises on responsible water stewardship and on efforts to combat plastic pollution in waterways. During the session, Maynilad’s head of quality, sustainability and resiliency Atty. Roel Espiritu highlighted the importance of engaging institutional partners and MSMEs for reforestation activities. “When we plant trees, we get to hit two birds with one stone. We create carbon sinks, and at the same time foster and maintain good quality of water,” he explained. The post PLDT, Smart work with Maynilad on reforestation and water stewardship appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»