Officials: Eco-waste plant in city not etched in stone yet
THE CITY government clarified that nothing is final yet on the partnership inked between Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and officials of Kitakyushu, Japan. The clarification came amid speculation that the city government already had an agreement to build a plant here. The Strategic Environmental Partnership Agreement, signed at the conference hall of city hall Tuesday afternoon, is aimed at developing a joint model project in Davao making the city a “model for intercity cooperation in the Philippines.” There was no expressed agreement yet that the city would establish the waste to energy plant.
Sara slams groups over WTE criticism
“They’re barking up the wrong tree,” Mayor Sara Duterte said addressing the Integrated Development Interventions (IDIS), an environment group who criticized her over her partnership with Mayor Kenji Kitakashi of Kitakyushu, Japan for a waste management project. The mayor clarified the signing was for the technology assistance on waste management of the Kitakyushu Government to the city. “They are barking up the wrong tree because the WTE (Waste to Energy) is with the private company particularly the Nippon Steel,” Duterte told Mirror. She said the signing was for the technology assistance of the Kitakyushu government to the city of Davao.
Metal-eating plants can help restore damaged mining sites
DAVAO CITY—Environmentalists are agog with the disclosure about the presence of metal-eating plants endemic in the country, as a scientist revealed they could be harnessed to restore forests and watersheds damaged by mining operations. The environmentalist organization, Interface Development Interventions (Idis), announced the disclosure, of scientist Dr. Edwino Fernando, that there 20 plant species in the country with known metal-eating characteristics. The Idis said Fernando and his research team discovered in 2011 the Rinorea niccolifera, a nickel-eating shrub, in Zambales. The group said the recently discovered species was among the 20 species of metallophytes. “These species are called metallophytes. They can tolerate high levels of heavy metals, such as lead. Some of these will even require the presence of heavy metals in the soil in order to survive,” Fernando told the recent rainforestation capacity training organized by the Rain Forestation Restoration Initiative (RFRI) network at the Ateneo de Davao University.
Go Organic Mindanao launches book critical of GMOs
GO ORGANIC Mindanao, a movement of individuals, organizations, and institutions that promote, support and implement organic agriculture in Mindanao, has launched a book that exposes and mainstreams Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in formal education. Written by Dr. Rex T. Linao, et.al and titled EXPOSED AND MAINSTREAMED: THE CASE OF GMOS IN FORMAL EDUCATION, part of the book features Learning Modules on GMOs developed by Ph.D. students of the Graduate School of the University of the Immaculate Conception where Dr. Linao currrently teaches. “This book is an attempt at exposing and mainstreaming in formal education previously unheard of before and/or intentionally excluded topic because it does not fit with pre-conceived notion that all products of high technology are intrinsically good and have high contribution to the advance of humanity: GMOs.”, he writes in the book’s preface.
City backs Bantay Bukid volunteers
The city government through City Administrator Zuleika Lopez vowed more support for the Bantay Bukid volunteers or forest guards during the two-day 4th Watershed Stakehol-ders Summit, which concluded yesterday. “Our mayor will continue to implement projects aimed at protecting the watersheds,” Lopez said. She said a program that will provide additional assistance to the forest guards is already being prepared by the Watershed Management Council (MWC).
Sara lauds watershed protection advocates
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte lauded watershed stakeholders including forests guards for their active role in protecting the city’s watersheds. In the mayor’s message read by City Administrator Zuleika Lopez on Wednesday’s opening of the 2016 Watershed Stakeholders Summit, Duterte thanked volunteer forest guards or Bantay Bukid and other stakeholders for their commitment, saying their presence is an indication that Dabawenyos are united in ensuring the protection, conservation and sustainable management of the city’s watersheds. “Our watersheds are where we source our drinking water. The health of our watersheds determines the quality and the quantity of our water,” the message read.