GUIMARAS, Philippines – The crew from Greenpeace ship MY Esperanza and marine experts from
the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) on Monday set up booms
at the most critical areas in Taklong marine reserve, which is highly
threatened by the oil spill. The booms, made of bamboo, rice straw and
sacks, were made by UPV to serve as a prototype for communities who
plan to use indigenous and biodegradable materials to stem the tide of
oil slick from their coasts. Equipment for oil spill clean-up, boots
and gloves were also donated to officials managing the marine reserve.
Meanwhile, Guimaras
Governor Joaquin Nava, in a joint press conference with Greenpeace at
Taklong marine reserve, expressed frustration for the absence of
commitment from the national government and Petron to halt the worst
oil spill in Philippine history which smothered important marine
ecosystems and has already affected 40,000 people on the island.
Greenpeace fears,
however, that the worst may yet to come if the remaining 1.9 million
litres of Petron oil contained in the sunken tanker is unleashed into
the sea.
"We reiterate our
demand for Petron to immediately raise the ship out of the seabed or
pump out remaining oil from its tanks. Unless this is quickly dealt
with, there looms the prospect of a bigger catastrophe," said Von
Hernandez, Campaign Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia. "Relief
operations must continue to help the people of Guimaras. Petron must
also compensate villages for loss of their livelihood, and set up
plans to give these communities long-term livelihoods. It appears now
that Petron is just making them janitors for the oil spill."
Greenpeace urges the
Philippines government to conduct a wider impacts assessment work,
which must include all affected areas in Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros.
The government must also hold Petron accountable for the long-term
rehabilitation of the affected marine sanctuaries, mangrove areas,
reefs and coastal ecosystems.
"The impacts of this
oil spill on the environment will linger for years, even decades. The
government must learn from this disaster and put in place policies
that protect the marine environment and millions of Filipinos who rely
on them for food and livelihood," said Hernandez.
The Esperanza is in
the Philippines on the latest leg of her global Defending Our Oceans
expedition to highlight the wonders and the environmental threats to
the world's oceans and to campaign for the establishment of marine
reserves around the world. Scientists recognize the Philippine
archipelago as the world's centre of marine biodiversity, but is also
the most highly threatened due to pollution, and destructive fishing.
Greenpeace, scientists
witness devastation at oil spill ground zero
By LEA GUERRERO,
Greenpeace Southeast
Asia
August 21, 2006
GUIMARAS STRAIT,
Philippines – Scientists and environmental activists onboard
Greenpeace ship MY Esperanza arrived at the Petron oil spill ground
zero to the foul stench of oil slick that stretched endlessly across
the horizon in Guimaras Strait, central Philippines.
At around 8AM Sunday,
the Esperanza located the origin of the oil slick at 7.3 nautical
miles southwest of Unisan Island, the southernmost isle in the group
of islands forming Guimaras. The oil slick started as a thin strip but
fanned out across the strait as it comes closer to the islands of
Guimaras and Negros. Thick oil globules were also seen floating
towards smaller islands and reefs of Guimaras.
"This is only about 10
percent of the oil contained in the sunken tanker, but it has already
reached a very wide area and devastation is extensive. The Philippine
government must quickly declare a state of calamity in these affected
communities. The government must also force Petron to prevent the rest
of its oil from further leaking into the sea, and hold the company
accountable for damages to the environment and for economic losses in
these areas," said Beau Baconguis, Greenpeace campaigner onboard the
Esperanza.
A Philippine Coast
Guard vessel was also seen monitoring the oil spill ground zero this
Sunday morning. According to coast guard officials, the sunken oil
tanker is pumping out between 100 to 200 litres of oil per hour as of
Saturday afternoon.
Scientists and experts
who went onshore saw two mangrove areas near Taklong marine sanctuary
that were totally covered by oil sludge, and were already showing
signs of death. Mangroves sustain important fish and crustacean
species aside from being a barrier to natural calamities.
“This oil spill has
profound impacts to the environment and people. Although the visible
pollution can be cleaned up to a certain extent, the long-term toxic
effects of the oil pollution can kill mangroves and corals, impacting
the rich marine biodiversity found in this area and affecting people’s
livelihoods for years to come,” said Janet Cotter, from Greenpeace
Science Unit in the UK, who is also onboard the Esperanza.
On Friday, August 11,
a Petron-chartered single hull vessel carrying 2.1 million litres of
oil sank in
Guimaras Strait. More than 200,000 litres of oil has already spilled
into the sea, smothering marine sanctuaries, pristine beaches as well
as fishing villages that depend on them for food and income. Petron
has so far refused to accept responsibility for the worst oil spill
disaster in Philippine history.
The Esperanza is in
the Philippines on the latest leg of her global Defending Our Oceans
expedition to highlight the wonders and the environmental threats to
the world's oceans and to campaign for the establishment of marine
reserves around the world. Scientists recognize the Philippine
archipelago as the world's centre of marine biodiversity, but is also
the most highly threatened due to pollution, and destructive fishing.
Region 8 is 7th
poorest in the country; Matuguinao town declared poorest in the region
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
August 20, 2006
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte – Region 8 is the seventh poorest region in the Philippines, no longer
what it has always been known before as the poorest region of the
country.
This declaration of
Ms. Vangie Paran, head of the National Statistical Coordination Board,
as she presented the latest poverty estimate of all the municipalities
of the Region. Ms. Paran said that this is the first time that the
data per municipality has been made available. In the past, NSCB has
always made presentations only by province.
Among the top ten
poorest municipalities in the Region, six are located in the province
of Samar, two from Northern Samar, one from Eastern Samar and one from
Leyte.
Ms. Paran said that
the poverty incidence is the proportion of poor population to total
population. The methodology employed to generate poverty incidence was
small-area estimation using the data of the 2000 Family Income and
Expenditure Survey, 2000 Labor Force Survey and 2000 Census of
Population and Housing.
Ms. Paran bared that
Matuguinao, Samar is the poorest municipality in Region 8 with poverty
incidence of 72.16. This means, she said, that 7 out of 10 people in
Matuguinao are poor.
Ranking second is the
Municipality of Daram, also in Samar with poverty incidence of 71.05
and closely followed by the
municipality of
Zumarraga,
again in Samar with poverty incidence of 68.60 percent.
Silvino Lobos in
Northern Samar ranks number four with poverty incidence of 67.93
percent while San Jose de Buan in Samar placed number five with a
total poverty incidence of 65.67%.
The other
municipalities which made it to top ten poorest are Jipapad in
Eastern Samar,
Las Navas in Northern Samar, Leyte town in Leyte province, Gandara and
Tarangnan, both in the
province of
Samar.
Notably, no
municipality from Biliran and Southern Leyte are included in the top
ten poorest municipalities.
In its bid for a total development
Eastern Samar to offer Local Peace Pact
with NDF
By ALICE E. NICART, (PIA Borongan)
August 19, 2006
BORONGAN, Eastern
Samar – It would seem a bold and an ambitious step, but for the cause
of total peace and development, Eastern Samar Peace and Order Council
(PPOC) might just hit the nail on the head; this, when the peace
offering to the National Democratic Front (NDF) is accepted.
This was the agreement
of the members of the PPOC Council in their meeting recently. As a
start off activity, a AdHoc Committee was organized which will
formulate the guidelines for the would-be peace talks. Initially, some
efforts will be done to access to the Presidential Adviser on Peace
Process (OPAP). In an interview with PPOC Secretariat Chair, Jun
Quetilano, DILG Provincial Director, he said that he has sent some
officials already to OPAP to ask for some peace talks guidelines for
local references.
However, some
apprehensions are foreseen in the said bold step for achieving peace,
but the province is determined to take the hard and rigorous way to
it.
A mayor who was in
attendance suggested to effect the delivery and sustenance of basic
services to the barangays because according to him these are the
clamor of the people in the rural areas who feel they are not being
counted as members and citizens of the country. For this, some of our
local folks are easily convinced by black propaganda.
What would seem so
hard for local folks particularly in the alleged report that the
recent trend in the insurgency operation in "there is no intention to
give up the armed struggle" which would mean for women and children a
whimsical desire to achieve lasting peace?
Not actually
perhaps, because in the message of Colonel Wilson Leyva of the 14th IB,
he reported in delight that in Eastern Samar there are lesser NPA
atrocities as compared to other provinces in the region; this he
attributes to the support of the local government units and most of
the sectors in this part of the region. But even then, peace talks as
planned will be done, the PPOC Secretariat said. As to borrow the
punch line of a previous provincial executive, "there will be no
development without peace".
Biliran province launches US$1.5-M JICA-sponsored
maternal and child health care project
By FLOR JACKSON, (PIA Biliran)
August 19, 2006
NAVAL, Biliran –
Biliran province is set to implement a Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA)-sponsored project on Maternal and Child Health (MCH)
care after it was officially launched last week at Marvin’s Place in
Naval, Biliran.
The occasion was
witnessed by Biliran Governor Rogelio J. Espina together with the
eight municipal mayors and Municipal Health Officers (MHOs) of the
province, the Japanese officials on health led by Dr. Norito Araki,
Health Attaché of Japan, Dr. Yolanda Oliveros, NCDP Coordinator of the
Department of Health (DOH) based in Manila, DOH Regional Director
Benita Pastor and other health officials of the province.
The launching ceremony
was likewise attended by 30 visiting medical students from various
schools in Japan and Mr. Eric Macanas, Assistant Project Manager of
JICA-MCH project in Biliran.
The US$1.5-million
project which will run for four years after its launching yesterday is
expected to reduce the maternal mortality rate in the province from 24
per 10,000 population to five per l0,000 by the year 2010 and likewise
reducing the infant mortality rate in the same year as declared by Dr.
Alfonso Veneracion, provincial health officer of Biliran in his
presentation of the MCH status of the province.
He added that the
province of Biliran has the highest maternal mortality rate in the
region with 287 per 1,000 population and ranks second regionwide in
infant mortality rate with 167 per 1,000 populations.
Dr. Izumi Murakami,
Chief Adviser of the JICA-Maternal and Child Health who officially
launched the project, said that part of the package to be given by
JICA to the province of Biliran is the provision of facilities needed
by the provincial hospital and the rural health units relative to the
implementation of the project.
She added that health
workers involved in maternal and child health will be given trainings
to upgrade their capabilities, knowledge and skills in reducing
maternal and infant mortality.
Furthermore, she said
that part of their effort to achieve the goals of the project, JICA
will sponsor the training of the ten MCH personnel and ten midwives
from Biliran and the Ifugao provinces who are beneficiaries of the
project from JICA in Japan.
Dr. Murakami further
announced to the health and local government officials of the province
that JICA will give medical equipment to the province of Biliran this
year for the effective implementation of the project and this includes
a sea ambulance to transport patients from the island town of Maripipi
to Naval, the capital town of the province where the provincial
hospital is located.
Dr. Norito Araki,
Health Attaché of Japan who also delivered a message to inspire the
health workers present during the project launching bared that the
package of benefits to be given by JICA for the four-year project is
only an initial assistance of the Japanese government to the
province of
Biliran.
He added that
launching of the project in Biliran is timely as Japan and the
Philippines are celebrating their 50th anniversary of friendship.
"I am confident that
the project on maternal and child health care in Biliran will be
successful, Dr. Araki said.
"Although the JICA-sponsored
MCH project is a four-year project, it will not end by 2010 but it
will continue to provide MCH to the Biliranons", Director Benita
Pastor of DOH in Eastern Visayas said. Dr. Pastor declared that
relative to the project implementation, DOH will train the Traditional
Birth Attendants (TBAs) and be part of the women’s health care group
that will be organized to ensure the safe delivery of mothers in the
province.
She added that Biliran
is the only province in Eastern Visayas with an MCH project.
"What makes Biliran
attractive to project donors is the strong political will and
cooperation of the local government officials, she said.
On the other hand,
Biliran Governor Rogelio J. Espina hopes for a meaningful cooperation
between JICA, DOH and the provincial government as he looks forward to
the successful implementation of the project.
Naval Mayor Gerardo S.
Espina, for his part, is one with the eight mayors in the province in
saying that the project will help people in the province move towards
development.
Region 8 studes
consistently tops NAT exams
By MARIVIC A. ALCOBER, (PIA 8)
August 18, 2006
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte –
In the recently concluded National Achievement Test (NAT) for first
year level, Rizal National High School located in Tomas Oppus,
Southern Leyte topped the diagnostic test nationwide. This was
attributed to the diligence and activeness of the members of the
faculty and students in said institution.
According to
Department of Education (DepEd) Information Officer Dr. Rebecca Ragrag,
the Southern Leyte Division was adjudged as the number one schools
division nationwide, as it garnered a total of 68.07 mean percent of
score (MPS) besting others.
Ragrag also bared that
Eastern Visayas has consistently garnered highest results in the NAT
examinations and remained at the top for the past five years, which
makes DepEd Regional Director Sol Matugas so proud for such
achievement.
Ratings garnered by
the other schools divisions in Eastern Visayas on the NAT were:
Maasin City,
65.01; Northern Samar, 63.12; Western Samar, 61.94; Eastern Samar,
60.86; Calbayog City, 49.99; Ormoc City, 48.16; Leyte, 47.20; Biliran,
46.15; and Tacloban City, 41.32.
Meanwhile, in a study
made by the National Educational Testing and Research Center (NETRC)
of DepEd on the NAT, it was observed that public science high schools
rated highest in all subject areas followed by public vocational/trade
school. However, state college/university high schools performed lower
than the public national/comprehensive schools. Students who studied
in rural areas did better in all subject areas than students in urban
communities.
In the regional
performance, Eastern Visayas and Caraga are the topnotch regions in
all subject areas while ARMM registered as the lowest.
It was also found that
Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and MIMAROPA exhibited the highest
performance gain in MPS in the total test which covers English,
Science and Mathematics.
In terms of scores,
the obtained score of Eastern Visayas and CARAGA regions are more
varied than those of the other regions. This indicates that the
performance of schools is varied within these regions.
For policy
implications and recommendations, the NETRC recommends that a class
should maintain a size of 31-60 students for good academic
performance; provide students with reference books and if possible, a
workbook for each subject area; and lastly, provide teachers with more
training in Mathematics and Filipino.
